Guppies

[Georgie girl]

Hi, we recently got 5 Guppies. 3 red and 2 yellow and black. The three red have killed the two yellow and black. Is this normal? We also have cardinal tetras, zebra danios, 2 catfish, ruby barbs and a couple of blue dwarf gourimi's . All seem very peaceful! Can anyone help please?

 

[twoodrough]

I had one guppy take out another guppy, and I think he might have had a hand in the demise of my new fancy goldfish. I didn't know they could be so nasty.

 

[Georgie girl]

I know, they look so pretty too. I had no idea! When we asked in the fish store if we could 'mix and match' the colours, he didn't warn us of the consequences. The red ones seem to stick together like something out of West Side Story!

 

[Hobgob]

What size of tank do you have and what was the male female ratio of your guppys?

 

[Georgie girl]

All male and the size of the tank is 900x45x35.

 

[Hobgob]

All male and the size of the tank is 900x45x35.

What did you measure in inches or cm? And the males would all just attack each other. Maybe if you had some more sight breakers it would have had a different outcome.

 

[Georgie girl]

It's 90 cms x 35cms x 45 cms. We're new at this, can you explain sight breakers please?

 

[Hobgob]

It's 90 cms x 35cms x 45 cms. We're new at this, can you explain sight breakers please?

By the sounds of it you have some in your tank but basically anything that doesn't allow fish to see other fish. Ie plants, rocks, and other decor. This way the fish can be a lot closer together but not actually see each other so they won't harass each other. And I got 141 liters so roughly 35 gallons when I figured it out.
Are you replacing the guppies?
How many barbs do you have? They get nippy when they aren't in a big enough school.

 

[Georgie girl]

Hi, thanks for response. No, it's a shame but we won't replace the guppies. The red ones are still healthy and thinking that any more we introduce may suffer the same fate! We have a fair amount of hiding places, bogwood, large rocks, real and artificial plants and an ornamental mangrove root. Should we add anything else?

 

[Georgie girl]

Sorry missed the last part of your response - we have 5 barbs.

 

[Hobgob]

Sounds like you have enough stuff and the barbs have a good number, you could maybe get a couple more but 5 is good. I don't really have good experience with guppies so I would just assume it was to many males or something. I just wish it wasn't only the yellow ones that had to suffer. I

 

[cbourg746]

Watch the aggression from the gourami also. I have a male dwarf gourami in a 55gal that is home to 2 jack Dempsey that are 7+ inches and he shows no fear o them whatsoever. He was exciled to their tank after he killed a tank full of tetras and mollies. I know it sounds cruel but I threw him in there as a punishment and he settled right in.