sunspot

I have been having good luck with guppies, though I do not have many fancy ones.
We started with 2 males, one fancy and one lyre tail and 2 females one 'white' and one with a colorful tail given to us by our neighbor. Now we have 3 10 gal tanks, one with the original two males and five male juveniles at various ages and one with the 2 adult females and 6 female juveniles at various ages and one with about 45? fry.
One of the females is still pregnant so my big problem is what to do with all the fry (we live in Houston Texas - anyone??) The males and females were seperated about 2 months ago.
But that is not why I am posting. I am a beginner, but I now believe all my tanks are cycled, whew!! (I know the fry tank is crazily over stocked, but that's not why I'm writing.)
I am writing because all my tanks have a pH of 8.2 (according to a test strip - I know that's not accurate, but please keep on reading) This has not changed since my first start last May mostly because - having tested the tap water - the PH is identical to my tanks.
So finally my question - is that PH a problem? all fish are healthy and eating and swimming. Is there anything I should do? Temp of fry tank and female tank is 76F and male tank is a little higher 78F because it has a hood and lights.
Also while I'm here - the oldest fry were born Labor day - when should I worry about them being sexually active??

Shawnie

Hi sunspot! welcome to fishlore!
ive moved your post out of someone elses thread so that you may bet better advice for your own personal issue

ph isnt usually an issue as long as it is a stable ph...most fish will adapt to all kinds ....getting a better test kit is going to do wonders and hope you are able to at some point..API makes a faboo liquid master kit that gives you hundreds of tests..goodluck and enjoy our forum!

sunspot

Thanks for your answer and getting me to the right place!
Barb

Oh and I do have a test kit for ammonia, Nitrates and Nitrites - just have not gotten the PH one yet - it's on my list . .http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/im...ilies/fish.gif

Shawnie

awesome!! I wouldnt worry about ph if your fish babies are doing fine...as long as it stays consistant, you will be ok

TedsTank

Oh yes...Shawnie quite correct....and guppies better at a high Ph than low PH.... But if your babies are good don't tamper with it!!!! Once you have babies all is well...I think the adapt while in mommy!!!

sunspot

If PH is OK then I am back to worrying about what to do with all those babies when they get bigger! I have Petco and Petsmart nearby? but am skeptical of the suggestions to give babies to the pet store. What would they do with plain baby guppies? (not totally plain, but not fancy that I can tell so far) Have given a few to friends, but that won't make a dent in 45 with more on the way.

Shawnie

have you checked out www.craigslist.org in the pet section? you can post an add there or get more tanks....which we love helping along with the MTS(multiple tank syndrome) sickness

JoeSmo

You could always get a cichlid (Like a Convict chiclid, just one so they don't breed) and they would eat the guppy fry. If that makes you a little uncomfortable (I can totally understand) mabye you can give them to a LFS, not a big chain. Big chains like Petco won't take fish as far as I know.

And on the pH, stability is more important than the "correct level". I have a pair of German Blue Rams (Which do best in a pH of 6.7-7.2) in a tank with 8.0 pH. Unless your pH is like 9.5 or 5.0 you should be good

Shawnie

a convict in that size tank? that might be "too much " control and it probably would kill the other fish

JoeSmo

Whoops sorry, I meant to say get a 20 gallon and feed him the fry. Lol my mistake