Newbie

[Spencer Pike]

Can anyone tell me if I can keep a divider in a 55 gallon tank like 1/4 of the tank and keep the fry in that? And what are the easyist livebearers to breed? I really like guppys. Are swordtails hard? How many livebearers can you keep in a 55 gallon?

 

[bleechme]

Can anyone tell me if I can keep a divider in a 55 gallon tank like 1/4 of the tank and keep the fry in that? And what are the easyist livebearers to breed? I really like guppys. Are swordtails hard? How many livebearers can you keep in a 55 gallon?

Yes you can put guppies, swordtails, platies, and Mollies together in a tank. They will do fine since a 55 Gallon is a very big tank for Live Bearers. But Mollies and Guppies can cross breed. And Swordtails and Platies can cross breed. Also, Mollies like living in brackish water (water mixed with salt) But if you only want guppies then, Sure a 55 Gallons can hold lots of them. A 10 gallon can hold about 3-5 guppies so just multiply it. about 25+. But I don't think you'd want to buy that many guppies to start with. they are breeding machines if you find a good aggressive male that always chase the females around. For every male you get, you'll need 2-3 females so you could get 2 males and 4-5 females. Trust me, you don't want to buy a lot because in about a month, you'll want to get rid of some. Guppies I beleive are the easiest because they take a shorter amount of time to have babies and from my own past experince, they have more babies than swordtails and ect.... But no live bearers are hard to breed. They are all easy because thats what they live to do. Live and breed every minute of their lives.

Also yes a divider can be put in there but most likly the babies will somehow get through to the other side with the adults some how sooner or later. And with a 55 gallon, all you need is a few plants for the babies to hide in. A 55 gallon is big enough for the babies to hide from the parents. Therefore, a divider is not nessary unless you want to do some selective breeding. But most likly a female you buy at a store will already be pregnant. Guppies also don'y really eat their babies as much as other live bearers do. I've kept babies and the parents in a 10 gallon with barly any plants for the babies to hide and still at least 50 babies survived. But I'm not say all guppies won't eat their babies, there are some that will eat them all if possible.

Ok sorry for the essay. I didn't mean to write this much.

 

[Spencer Pike]

It was good to write the esay. lol. Im thinking of keeping guppies, swordtails, and endlers in my tank. Do they need alot of plants? Im only gonna breed like 1 or 2 a month because I do want a massive guppy tank. What other fish besides livebearers could I keep with swordtails, endlers, and guppies?

bleechme, what fish do you have in your tank and what size is the tank?

 

[bleechme]

Guppies and endler, Thats kinda hard, because they will easily cross breed. I don't think you want that. Pure endlers are hard to find. So far I've only seen one petstore carry endlers and at the same time they don't have any female. It's just reconmended you don't keep those guys together because of that. But guppies and swordtails are a nice mixture. I've had those two breeds ever since I started raising fish. You could keep any kind of fish that are about the same size as the swords and the guppies. I keep rasbora hets., tetras (may be fin nibblers but they should do fine) cloud minnows (not really reconmended though because they are not really tropical so they like cooler water like goldfish) and I also have German rams with mine, Almost forgot, Chinese alge eaters or ottos are reconmended because they will controll any alge that starts to grow. Corys are good too because they clean the bottom of the tanks for you. But yeah you get the point, any fish that can't eat them are fine with them.

 

[Spencer Pike]

I've never had rams before. Are they hard to take care of?

 

[Spencer Pike]

anyone!

 

[bleechme]

Yes. They are. If you want to discuss about them, go here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=28

But in my own experience, they are little expensive fish that will die if the requirements are not met. I've lost a total of 7 Rams, $70 down the drain. I have three left. The hardiest of them all I guess. They do breed regularly too so they can get kinda aggressive. They like soft and lower Ph water. They are very sensitive to water conditions. They may die within three days if they are not in the right water. Beautiful little fish but not reconmended for beginners. They will loose a lot like me for example. They did teach me a lot though and now I am more comfortable with them.

 

[Spencer Pike]

Can Albino Rainbow Sharks go with guppies and swordtails?

 

[Spencer Pike]

Anyone!

 

[Spencer Pike]

Nevermind about the sharks. I think Im gonna have guppies, swordtails, platies, hatchet fish, clown loach, gouramis, tetras, cory catfish, a bushy nosed pleco, and mabey an angel fish. What do you guys think?

 

[bleechme]

Nevermind about the sharks. I think Im gonna have guppies, swordtails, platies, hatchet fish, clown loach, gouramis, tetras, cory catfish, a bushy nosed pleco, and mabey an angel fish. What do you guys think?

I heard clown loaches can grow quite large. The pleco, They can get big too. And the gourmis,?? I had one before and it at my other fish's eye. I'd stick to smaller alge eaters like The ottos, fox, and Chinese alge eaters. But it's your tank so you decide. I don't want to make a tank for you. And the coryies should do the scavenge job for you so there isn't really any need for a clown loach, but Like I said, get it if you really want it.

 

[Annastasia]

Nevermind about the sharks. I think Im gonna have guppies, swordtails, platies, hatchet fish, clown loach, gouramis, tetras, cory catfish, a bushy nosed pleco, and mabey an angel fish. What do you guys think?

Clown Loaches will outgrow a 55 gallon, so skip them. Hatchet Fish, Tetras (what kind?) and Cories are schooling fish, so plan out at least 5 for those. Angel Fish may eat the Guppies or the Guppy's tails, and they might eat the Tetras too, depending on what type. The Pleco is fine, I'm assuming you mean a type of Bristlenose? They grow to about 6".

I suggest you research these fish, figure out what you want and what numbers, make sure they are compatible, and then come back and ask. We can't stock your tank for you.

Bleechme - Chinese Algae Eaters do not stay small, and they become extremely aggressive as they age. Not a fish I'd recommend for a community enviroment.

 

[peacock_101]

If your breeding platies, your tank should be around 50cm X 25cm X 25cm

SiMoN

 

[bleechme]

Bleechme - Chinese Algae Eaters do not stay small, and they become extremely aggressive as they age. Not a fish I'd recommend for a community enviroment.

Really? huh. Suits me for listening to the worker at the petstore. (useally don't listen to them anyways because they stink at giving you info.) I heard they get to about 5in. and they will be the best to put into a 35+ gallon (Because I didn't want a pleco) So you reconmend me to get rid of my Chinese alge eater and get like 3 ottos instead? I can never find foxes around where I live. (It's for my 40 gallon)

 

[vancouver]

You could do the divider thing, but personally I wouldn't..

Just get maybe 2 males 4 females of each kind of livebearer you want to breed. The more plants you have, the more places the fry have to hide. So if you want lots of fry to survive, put in lots of plants. Floating plants, and ones in the gravel.

Clown loaches wont work, angelfish probably wont either... Stick with tetras and ''nice'' fish if you're going to go with livebearers.