# Big concern with guppy fry



## Guest (Dec 9, 2006)

2 questions about guppy's....

Firstly, how many guppies can be placed in a filtered heated 10g tank..no other fish

Secondly, if I were to get guppies, when the guppy fry are born, if not eaten, what should I do with them. I don't have enough space for hundreds of guppies..i was planning for about 7-10 guppies but I need that first question answered.

THANKS


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## PlatyLady (Oct 27, 2006)

I would say that you could probably keep 7 guppies in that tank, but you might want to think about adding some type of algae eater and/or bottom dweller in the future to keep down algae growth and/or eat any food that falls to the bottom.


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## Sable (Nov 6, 2006)

If you heavily plant the tank and get a very good biofilter established, you can keep three trios (1 trio = 1 male and 2 females).

When the fry are born, you need to separate them from the main tank (and do NOT use a breeder box / net; these stress the females to death, literally). You can put them in a cycled and well-oxygenated 5 or 10 gallon tank, depending on how many fry you're keeping. 5 to 10 can be kept in a 5 gallon tank; 11 or more must have 10 gallons. The fry eat finely crushed flakes (put a pinch or two in a plastic baggie and crush them for 8 to 10 minutes), newly hatched baby brine shrimp (don't feed them the outer eggs), and, sometimes, liquid fry foods (I believe Hikari makes one). For the first two weeks, feed them 3 to 5 SMALL meals per day. When they hit two weeks, you don't have to crush up the flakes as finely; only crush for 5 minutes or so. Additionally, you should do 15% to 20% water changes every other day. This will reduce the growth-inhibiting hormones they give off as well as the huge amounts of nitrate they produce (they empty their stomachs every 20 minutes). When they're 4 or 5 weeks of age, you need to separate them by gender. Otherwise, they'll start reproducing, and while that sounds nice, it's NOT. The offspring will look like feeder guppies - dull and gray. They'll also be weaker than offspring that are produced from unions that occur between guppies aged at least 3 months, preferably 4.

It's a lot of work, but it's well-worth it. It's fascinating to watch them grow and know that you're responsible, at least in part, for their size, finnage, health, and coloration. Plus, if you get some real nice specimens, you can sell them for upwards of $1 at your local fish store and probably a lot more in aquarium society auctions.


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## Lupin (Aug 1, 2006)

Hi all.

The question behind all this breeding for a "million fish" is how can you accommodate all of them? Surely, there was a reason on why they're called million fish. 

Guppies are quite prolific so I wouldn't bother saving the fry. Let nature take its course. There are benefits from this.
1. Elimination of weaklings-Adults and other tankmates will often eat the fry but not the fry that actually swim fast to escape predation. Usually only the weaker ones are taken so you won't have problems dealing with a weak fish that may not last long.
2. Prevention of biological strain-They are quite prolific and more fry means additional waste products which will severely strain your filtration in a 10 gallons tank. Unless you have other spare tanks, there's not much you can do except let them survive on their own.

HTH
Blue


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## Guest (Dec 9, 2006)

Thank you all for your question but still wondering...Lets say I have 7 guppies, a couple reproduces and 8 guppies survive...I don't have any other tank except a goldfish bowl with a platy in it (1 gallon). I don't want my tank to be overcrowded and I DON'T want them to breed..should i get all guys?


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## T4987 (Nov 25, 2006)

If you are worried about keeping fry just fish them out each time and take them to a local pet store or feed them to your platy. Fry make excellent live food don't feel bad feeding them to another fish.


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2006)

will platy's eat younglings??and is it a max of 7 guppies in a 10g???


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## Lupin (Aug 1, 2006)

betta_love said:


> will platy's eat younglings??and is it a max of 7 guppies in a 10g???


All fish will eat fry and I would say 7 is alright. I prefer keeping all males rather than including females. Just prepare your Melafix in case nipping occurs among the males.


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2006)

if they do start to fin nip, should I isolate the guppy?


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

Blue said:


> All fish will eat fry and I would say 7 is alright. I prefer keeping all males rather than including females. Just prepare your Melafix in case nipping occurs among the males.


i have to disagree on all fish will eat fry. in my experience, endler doesn't eat their offspring. i used to have them and they will not bother the young. also, some lines of guppies doesn't eat their fries either. i believe that if a fish is always getting feed, they won't as likely as a hungry fish to bother a fry.

but again, don't risk your fries life if you really want to save them.


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## Ringo (Apr 10, 2006)

aaa said:


> but again, don't risk your *fish fries* life if you really want to save them.


 

I woulden't keep all male guppies together, you really should go for 1 male to 2 females.
Get that platy out of the bowl and put him in your tank, he will also help keep down on the fry. More carnivorous than guppies IME.


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

Ringo said:


> I woulden't keep all male guppies together, you really should go for 1 male to 2 females.
> Get that platy out of the bowl and put him in your tank, he will also help keep down on the fry. More carnivorous than guppies IME.


i have to admit that i suck at those gramma crap... so confusing... whatever... get back to topic

but the problem is betta_love doesn't want any guppy fry. 1 male and 2 females you most likely end up with tons of guppies.


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2006)

exactly..and I cant put the platy back into the tank; firstly because he will get bullied in their by the betta, and secondly because he seems to like the 1g bowl better than the .5 gallon he probabloy gets with the betta around him. Also, i DONT DONT DONT (yes DONT) want guppy fry. If the guppies do breed and fry start popping out, I probably will try to feed them to the betta or the platy (loves live food). Could I put an adult guppy with a platy?


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

if you have a betta, problem solved. just feed the fry to the betta and he will be happy to eat them.


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2006)

But the thing is that the betta is in the 10g that I was planning to put the guppies (adults) in...would he still eat them if I put them there? Also, if I put the guppies (adult) with the betta, will he fin nip, even if they're in schools?


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

betta_love said:


> But the thing is that the betta is in the 10g that I was planning to put the guppies (adults) in...would he still eat them if I put them there? Also, if I put the guppies (adult) with the betta, will he fin nip, even if they're in schools?


i am not saying to put the betta in the tank. betta stay where he is now and once your gup have fry, net them out and feed them to the betta. but usually the fry are gone before you have a chance to see them. in case you see them, net them out and feed them to some other fish.


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## Sable (Nov 6, 2006)

If you don't want your guppies to have horribly torn fins, don't put them with the betta. The betta will think that they're other male bettas and attack them. As you can imagine, guppies are no match for an adult male betta. All your fish will be stressed in that set-up.

If you do choose to keep all males, make sure you provide lots of hiding places. The males will pick on each other mercilessly.


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## Guest (Dec 10, 2006)

AAA listen....the betta IS in the 10g. and Sable, I know the ratio (1:2) but like I don't want a million little guppy fry..what should I do


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## Lupin (Aug 1, 2006)

aaa said:


> but again, don't risk your fries life if you really want to save them.


Unless you can accommodate them, then you have to. Personally, I will. Livebearers are quite prolific IMO and it's best not to intervene especially if your tank is small.


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

betta_love said:


> AAA listen....the betta IS in the 10g. and Sable, I know the ratio (1:2) but like I don't want a million little guppy fry..what should I do


ok... now it is getting clear. i was confused there for a while. you can try to put the platy in the tank and switch the betta out, but that would decrease the number of guppies you put in there. 

blue... that's pretty much what i am saying...


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2006)

but where could I put my betta in? I can't buy a new tank or anything and even I know that my golffish will b too small...plus, I haven't yet got the guppies so ill think about it then mayb when my betta passes away  , I'll put them in...but for now, betta is my baby and I'll take care of him


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Thats a very good, responsible choice


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

betta_love said:


> but where could I put my betta in? I can't buy a new tank or anything and even I know that my golffish will b too small...plus, I haven't yet got the guppies so ill think about it then mayb when my betta passes away  , I'll put them in...but for now, betta is my baby and I'll take care of him


how big is your goldfish bowl?

by the way, you don't have to get guppies. maybe thinking about other fish that can live with betta?


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## Katwulfe (Jan 25, 2006)

*[The General rule of thumb is 1" of fish per gallon. But you have to have good filtration and do regular water changes if your going to max that. 
Both the Betta and the Platy will eat any fry that is in the tank. But the Betta will defiantly be a fin-nipper especially if the male guppies are very colorful.
*


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## Sable (Nov 6, 2006)

Betta, yesterday you wrote to me: "and Sable, I know the ratio (1:2) but like I don't want a million little guppy fry..what should I do." If you'd read the last post I'd written before yours (mine was posted at 01:26 PM yesterday), you'd realize that my advice applied only to the keeping of the betta and male guppies together.  Apparently you have taken it nonetheless, so good for you. 

Neon tetras can be kept with bettas; you could fit 6 in with a betta in a 10 gallon.


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2006)

wil lthe neon tetras fit in better with the betta or will he be aggressive?


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

betta_love said:


> wil lthe neon tetras fit in better with the betta or will he be aggressive?


the neons should be quick enough to avoid the betta, plus betta is not like very aggressive anyway. maybe the first few days, but he will calm down once he get used to the neons.


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2006)

ha funny...my betta jumped at my finger just to get food from me...and he already killed a platy and a gourami....hes way way way too agressive


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Bettas should not be kept with gourami. They are from the same family and the betta may very well have mistaken the gourami for another betta. Many people say that you should avoid keeping brightly colored fish with a betta as well. Not sure if that may have been why he turned on the platy but it is definitely a possibility. I think with his track record, I would just keep him alone.


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## Ringo (Apr 10, 2006)

You shoulden't really keep any brightly coloured fish in with a betta, if the tank is small.
I woulden't keep any neon tetras in a 10G tank, there small but they need space to swim.
I've seen some pretty colorful female guppies, maybe you can find some of them to put in your tank and just go with all females.


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## T4987 (Nov 25, 2006)

I wish I could remember what the fish was I kept with my betas they weren't aggressive but when they beta got aggressive they would fight back and the beta would back down every time just wasn't powerful enough to take them.


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2006)

hmm that would've been helpful..but thanks anyways for your responses...i was thinking..when the betta passes away,     should I put neons and guppies or neons and white cloud minnows? also, should i add a suckermouth catfish or a different bottom dweller??????


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

Different fish also have different personalities.
My red betta is in a community tank with 4 males guppies and a bunch of platys and he is ok. Once in a while he will chase the male guppies, but only momentarily.
However my pink betta is another matter. He is aggressive with every other fish and so he has his own tank.
If you like guppies- eventually you can get a bunch of them. A tank with all males is very pretty. I prefer female fish of any sort as they spend less time thinking about sex and are generally more placid. Some female guppies are very pretty!
I breed my own guppies so I generally have females that are not pregnant in the community tank. I take out a couple to breed and do that when they are about 1 year old.
I do not find female guppies or platys eat fry in a well planted tank.
Red tail female guppies seem to be an exception to the rule however. They can be a bit nasty and bossy in a tank. Blue tails are more calm.
This has been my experience.
Every fish is different!


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2006)

wow thanks mousey


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