Neville

hi i would like to add some tips on Guppies here; u guys can add your suggestions please,i think it will help newcomers.

GUPPIES, MOLLIES, PLATIES

1. They r livebearers, so their behavior and maintenance r almost same.

2. keep 2 females for 1 male.

3. they breed very easily, be prepared to have fries.

4. Guppy- Temperatue 19-29 Degree C, pH 7-8, grows up to 2"
Molly- Temperatue 21-28 Degree C, pH 7.5-8.5, grows up to 2-4"
Platy- Temperatue 18-26 Degree C, pH 7-8, grows up to 2"

5. Don't keep them with fish big enough to eat them.

6. when the female is ready to give birth a dark spot will grow bigger on its stomach.

7. Parents will eat their fries if they r not removed or u can keep heavy plantation so the fries can hide.

armadillo

Thanks, Neville!

This one's more about livebearers in general, isn't it? In my taking-over-the-world dream project is to have a caresheet specific to each species, it might get confusing that one is about livebearers, although there is already one specific to mollies.

Guys and gals, to all guppy owners, do you also have guppy-specific advice so we can add it to the caresheet? I hear they can be fin nippers, for example, and are quite sensitive to finrot. That sort of stuff.

atmmachine816

3 fry not fries (sorry had to point that out, made me laugh)

4. I think the temperature ranges are too dramatic for both, converted in Farenheit that's 64-84 temp range, I think a better one would be more around 21-27 but should be more around 24.5 Celcius

6. Dark spot is called a gravid spot and if you remove the female from the tank you should do so a week before she should have her fry, will stress her out less. The average gestation period for most livebearers is 28 days.

Should also put down that this is just a guideline, you can change some of these rules and not everything follows correctly. Such as the compatibility, depending on the temperment on the fish they can be kept with certain fish. Example my betta is laid back and since he's in a 29gallon tank he gets along fine with my guppies, though usually they won't.

armadillo

Thanks, ATM. I'll integrate into one caresheet when I get a chance.