How Many Guppies In A 32Ltr Tank?

[Carrieb86]

Hey ya'll, I'm Carrie from Ireland
I'm new to the tropical fish world.
Quick Question about how many guppy fish i should have in a 32ltr tank? Also I had a black with brown spots, sucker fish..... I had him a week and this morning he was dead... What did i do wrong?

All and Any info is welcome x thanks

 

[blackops]

did u cycle the tank?

 

[Carrieb86]

I have a filter and heater on it. What exactly does cycle the tank mean??

 

[PlumbersMerchant]

check the beginners resource centre, detailed F A Q's and talk thoughs of tank Cycleing avaliable there
 
Good luck

 

[TekFish]

32 Ltrs isn't all that big for an active fish like guppies. I reckon maybe three? But definitely look up cycling first, very important. If you need it to be explained I can try to explain it to you.
 
Tek oot.

 

[techen]

I Reckon it was a common pleco too, The amount of bioload he would have made would have killed him in 24hours.


http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/113861-fishless-cycling/

 

[Carrieb86]

Wow. From only some of the info I've read, I have been misadviced by the pet store I got my guppys From. I was told a 32ltr tank with filter and heater would be suitable to have upto 20 guppies. I bought 5 guppies to start off with and by the 2nd day one was dead. A male killed a male as i found out later from reading the difference between the male and female guppy. I also read you should have a 1male to 2/3female in a tank so the male stop fighting. So i got 5 females, that evening a female killed a female. Dont know why?! I thought it was only the males that fight.
I bought one sucker fish ( a black with brown spots ) to help keep the tank clean as thats what i was told in the pet store and that one was enough for my sized tank. Six days later i found the sucker fish dead..... I cant seem to figure out why he died?! The same day I found a female guppy had died aswel.
I have my guppy about a week and a half now and I have 3 male and 4 female atm.

 

[aether.ed]

Looks like you have learned a valuable lesson, pet shops just want your money. The advise you can get from experience fish keepers online is free. Just ask before you make the mistakes.
 
To answer your question 32ltr is suitable for 0 guppies. A betta maybe, shrimp maybe, not guppies. Even if you got the males to females ratio right you will quickly have more baby guppies than you can count! Thats a whole lotta guppies in 32ltrs of water!
 
To give you an idea tho, many moons ago i had a 35litre planted nano tank and kept 1 fancy betta, 6 harlequin rasboras and a ton of breeding cherry shrimp, it was a joy to keep and looked stunning with all the plants, literally like a jungle! Another option which would require research and help from forum people is a dwarf puffer fish set up.
 
Like others have said a tank must be cycled before adding fish, usually takes 2 - 6 weeks for the good bacteria to grow in your filter.
 
Also you say suckerfish, what is a suckerfish? Im guessing a hillstream loach or a pleco of some sort, either way one requires a very specialised high oxygen set up and the other could possibly grow to 60cm long, either way both are unsuitable for 32ltrs!
 
When you are at the shop you need to find out and write down the fishes scientific name, then go home and look it up online and ask questions on forums before you give them your money and end up with a dead fish, they know you'l keep coming back for more!
 
Sorry the pet shop stitched you up, hope you get your tank on track!
 
edit: you said you got a suckerfish to clean the tank. Thats your job as a fish keeper to do the tank cleaning, the more fish there is the more mess there will be and the more work you will have to do to keep it clean. This shop really took you for a ride!

 

[Carrieb86]

Thank you so much for all the advise guys. I think I'll bring the guppy I have left back. Its crazy that i was given the fish and a tank and was even given a bottle of " quick start" which makes your tank ready to use start away....... So I was told.
I have alot to think about and consider now.
Thanks for all your help everyone x

 

[aether.ed]

Just don't let all this put you off, fish keeping is a breeze once you get the basics down. If there is a opportunity to get a bigger tank go for it. The bigger the tank the easier and less work it will be. It also would give U much more stocking options.

 

[TekFish]

 If there is a opportunity to get a bigger tank go for it. The bigger the tank the easier and less work it will be. It also would give U much more stocking

+1 If you can get a bigger tank do it, you'l be able to get more fish and actually IME they are easier to keep.
 
Tek oot.

 

[aether.ed]

Yo carrie, if you are still keeping an eye on this thread check out this link  http/www.plantedtank.net/forums/yourtanks.php?do=view&id=2655 its my old 35ltr but gives you a good idea of the potential of these little tanks. This had 6 harlequin rasboras, a powder blue gourami and a ton of cherry shrimp! 

 

[PlumbersMerchant]

please dont get down hearted, i got given similar advise when i first took up the hobby. they told me to leave my 90litre running for a week and add a few fish (3) after the week was up to get the bacteria growing. In fairness, this is how they used to do it but as a lot of people on here will advise its much better to do a fishless cycle (as origionally mentioned by Black ops). aether.ed made a good valid point, maybe try getting some harlequins ? I have 6 and they have lived over a year now (thats including the early stages when i first started) I personally think they class in the 'hardy fish' catagory but not many people like using that term as if the tank isnt correctly set up and cycled it could harm the fish.
 
check out the harlequins tho, especially if you like your fish to stick together. I have (school/Shoals) of maybe 8 of each neon tetra's and harlequins and the harlequins actually stick together more.
 
Just a thought, again, best of luck and dont give up !