sun82

Hi all,

I have 14 guppy fry in a 18*9*9 inches tank. I am guessing the mom is very much still pregnant, as the stomach is real square today. I am gonna put her in a separate tank which i bought yesterday night, so that she gives birth peacefully. There are 3 more female guppies who are also pregnant. So, assuming 10 on the average from 4 moms, there would be at least 40 new babies. This would make the total to 54 guppy fry.

So, would a tank of 18*9*9 inches be enough for 40 guppies (am looking at the worst case scenario) when they become adults? Would it be overstocking? Or they are small fishes, would it be okay?

what percentage of the fry do really become adults? I am maintaining very good water conditions... i change 1/3 of the water every week... feed 'em with worms in powder form twice a day... temp is maintained at 78F.

Thanks.

Lucy

That's a little over 6 gallons?
I'm sorry, but there's no way it'll hold 40 adult guppies no matter how hard you work at the water conditions.
Personally, I wouldn't keep guppies in anything less than a 10g. Imo, a 20g would be better because they're so active.

agabr123

i agree with lucy, are you planning on keeping all of the fry or getting rid of some of them?

sun82

Thanks Lucy for your comment.

agabr123, I wish I keep them all... always wanted to have a tank with just guppies.... but already some of my friends have asked for a few so, it will be at least 30 which I would be keeping. I have a 10g tank (20*10*10") which i would use when they become adults.

agabr123

i would say for thirty adult guppies to keep entirely in one tank would require about 45 gallons or more, and it would also depend on how high your nitrates were getting after a few days or a week or so. if you kept 4 or 5 in the 10 gallon tank, and maybe 3 in the 6 gallon tank, then you could probably put the rest in a 30 gallon tank

sun82

Okay... one more tank for them soon.... 6th one!!! Thanks agabr! I read ur thread whr u've posted pics of ur tanks... they were too good! I was wondering what would happen if i have 9 tanks in a room... hmm... one thing for sure is that there will be more fishes into my house n i will be out!!
currently, I have one per room n one in the balcony... the LFS guy came home yesterday n he asked me if I would soon become a competitor for him, looking at the progress at the number of tanks n fishes

agabr123

lol thanks, my hobby certainly did expand fast! good luck

sun82

I heard from an LFS that for guppy fry, the water need to be little dirty !! It sounds illogical to me, but I just wanted to check if that is true by any chance ?!

Hendryx

I'm a little confused, your putting your guppy mama in a tank you bought yesterday? is that a good idea with it not being cycled? correct me if I'm wrong, I am fairly new to fish keeping..

sun82

The water is cycled for two weeks...

Hendryx

The water is cycled? I am trying to learn about all this stuff lol..bare with me, I thought the filter media needed to be cycled because thats where the benificial bacteria is? is that what you mean by the water is cycled? you put an already cycled filter onto your new tank?

sun82

That's an interesting point u brought out. I was cycling the water in a big bucket for two weeks since I wasnt having a new tank for the guppies. When I bought it, I transferred the water to the new tank. I had a submersible filter in the bucket.. so I just had to take it from the bucket n put it in the tank. I am not sure either if this is okay... but I have tried this many a times n havent faced any problems

Edit: I also added some water from the tank from where the guppies where taken from.

Meenu

Why would guppies need dirty water? If I were you, I would maybe not take advice from the LFS. Aren't they the same ones who told you not to change the water more than once a month?

redlessi

Since female guppies can store sperm from one mating and reinseminate themselves there will be batches and batches and batches of fry. My guppies outgrew my 72 gallon tank within 3 months. Good Luck

sun82

Yes, I too had the same question This is from another LFS.. I see that these guys give real advice!

Redlessi,
Thanks.. How many fry did u have?