Tank Mates

[PrairieSunflower]

Sometime over the summer (probably in another month I am thinking), I'd like to add some other fish into my 3 foot guppy tank (which has females guppies and various fry, shrimp and 3 assassin snails). I keep my water slightly salted and the temperature is 26c.

What tank mates would work with this combo? I should add that I don't think I want to have another species of livebearer. I heard neon tetras were good, but I can't find information on whether or not they are alright with slightly salted water (by slightly salted I mean about 1 tblspn per 10 litres).

I would like something that won't nip at my female guppies and their fry. Its not a worry about whether they eat tiny fry or not as I can easily rear fry in my male guppy tank until they are a good size to move back.

 

[Crossfire]

Sometime over the summer (probably in another month I am thinking), I'd like to add some other fish into my 3 foot guppy tank (which has females guppies and various fry, shrimp and 3 assassin snails). I keep my water slightly salted and the temperature is 26c.

What tank mates would work with this combo? I heard neon tetras were good, but I can't find information on whether or not they are alright with slightly salted water (by slightly salted I mean about 1 tblspn per 10 litres).

I would like something that won't nip at my female guppies and their fry. Its not a worry about whether they eat tiny fry or not as I can easily rear fry in my male guppy tank until they are a good size to move back.

By slightly salted, could you give an exact salinity? Perhaps then we can recommend either brackish species or freshwater fish that don't mind a pinch of salt.

 

[snowflake311]

Guppies do not need salt to be happy. Leave out the salt and you would have more options. Mollys would be good.

If you want shrimp that are good with salt make sure you get Amanos or ghost shrimp. Amanos are hardy active shrimp that need salt to reproduce.

The only brackish type fish I can think of are a bit too aggressive for your guppies tank.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I don't know how to measure the salt. When I replace water, my container to pour water into my tank is 10 litres and I put 1 tblspoon of salt in it each time I fill it up.

I started out with slight salt for my guppies... and was convinced otherwise and removed the salt... and that is when all my current troubles started (and why I am not adding more fish for a least a month), and I have been re-adding the salt and things are improving... so I am sticking with the salt from now on.

 

[Crossfire]

I don't know how to measure the salt. When I replace water, my container to pour water into my tank is 10 litres and I put 1 tblspoon of salt in it each time I fill it up.

I started out with slight salt for my guppies... and was convinced otherwise and removed the salt... and that is when all my current troubles started (and why I am not adding more fish for a least a month), and I have been re-adding the salt and things are improving... so I am sticking with the salt from now on.

Any brackish species is either too big or too aggressive for the guppies. Mollies will work, but will interbreed with the guppies. Bumblebee gobies might work, but don't take my word for it. Do some research or maybe someone else can chime in

 

[mhancock]

I believe that Corys would not bother the fry at all, and as they are bottom dwellers would compliment the guppies, but do not know how they cope with brackish water - maybe someone else can advise - I'm curious to find out!

 

[Ruskull]

Corydoras are scaleless fish and not good with salt at all. Neither are Kuhli Loaches or Neon Tetras, sorry.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I don't suppose anyone knows why my guppies are so dependant on salt? Its been an absolute disaster removing it. I wish I hadn't done it as they as they started getting sick within days and its a struggle back to health (and they were in awesome health before that!)

 

[phishyphil]

I don't suppose anyone knows why my guppies are so dependant on salt? Its been an absolute disaster removing it. I wish I hadn't done it as they as they started getting sick within days and its a struggle back to health (and they were in awesome health before that!)

what salt are you using btw. just for reference sake. There should be no reason to use salt in a guppy tank. How often are you carrying out water changes? And how much at a time? what is your pH of the tank? have you tested for Nitrates, Nitrites and amonium?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I don't have means to test the ph, but everything else is registering fine. I am using Supa Aquarium Tonic Salt for freshwater tanks.

Normally, I would change about 10-20% on a Wednesday and about 30-40% on a Saturday.... this is what I am doing with my male tank which is in good shape. I never stopped the salt there and despite having trouble (I was stupid and added new fish without quarentining) and we had a brief outbreak of tail rot... it was remedied so quickly.

The female tank was not contaminated by the males. Someone told me I should not be adding salt so I decided to stop using it in the female tank (I was treating the male tank for the tail rot at the time so I kept it up there). Then the female tank started with some fish clamping their pectoral fins and I began daily water changes (about 20-30%) and that seemed to be helping the clamping... then some began to get a waxy look... not a fuzzy fungus look... sort of like when you have apples with a wax coat and they get warms up and have that waxy coat on them. And some started hovering and the occasional flashing... so I kept up the water changes and decided to re-add salt and things have been improving slowly since... the clamping is gone, the waxy look is fading but now they are getting white edges on their tails and fins and I want to pull my hair out!! I think they are getting fin/tail rot now well after I cured it from my male tank and didn't cross contaminate them! (cleaned my vaccumes, nets, etc)

I really believe removing the salt had something to do with it. I had really awesome healthy guppies before that.

 

[phishyphil]

I don't have means to test the ph, but everything else is registering fine. I am using Supa Aquarium Tonic Salt for freshwater tanks.

Normally, I would change about 10-20% on a Wednesday and about 30-40% on a Saturday.... this is what I am doing with my male tank which is in good shape. I never stopped the salt there and despite having trouble (I was stupid and added new fish without quarentining) and we had a brief outbreak of tail rot... it was remedied so quickly.

The female tank was not contaminated by the males. Someone told me I should not be adding salt so I decided to stop using it in the female tank (I was treating the male tank for the tail rot at the time so I kept it up there). Then the female tank started with some fish clamping their pectoral fins and I began daily water changes (about 20-30%) and that seemed to be helping the clamping... then some began to get a waxy look... not a fuzzy fungus look... sort of like when you have apples with a wax coat and they get warms up and have that waxy coat on them. And some started hovering and the occasional flashing... so I kept up the water changes and decided to re-add salt and things have been improving slowly since... the clamping is gone, the waxy look is fading but now they are getting white edges on their tails and fins and I want to pull my hair out!! I think they are getting fin/tail rot now well after I cured it from my male tank and didn't cross contaminate them! (cleaned my vaccumes, nets, etc)

I really believe removing the salt had something to do with it. I had really awesome healthy guppies before that.

Hmmm, it is a strange one. I would get your pH checked at your LFS, im assuming your using dechlorinator in your water changes.
How often are you cleaning your filter out?

Are you using the same buckets for water change that you was using for your male tank? If so, this is where the contamination could come from. Unless your cleaning the buckets with BOILING water after, bacteria will survive.

How often are you feeding your fish?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Hmmm, it is a strange one. I would get your pH checked at your LFS, im assuming your using dechlorinator in your water changes.
How often are you cleaning your filter out?

Are you using the same buckets for water change that you was using for your male tank? If so, this is where the contamination could come from. Unless your cleaning the buckets with BOILING water after, bacteria will survive.

How often are you feeding your fish?

Definately use dechlorinator. I have only recently cleaned my filter, so about once per month. I have two filters in this tank (second one I am just keeping cycled so it can be used in my small tank when its needed). My large filter has three compartments, two with bio filters and one that sucks up all the much, so that is the bit I have cleaned (the middle).

I have two buckets for dirty water and a separate container for clean water, so I never use a dirty or poorly cleaned container.... so no contamination that way either.

I am feeding my fish 3 times per day, small portions. I was feeding them bloodworms weekly but it turns out I have a few fish with an intollerance to them! So I am returning to egg yokes instead as that worked for all of them.

Oh, I added something and it vanished... A difference between my male and female tank (other than numbers) is that my male tank has gravel and my female tank has sand. Though, when I had my small tank running as a fry tank, that too had sand and there was never a problem.... so might not be that.

 

[phishyphil]

Hmmm, it is a strange one. I would get your pH checked at your LFS, im assuming your using dechlorinator in your water changes.
How often are you cleaning your filter out?

Are you using the same buckets for water change that you was using for your male tank? If so, this is where the contamination could come from. Unless your cleaning the buckets with BOILING water after, bacteria will survive.

How often are you feeding your fish?

Definately use dechlorinator. I have only recently cleaned my filter, so about once per month. I have two filters in this tank (second one I am just keeping cycled so it can be used in my small tank when its needed). My large filter has three compartments, two with bio filters and one that sucks up all the much, so that is the bit I have cleaned (the middle).

I have two buckets for dirty water and a separate container for clean water, so I never use a dirty or poorly cleaned container.... so no contamination that way either.

I am feeding my fish 3 times per day, small portions. I was feeding them bloodworms weekly but it turns out I have a few fish with an intollerance to them! So I am returning to egg yokes instead as that worked for all of them.

Oh, I added something and it vanished... A difference between my male and female tank (other than numbers) is that my male tank has gravel and my female tank has sand. Though, when I had my small tank running as a fry tank, that too had sand and there was never a problem.... so might not be that.

When you say "you added something and it dissapeared" do you mean livestock? if so, have to tried to locate it and see it if'ts rotting and poluting your tank?

Your feeding your fish 3 times per day? Why are you doing this might I ask? Fish are best kept on the underfed rather than the over fed. This way too much in my opinion. Fish will eat regardless of whether they are hungry. I only feed my fish a healthy portion every other day. (e.g. Mon-Wed-Fri-Sun) . This is enough as it cuts down the amount of waste and work your filter needs to do!. Feed them a healthy variety of flake, spirulina flakes, live food and vegetables (once weekly) Every other day. This should be plenty. Onbviously the fry will need feeding daily at the begining. but once they are big enought to be safe from eating from the other fish, then follow the same pattern with these.

In terms of fry, have you tried cultivating your own baby brine shrimp? Really easy to do!

 

[PrairieSunflower]

When you say "you added something and it dissapeared" do you mean livestock? if so, have to tried to locate it and see it if'ts rotting and poluting your tank?

Your feeding your fish 3 times per day? Why are you doing this might I ask? Fish are best kept on the underfed rather than the over fed. This way too much in my opinion. Fish will eat regardless of whether they are hungry. I only feed my fish a healthy portion every other day. (e.g. Mon-Wed-Fri-Sun) . This is enough as it cuts down the amount of waste and work your filter needs to do!. Feed them a healthy variety of flake, spirulina flakes, live food and vegetables (once weekly) Every other day. This should be plenty. Onbviously the fry will need feeding daily at the begining. but once they are big enought to be safe from eating from the other fish, then follow the same pattern with these.

In terms of fry, have you tried cultivating your own baby brine shrimp? Really easy to do!

No, I meant I added a comment and it vanished.


I am not feeding them large portion 3 times per day, just very small portions. I've always got small fry so there is always someone needing that frequent feeding (though separating males in females will slowly cut back on the number of fry... I have 3 females who may potentially be pregnant, the rest are virgins or empty).

 

[phishyphil]

No worries, my personal opinion is that you are over feeding. however im not you, so it's up to you how you plan your feeding schedule. All i know is from experience, excess food --> excess waste --> array of complication.

All I can comment on is the success I have had by reducing feeding times and improved fish health.

When you say "you added something and it dissapeared" do you mean livestock? if so, have to tried to locate it and see it if'ts rotting and poluting your tank?

Your feeding your fish 3 times per day? Why are you doing this might I ask? Fish are best kept on the underfed rather than the over fed. This way too much in my opinion. Fish will eat regardless of whether they are hungry. I only feed my fish a healthy portion every other day. (e.g. Mon-Wed-Fri-Sun) . This is enough as it cuts down the amount of waste and work your filter needs to do!. Feed them a healthy variety of flake, spirulina flakes, live food and vegetables (once weekly) Every other day. This should be plenty. Onbviously the fry will need feeding daily at the begining. but once they are big enought to be safe from eating from the other fish, then follow the same pattern with these.

In terms of fry, have you tried cultivating your own baby brine shrimp? Really easy to do!

No, I meant I added a comment and it vanished.




I am not feeding them large portion 3 times per day, just very small portions. I've always got small fry so there is always someone needing that frequent feeding (though separating males in females will slowly cut back on the number of fry... I have 3 females who may potentially be pregnant, the rest are virgins or empty).