Guppies: tank mates

[Kevinlegit]

Hello, I'm starting up my tank again with now 3 male guppies in an 18g tank. It is about 18inches tall, 17inches wide and 14inches from the back to front of the tank. I was thinking about getting glofish. Would they get along with the guppies? Or any other suggestions

 

[Stiphodon]

Glofish is not a species of fish but fish grouped together which have been genetically modified to "glow".
In my opinion you should not get a glofish as I am against genetically modified pets however everyone has a different opinion on the matter and yours is just as valid
Fish species you could try include
neon tetra
cherry barb
five banded bard
shrimp ( not really a fish but cool none the less)
glowlight danio
small freshwater gobys
dwarf chain loach

 

[Kevinlegit]

Do any of these come up to the tank if you put your hand up to it? My son likes minows because they do that at the shop but I'm not really a fan of those

 

[NickAu]

Before suggesting ANY fish we need to know about your water, Is it soft or hard?

Guppies need hard water.

dwarf chain loach

The aquarium must be mature and have a substrate of soft sand or very fine smooth gravel to protect this fish’s delicate sensory barbels
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gal (76 L)
Best in a group of six to eight, three is considered the minimum

 

[Kevinlegit]

Before suggesting ANY fish we need to know about your water, Is it soft or hard?

Guppies need hard water.


The aquarium must be mature and have a substrate of soft sand or very fine smooth gravel to protect this fish’s delicate sensory barbels
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gal (76 L)
Best in a group of six to eight, three is considered the minimum

What do you soft or hard? I'm still new to this so I'm not familiar with the terms I'm assuming it has to do with ph? I just have the fish shop test the water for me but I'd like to learn so I'm not so clueless. I have smooth gravel in the tank

 

[FroFro]

What do you soft or hard? I'm still new to this so I'm not familiar with the terms I'm assuming it has to do with ph? I just have the fish shop test the water for me but I'd like to learn so I'm not so clueless. I have smooth gravel in the tank

Unless the pet store you are going to is using a liquid test kit and giving you specific numbers, then stop relying on them. What Nick is asking is the hardness of your water. Is it soft or hard water? You can find this out by looking on the website of your local water authority.

I would also suggest purchasing your own liquid test kit as being able to get quick results for water parameters are key to maintaining a tank and diagnosing what may be wrong with the water quality should something go south (sudden fish death, flashing, lethargy, any odd and sudden changes of behavior are warning signs of spikes in water parameters). I use an API freshwater master test kit, you can purchase if for 30 odd something dollars (in the USA) at petsmart/petco and about the same online. It's 30$ but you get hundreds of tests out of it, vs spending 8 dollars on a box of test strips and getting only 8-15 tests (depending on the brand you buy).

We need to know the water quality because some fish thrive in hard water, like live bearing mollies, platies, and guppies. Others thrive in soft water, like corydora and angelfish. We will only make suggestions once we are informed of your water resource and the tank you plan to house them in, as any responsible person in the hobby puts the well being of said fish above all else.

 

[Kevinlegit]

Unless the pet store you are going to is using a liquid test kit and giving you specific numbers, then stop relying on them. What Nick is asking is the hardness of your water. Is it soft or hard water? You can find this out by looking on the website of your local water authority.

I would also suggest purchasing your own liquid test kit as being able to get quick results for water parameters are key to maintaining a tank and diagnosing what may be wrong with the water quality should something go south (sudden fish death, flashing, lethargy, any odd and sudden changes of behavior are warning signs of spikes in water parameters). I use an API freshwater master test kit, you can purchase if for 30 odd something dollars (in the USA) at petsmart/petco and about the same online. It's 30$ but you get hundreds of tests out of it, vs spending 8 dollars on a box of test strips and getting only 8-15 tests (depending on the brand you buy).

We need to know the water quality because some fish thrive in hard water, like live bearing mollies, platies, and guppies. Others thrive in soft water, like corydora and angelfish. We will only make suggestions once we are informed of your water resource and the tank you plan to house them in, as any responsible person in the hobby puts the well being of said fish above all else.

They haven't given me numbers when they test my water but it's a fish shop only not a pet store and I believe they do use liquid to test the water. Is everything you need to know included in the kit? I'll definitely stop my and pick one up tomorrow

 

[Kevinlegit]

I looked it up and the water is moderately hardy here with a ppm of 121. The tank I'm keeping them in a mentioned in my opening question. I also have a Uniclife Aquarium Air Pump 4 Watt 4-LPM on low.

 

[Stiphodon]

Before suggesting ANY fish we need to know about your water, Is it soft or hard?

Hey Nick I appreciate your opinion but I believe water hardness with a lot of fish is one of the more lenient water parameters. As most aquarium fish especially ones from your LFS will have been acclimated to the local water conditions.

Saying this it is true fish will have there preferred water parameters and for long term success it is important to try and abide by these. however many species of fish will be absolutely fine and live a long happy life with a different water hardness than suggested.

Dwarf chain poached will be out of the question due to the gravel substrate as Nick stated earlier I would be tempted to go for glowlight danio as they can be a bit more confident and might follow your sons hand when it is time for food. however all fish are different so it is impossible to tell

 

[NickAu]

As most aquarium fish especially ones from your LFS will have been acclimated to the local water conditions.

These fish have evolved to live in specific water conditions,

For example,
Guppies and Mollies tend to suffer from Shimmies if kept in soft water.