guppys

[tacofrano]

do they HAVE to have a air pump?

 

[IovaykInD]

In a word, NO. There are other things that will get oxygen levels up in an aquarium. Such as powerheads, or power filter. What air pumps are for is to agitate the surface, and anything that does that, will bring oxygen into the water. And guppies enjoy a lot of oxygen.

 

[tacofrano]

what i ment was can they live in a clean fish bowl with no air punps or filters and such?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

No, guppys simply aern't bettas- while as bettas have being living in unfiltered/oxygenated bowls or small tanks for hundreds of years and have got used to it, guppys simply cannot cope with the lack of oxygen.
Guppys also need to be in groups and need at least a 10gallon tank too due to being very active little fish and complex social pecking orders which can lead to harrassment/aggression amoungst themselves if there is too little space or lack of hiding places or the gender ratios are unbalanced.
If you are going for an all male group you are going to need at least a 15gal to be on the safe side due to all male groups being more agressive and active and needing at least 5 or them to spread out agression- think of them like tiger barbs in a sense.

How many males/females are you planning on getting and what size is the bowl?

 

[tacofrano]

well now i am thinking of getting one male in a 1g or 2.5g mini bow are they good?

 

[OrkyBetta]

Guppies CAN live in a bowl or small tank, as long as there is enough oxygen, and heat. A bowl with an airstone and a heater will keep a guppy alive, but it isn't ideal. Sadly, before I knew any better, I was keeping my 2 guppies in a 2.5 gallon, unheated, unfiltered, un anything-ed tank. They lived for quite some time like this. So my guess is guppies CAN survive like this, but theur lives will be shortened. Also, my neighbors keep a huge goldfish bowl (5 gallons about) in their living room with guppies in it, and they have surived for a while. Once again, it is frowned apon, but to answer your question, they CAN live in a bowl.

Edit: also, one male will get kind of lonely.

 

[dwarfgourami]

"while as bettas have being living in unfiltered/oxygenated bowls or small tanks for hundreds of years and have got used to it, guppys simply cannot cope with the lack of oxygen"

Also, bettas are anabantids which means they have a special organ (the labyrinth organ) which enables them to absorb oxygen from the air. Guppies aren't and haven't, so it's airpumps for guppies.

And yes, of course a guppy could live in a (heated and filtered) bowl - in the same sense as I could live in the cupboard under the stairs. But it wouldn't be much of a life.

IMO the joy of fishkeeping is to give the fish the chance to develop their potential and display natural behaviour and you're not going to see that in a guppy confined in a 2 gallon bowl. Guppies are great little creatures but they need the room to be it in.