Guppies?

[Valerie Adams]

So I'm thinking about possibly adding some male guppies to my 29g. Currently it sits at 74F, about 6.8-7 pH, KH 3-4, GH 7-8. All I have is 22-25 ember tetras who stay in the middle/lower area, 1 panda cory (getting 7-9 more once I find them), a mystery snail and two nerites.

So my 1st question is are those water parameters okay for them?
Second, where do your guppies hang out at? My top is pretty unoccupied. And the middle has the embers but they don't take up a huge amount of room. So do you think guppies would work or something else? How many should I add?
Third, if you think I should add them, what colors would you go for?
Fourth, if you have any other suggestions feel free to let me know lol.

 

[Byron]

Your GH is on the soft side for livebearers (Endlers, guppies, platy, molly, swordtail). I expect some members may suggest guppies would be OK but my suggestion would be to look at the interesting fish that are more suited to soft water, as your options are pretty extensive.

Marble hatchetfish? Some of the pencilfish--Nannostomus eques swims at an oblique angle and remains at or close to the surface. I have both of these with my Embers.

 

[Colin_T]

The pH for snails and guppies needs to be above 7.0.

The GH for snails needs to be above 150ppm, and above 200ppm for guppies. Yours is ok for snails but too low for guppies.

Guppies do best in a species only tank. If you want colour then keep males. If you want to breed them, get a group of females and they will probably be pregnant and breed without a male for the next 6 months. Then you can get a male if you want to keep breeding them.

Colour choice is a personal preference.

Don't put guppies or any other livebearers in with small tetras that are kept in soft water.

 

[Valerie Adams]

Your GH is on the soft side for livebearers (Endlers, guppies, platy, molly, swordtail). I expect some members may suggest guppies would be OK but my suggestion would be to look at the interesting fish that are more suited to soft water, as your options are pretty extensive.

Marble hatchetfish? Some of the pencilfish--Nannostomus eques swims at an oblique angle and remains at or close to the surface. I have both of these with my Embers.

I personally think hatchetfish are hideous lol.

But anyway, okay. I'm about ready to just throw this stupid tank out the window

 

[Colin_T]

No need to throw the tank out yet. We just need to find something to fill the top part of the tank. You could add some Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) plants to float on the surface. Possibly some of the smaller killifish (Epiplaty dageti are nice surface dwellers).

Maybe look at small gouramis like the Honey Dwarf, Licorice, Indian Banded or Sparkling gouramis.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I have had 7 male guppies in with neon and green tetras, platies, and a bn pleco. They all do great. My PH is 7.0 and my temp is 76F. I have had this stocking for over a year with no health issues or deaths. My guppies swim all over the tank. Top, bottom, and middle.

 

[Valerie Adams]

No need to throw the tank out yet. We just need to find something to fill the top part of the tank. You could add some Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta) plants to float on the surface. Possibly some of the smaller killifish (Epiplaty dageti are nice surface dwellers).

Maybe look at small gouramis like the Honey Dwarf, Licorice, Indian Banded or Sparkling gouramis.

I've never even heard of those killifish lol. What about Clown killies?

I've looked into the honey gouramis, they're nearly impossible to find. I don't like the licorice. I didn't think the sparkling would work, are they more top dwelling?

It's very hard to find fish near me. So anything I get will probably have to be ordered online

 

[Colin_T]

clown killis are small and peaceful but only live for about 12 months. But they are nice enough to keep.

sparkling gouramis live all over the aquarium, mainly in the top and middle

 

[Valerie Adams]

Do you have any other suggestions for killis?

 

[Colin_T]

Most of the Aphyosemium killifish are peaceful and grow to about 4cm.

Some of the Nothobranchius are nice too

 

[Valerie Adams]

The pH for snails and guppies needs to be above 7.0.

Okay, so in my tank my pH was sitting at 7.8 when I first started it. I have no idea how but now my tap water is staying consistently at 6.4. So obviously I'm going to have to start raising my pH. Currently my tank is at 7.0, but with more water changes it's going to go down. So in your opinion, what would my best bet for raising pH?

 

[Colin_T]

Put a piece of limestone in the tank to raise the pH. Or add a bag of shells to the filter. They are both made from calcium carbonate and will increase the pH.

Start off with a small amount and monitor the pH over a week. If it doesn't go up then add a bit more and wait a week to see if it increases the pH.