made up my mind

[OrkyBetta]

Ok so I decided to set up my 10 gallon into a guppy tank. I will move my female betta into the 2.5 as she is more suited to live in it.

Now my next question. I am NOT suited to raise fry. How many males can I keep in a 10 gallon with minimal aggression, if I had some fake plants and hiding spots?

 

[IovaykInD]

Sorry for going a bit off topic but this will help you. If the ten gallon is uncycled, then I would suggest cycling it first fishlessly. Guppies aren't the best for cycling tanks, as they have weakened immune systems due to so much inbreeding.

Isaac

 

[OrkyBetta]

I was thinking about cycling it with bio spira. Is this ok?

 

[IovaykInD]

I've never had any experience with Bio-spira, but anyone who has used it, SWEARS by it. If you can get sold of it, although it is quite expensive, definately get it.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I've heard about bio spira but it doesn't work for everyone...A fishless cycle is most likely your safest bet.
5 males is realy the minimum for an all male group to work with any success- think of an all-male guppy group like a female betta or tiger barb community tank; you need a certain amount of guppys to spread out agression between them. The best way to stock an all-male guppy tank s slowly- start with 2 males and then add an extra male once a week, most of it depends on the individual guppy so you may have to exchange some of them if you get any serious bullys before you get the perfect mix.
Male guppys will always chase each other to a certain extent but most of the time this is never serious and it is just them sorting out who's the dominant male in the pack, but rehome any males that look like they are taking things too seriously as there is little else you can do about bullys.
Add plenty of planting and hiding areas in the tank to help them avoid conflicts and over harrassment and they should get along fine

 

[Annastasia]

The reason Bio-Spira doesn't work for everyone, is because it's bacteria. Bacteria needs to be chilled to survive. When it is trucked to stores, if often gets to extreme temperatures in there. Therefore, it's very hard for the beneficial bacteria to live.

Also, while adding Guppies slowly DOES work, I've found it better to put them all in together, or near the same time. If you do it slowly, you will have groups of 2 and 3...and one Guppy is going to get picked on a lot during that time. I can almost guarantee that from my experience. Yes, even if you have calm males..one will get some chasing, and occasional nipping. When you add them all together, they can stake out their territories, and find hiding places. And they usually tend to accept more that they are a group, rather then fighting the new male Guppy that comes in to their territory each week. And the larger the group, the better.

Now, I'm not saying Toxis's idea doesn't work. It will. I have done it. But from my experience...when you add them all around the same time, there's less nipping, torn fins, and chasing. Of course, there will be SOME...they are male Guppies, after all.

But personally...I can't see all those male Guppies in a 10 gallon ...They won't have much room to get away from each other. But that's just me.

 

[OrkyBetta]

Hmm, so five guppies is too much for a ten gallon? That's odd, as the one inch of fish per 1.5 gallons (this is the rule I have eard for livebearers.) rule just about works.

There is no pure ammonia that I can find anywhere locally. My parents have pretty much forbid me using it even if I COULD find it. So bio spira is really the only option right now as cycling goes, because I refuse to cycle with fish.

 

[Annastasia]

Yes, it would work out stocking wise...sort of. But male Guppies can be aggressive. Even calmer ones. They need room to get away from each other. They need to have their own little territories. Now maybe it will work, I don't know. I'm just going by what I have seen in my 20 long Male Guppy tank.

 

[OrkyBetta]

I have absolutly no problem having less fish. I keep fish or the fish's sake, and surely almost anything will be better than what they are in now. Do you think the two of them will be ok alone in the ten? I heard they like to shoal. How many do you reccomend keeping in there?

 

[Annastasia]

I would not keep 2...with 2, you are going to have lots of picking. The dominant male is going to constantly pick on the smaller, or "un-dominant" male. Male Guppies are kind of like Female Bettas...they need a bigger group to avoid a lot of picking.

I really don't know how many to keep. You could try having 5 in there, and then just have a back-up plan if it doesn't work.

Edit: Actually, I suppose it could work. I guess I'm just used to seeing my huge male Guppies (2" or so)...I'm guessing your males will be slightly smaller, and therefore have more room to swim and get away from each other.

 

[OrkyBetta]

Thanks for your help. The two boys I have right now are both very weak little guys and as far as I can see, no picking. But still I am going to get them a nice male community to live in. With fins they are both about one inch.

 

[Annastasia]

Yeah, that should be okay. I was reading your other post, and saw you had Delta Guppies, which tend to be smaller, in my experience.

If they are weak, try high protein foods, like Bloodworms and Brine Shrimp.

And good luck with your Guppy tank!

 

[OrkyBetta]

Once again, thanks for the awesome advice. They do get fed bloodworms, brineshrimp, and peas when I make them for my bettas, along with good flake food. By weak I sort of mean neither one is dominant.

 

[Annastasia]

Oh, woops. Sorry. )

That's good none of them is very aggressive. It may be a problem, though, if when you go to start your Male Guppy community, you happen to get an aggressize male. Then those guys will be the prime targets, if they are calmer.

When you go to pick out the males at the store, or wherever you are going to get them from, watch them for a while. If you see males nipping at the females a lot, or chasing each other, try to stay away from those. I usually look for males that stick with another male (Not chasing), or that stay by themselves a little. You can usually tell by watching them for a little while which ones are going to be calmer. Just make sure they aren't sick. (I have a system for checking out Livebearers. If you want me to post it, I can...)

 

[OrkyBetta]

Alright. I will definitely look at the guppies carefully. I am going to my lfs today, and I will do that. Thanks a million!