Total Newbie - HELP

[Colette]

I am now the lucky recipient of 2 guppies. A big one and a little one. I don't know what kind they are, I don't know if they are male or female. My daughter brought them home from school. I only have a fish bowl at the moment, and some of that stuff you put in the water to make it ready for fish. She also brought home a baggie full of food. I'd love some suggestions on how to keep these things alive.

 

[Bearfan]

You are somewhat in luck...guppies are natural survivors. I recommend adding an air pump (you can buy a tiny one for ~$5) and feeding them two small feedings per day...key word is small. Change about 25% of the water weekly while syphoning off the bottom of the bowl of any waste. Mix the water and dechlorinator before adding it to the bowl, and letting the water sit and adjust to room temperature is a good idea.

Guppies can live off a fairly simple setup. Is this ideal...no, but it will work. I am guessing that you're not in the market to set up a new big tank since these were sprung on you .

 

[snapcrackler]

Welcome to AA

Like Bear said, your guppies would survive like that but they would be more grateful to have a water temp of 77 degrees or so which would require an aquarium heater... which would not fit in your bowl so you will need a tank.. at which time you'd need some filtration... LOL

If you look in your local swap sheet/newspaper ads, you might find a good deal on a used aquarium with all of that stuff included for around 20-30 bucks.

We would be happy to screen the ad for you if you let us know what you find.

Also if you have a male and female guppy, they will more than likely breed. They are livebearers and you would then have baby guppies! Now wouldn't that be exciting.

The males are typically smaller, more colorful, and "fancier" looking and the females tend to be larger, sleeker and plainer, with broader and flatter "noses".

 

[Colette]

thanks for all the help. I'll start looking for a small tank, are those smallish, octagon shaped ones any good for 2 guppies? I don't want a big huge thing. I have 2 cats and I don't want them getting into it. Also thought I'd get a plant or two and a snail.

I think they are both female - they both have a black dot on their abdomen and they are very plain looking. One is small - my daughter said they had babies in the classroom and the babies grew up in one day, so I am thinking that either the smallish one is a baby or they had babies and the adults ate them so the teacher told the kids they grew up. Someone told me that guppies are hermaphrodites and as long as you have two guppies they can breed. Is that true?

one last question - Can I feed them goldfish food? I read they like brine shrimp for snacks, but I haven't found anything specifically for guppy food. The stuff the teacher sent home looks like goldfish food.

 

[CiRXSi]

I don't know about being hermaphrodites, but a female doesn't have to be fertilized each time. Once she's been fertilzed once, she can continue to have "litters" as often as monthly, for a few months without a male present.

 

[Colette]

another question

well, the guppies are doing fine. I bought a little 2.5 gallon tank and they seem happy enough. Do they make filters for these tanks or should I keep changing the water? It has an air filter thing. I can't stand a dirty looking aquarium so I've been changing it once a week (completely changing it - rinsing the rocks, etc) I have not gotten a snail yet, would that work well? Should I not be changing the water once a week? I put a conditioner in it and I put the guppies in a baggie w/some of their old water and let the baggie sit in the new water for about 10 minutes so they get used to the temperature change. Just trying to make sure I am on track.

 

[Menagerie]

It is a small tank, but there is no need to clean the whole tank, 25-50% water changes should be fine. You can buy a small filter, I have some sort of little filter for my 2.5 gal QT tank, but it really was meant for a 10 gal and the current is a bit much.
Get a sponge filter, they are cheap and will allow for bacteria to grow. You can get a snail; but keep in mind, some snails are hermaphroditic and can take over the tank on their own. Other snails need both sexes present. www.applesnail.net is a good place to get snail info.

 

[poppab02]

Congrats on joining AA, I love it here! Everyone is very helpful, and pretty much advice is sound. A little advice for you, you really shouldn't change all the water and clean your rocks every week, there is natural bacteria that you do need in your tank. A filter is definitely a decent investment if you can find a small one, it helps your tank stay cleaner and prettier.

 

[Endgame319]

Try and look for a red sea nano filter at your fish store. They are tiny HOBs that are made for tanks <5 g

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