Guppy question.

[Gen2387]

Hey guys, I'm thinking of trying guppies (not in the same tank as my bettas. Separate tank of course.) And I was looking for info on them, trying to find either a very good and reliable website (like this one) or if someone can answer my questions.

- How many guppies can I have in a 5 gallon, filtered, heated tank.
- Can I keep them in something smaller... like 3 gallon. And if so, how many?
- I heard they do better in water that is a little harder.
- Website recommendations are appreciated and any other info you want to give me.

[Gen2387]

Also (lol forgot to ask questions)

- What tank mates usually do good with guppies.

[MaisyDawgThirteen]

I wouldn't do them in anything less than a 10g (hypocrite alert!!). I only have Mango in a 5g because he is murderous. lol
You could do 6 in a 10g with no other fish.
I have 4 with a school of rasboras and they do great! :D
Make sure that you either get all females or males and females with a ratio of 1 male to 2 females. Don't do all males as that can bring out some aggression (I know from experience ~ Mango).
Your best bet is all females as guppies breed like rabbits. lol
I got most of my info from a very reliable LPS.
As with all tropical fish you need a heater and filter.
I keep my guppies and rasboras at 74F. It's a little cold I know, but they seem to thrive in it. :3
My little psycho Mango is at 78 only because the heater is preset. lol

[Jrf456]

I used to keep 3 females in a filtered 5g! They lived 2-3 years. I'd say at least 3, as they are a schooling fish, and probably at most 4, because of the 1 inch per gallon thing. Beautiful fish! Not as intelligent and don't have as good personalities as bettas, but they're pretty neat.

[MaisyDawgThirteen]

5g is OK, but I personally think they do better in a bigger tank.

[Pitluvs]

Keep in mind that even if you buy all females, they can be and most likely are pregnant and with have baby fry in your home. If you don't want them, you could always toss the fry into a Betta tank. I believe female guppies can have babies up to 6 months after being in contact with a male :) But yes, bigger is better. Friend of mine started out with 6 in March, now she has hundreds.

[Olympia]

If you have only guppies, you don't have to heat the tank, they do a bit better in cooler water.

[Pitluvs]

Originally Posted by Olympia

If you have only guppies, you don't have to heat the tank, they do a bit better in cooler water.

I'm reading they like topical temps, 78-82F but cooler water is to slow their metabolism down?

Although guppies will live in water from 55 to 105 degrees, just like you, they prefer something a bit more moderate. The effective range for the successful keeping of guppies is from 72 to 86 degrees, with 78 to 82 degrees being the most commonly accepted. Guppies.com

[Olympia]

I'm not sure- I believe Sena told me that they are from cooler areas.

[Pitluvs]

Originally Posted by Olympia

I'm not sure- I believe Sena told me that they are from cooler areas.

Time to hit up Google :) As far as I know they are tropical just like Bettas.