# A gender absence question



## Vivid-Dawn (Jan 18, 2005)

I have a 10 gallon tank, which is cycling, so I got plenty of time to get input on this.
I have 1 molly that's about 2 inches, and a pleco that's about 3 inches. So by the old "one gallon per inch" rule, there goes half my tank space. I really want to get 5 or 6 neon tetras. I _also_ want to get some guppies. I would prefer all males, so I can have lots'a color (not to mention not having to worry about fry and harased females).
Is it alright if I get..oh, say, 3 males and no females? Will that make their hormones go all wonky if they can't do their little "mating dance" thing for a female? I want them to be healthy (and happy, but my husband keeps saying fish don't have emotions :roll: ).
I did have a female, and 4 males before...after she died, giving birth, the three yellow males would chase the black male as if he were a mating choice! I'm not gonna have gay guppies, am I? LOL

(in case your wondering where my other guppies went to... Ich exiled them to fishie heaven!)


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Better to get females than males if you want livebearers. Males can harass each other in the abscence of females. The pleco has to go as it is not suitable for that tank. You can put the neons in if you have good filtration and do the water changes.


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## Vivid-Dawn (Jan 18, 2005)

What's wrong with the pleco being in there? I heard it's good to have a 'scavanger' (though he'll eat regular food too...swam upside down once, to get at flakes!) in tanks, and to keep down algae. Is it the size? I could get a smaller one, I suppose (but then it would grow, and I'd be right back here!).
I'm going to set up a 25 gallon tank within the next six months, so I figured he'd be fine until then, in the aspect of having room.

Oiy...seems I either need to just get all neons, or no neons and a couple guppies with a few females (I don't mind their lack of color, since my last female was silver... I like silvery fish).


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## nosilver4u (Jan 23, 2005)

The problem with a pleco, is that it gets pretty big eventually, and 10g isn't enough room for him. That being said, I have a pleco in each of my 10g's, and so far they are fine. The larger one is about 5 inches, the other just reached 2 inches. As for the male-female thing, if guppies are anything like mollies, males will pester each other constantly in the absence of any females, and it's usually wise to have more females than males, so that the pestering is more spread out.


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## Vivid-Dawn (Jan 18, 2005)

*Re: A gender decision?*

Oiy... maybe I'll just get half a dozen neons, and wait for guppies until I get my 20 gallon tank set up.
And yes, I know Plecos get big... if I remember right, I think my husband's was slightly bigger than mine, now he's HUGE! Right now, he's draped over the zuchini, and measuring about 6.5"...do I'd say close to 7..definitely wouldn't fit in a 10gal.


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