Guppies

[markiey777]

I have just started up a 45 litre tank, and am going to get a few guppies to begin with, but I read somewhere that the males fought when there were no females, and bred like mad when the writer introduced some. Is this a problem with guppies, or do you reckon that there were just too many guppies in the tank?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

hmmm guess you'd need a bit more info on the tank to see why they were fighting, certainly not something I've heard of but all fish can end up agressive if kept in the wriong conditions, maybe he just had too many in a small tank or unsuitable occupants with them.

as for breeding like mad when he introduced females.... yup, they breed like well... like guppies really

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Most poeple advise having at least 5 males if you are going for an all-male guppy group (to help disperse agression between the males), on the other hand a 45 litre tank is really too small for an all-male group of guppys, i wouldn't have such a group in anything less than 60litres (although i'd prefer at least 15-20gallons).
I would put the agression down to lack of space.
All-female groups are much easier to cater for as they are generally a lot less stressful or agressive, yes it is likely that you will still get some pregnancys as the females can store sperm inside themselves, but eventually they'll run out.
If you don't want to raise fry, simply leave them in the tank with the adults- the adult guppys will eat most, if not all, of the fry born. Either that or you can just cull any fry born in the tank.

 

[markiey777]

Ok, thanks