Smallest Tank A Heterandria Formosa Can Be In?

[GuppyGoddess]

I read these little fish can get by in smaller tanks. A few questions:

How small of a home are we talking? (2, 3, or 5 gallons (all filtered/heated. . .or are those all too small?)
What is the minimum number of fish that can be placed together?
Anything else that should be known about them? (I did read they love heavily planted tanks, so I got that part down.)

 

[hughessomefish]

due to this being posted in the livebearers section most of us will not know

 

[helterskelter]

These are fine in small tanks, i've had family groups in tanks as small as 12x12x12 inches for years.
A simple air powered sponge filter is fine for them, do not use power filter's

As for numbers, a small group is best of several fish, but if u start with a pair they may bully the fry at first until their use to them.

Java moss is the best plant you can have for them, is great for fry and contains many microscopic foods they all can feed on.

 

[kelly528]

due to this being posted in the livebearers section most of us will not know

H. Formosa is a livebearer...

Just leave room for family planning. Even if you are selling them, etc, you still need room for at least 15 fry to grow out, not including adult stock. I think a small colony in a 5 gallon would work nicely. You could go smaller (as long as you can heat it), but in that case you would want to go with all males.

 

[Gill]

The Smallest size I have kept them in was 1G and they did Well in there.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

due to this being posted in the livebearers section most of us will not know

Before you flame me, maybe you should make sure your information is accurate.

Hererandia Formosa is a species of livebearing fish. Try googling next time before responding to a post.

OH, and P.S. Why is every response you post on this this entire website one sentence long?

Edited to add the P.S.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

The Smallest size I have kept them in was 1G and they did Well in there.

Thanks everyone.

Gill - you had a heater and some sort of filter, right? I'd go larger than a 1-gallon and would for sure have a heater.

Kelly - I did read they're easy to breed - I'll try and get all males as I don't want babies. The only problem I have is the LFS employees always have problems telling whether or not the fish are male or female. They couldn't tell with my Rasboras. I did find a store that will take fish donations and/or pay if my rasboras do end up breeding. My betta will probably eat the babies though lol

 

[kelly528]

The Smallest size I have kept them in was 1G and they did Well in there.

Bearing in mind that there are 2 types of livebearers known as mosquitofish (H. Formosa and Gambusia affinis) only 1 is coldwater (I think G. affinis), so if you go with a 1 gallon you would have to heat it for H. Formosa.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

These are fine in small tanks, i've had family groups in tanks as small as 12x12x12 inches for years.
A simple air powered sponge filter is fine for them, do not use power filter's

As for numbers, a small group is best of several fish, but if u start with a pair they may bully the fry at first until their use to them.

Java moss is the best plant you can have for them, is great for fry and contains many microscopic foods they all can feed on.

Okay, sounds great. I'll have to hunt around for good quality Java Moss. Most of the stores around here keep snails in with the plants and I almost had a snail outbreak. Found three snails after I planted new plants and then later found one that had been sucked up into my filter! lol

The Smallest size I have kept them in was 1G and they did Well in there.

Bearing in mind that there are 2 types of livebearers known as mosquitofish (H. Formosa and Gambusia affinis) only 1 is coldwater (I think G. affinis), so if you go with a 1 gallon you would have to heat it for H. Formosa.

I'll for sure get a heater! The size I have is a 2-gallon. I'm going to look around at a few shops and make sure I get the right one. I didn't realize one is cold water, though, so that would be a great alternative if I can't find the heater-needing one. I take it the coldwater version needs a filter of some sort?

 

[kelly528]

I take it the coldwater version needs a filter of some sort?

Yeah they like well-oxygenated water from what I have read.

 

[OldMan47]

My Heterandria formosa colony is in a 10 gallon but I would not hesitate to place some in a 5 gallon or even smaller. I have an enormous clump of java moss in their tank and they breed at will. It is a breeze to tell a male

from a female

Because the fish are so small, the gonopodium on a Heterandria formosa is quite large compared to its body size. Quit relying on a know nothing LFS to pick out your fish, you can do it yourself quite quickly.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

My Heterandria formosa colony is in a 10 gallon but I would not hesitate to place some in a 5 gallon or even smaller. I have an enormous clump of java moss in their tank and they breed at will. It is a breeze to tell a male

from a female

Because the fish are so small, the gonopodium on a Heterandria formosa is quite large compared to its body size. Quit relying on a know nothing LFS to pick out your fish, you can do it yourself quite quickly.

Perfect. Thanks for the info.

 

[Gill]

The Smallest size I have kept them in was 1G and they did Well in there.

Bearing in mind that there are 2 types of livebearers known as mosquitofish (H. Formosa and Gambusia affinis) only 1 is coldwater (I think G. affinis), so if you go with a 1 gallon you would have to heat it for H. Formosa.

H.Formosa are a cold water species and do not require a Heater from what i have read up on them. I did not use a heater with mine as the temp was stable room temp.

 

[fish48]

Temp – can go as low as 62 f up to 76f I find they do best between 68f -72f

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Temp – can go as low as 62 f up to 76f I find they do best between 68f -72f

I called a few LFS today and neither have them. . . hopefully I can find a local person who does sell them because online ordering for them seems a bit pricey!