Help! Guppies in a 3 gallon

[Jm6912]

Hi all!

We are brand new to the fish world. We bought our son some fish as a "big brother" present. We are having a baby girl in a few weeks.

We bought a 3 gallon tank and 2 male guppies. After looking on this site, I'm realizing we should have purchased a bigger tank. We are really not wanting to purchase another tank, for one thing we spent quite a bit on this one and the supplies for it, for another the tank is in his room and we're not wanting anything bigger.

Is there a way to make this tank work? I noticed a few post about changing out part of the water each week since it is a smaller tank, can anyone explain that a little better to me? Or is even this method not going to keep the fish healthy?

Growing up I had 2 guppies in a 2 gallon tank that did great, but I never knew they were in too small of an aquarium.

Thanks for any help!

***ETA- the tank is actually a 3.5 gallon if that makes any difference

 

[V227]

Relax, a lot of fish keepers have mini tanks. As long as you have a mini power filter and you are able to keep the water temp. Between 72 -78 degress you probably will be alright with a small population of guppies. Even tiny tanks will cycle, so adding anymore guppies is not a good idea for a few weeks. Feed them a "very" small amount of food during this period.
As for water changes "WC" you will need to change and replace about a gallon of water a week. You also have to clean waste from the gravel, usually with an inexpensive gravel vac. I have seen mini vacs at petsmart.
When I was a kid I kept guppies, mollies swordtails and what ever I could catch from the creek in big glass jars or fish bowls, most did fine.
Hope this helps.

 

[jfhrtn]

There are many members with nano tanks. 3.5 gallons is a lot better than 2 gallons though. Do you have a way to test the water? Also what kind of filter are y'all running on the tank? With nano tanks you really need to keep an eye on the water parameters as you don't have as much room for error with a smaller amount of water. Once the tank goes through the nitrogen cycle and establishes a mini eco system I think you will be perfectly fine with only 2 guppies. I wouldn't add any more without getting a larger tank though. Like @V227 said your going to need to perform some upkeep such as cleaning the substrate and doing water changes. For the first 2-3 weeks I might would do a .5-1 gallon water change every 2-3 days to help keep the ammonia & nitrites in check. There is also a water conditioner called "Prime" which is made by Seachem and it can work wonders. It makes ammonia and nitrites safe for a 24hr period. If you don't have prime it is really worth the small investment. One bottle goes a very long ways. Which water conditioner are you using now? There is also a plant called a Pothos that you can hang over the side with the roots in the water that will help remove the bad parts out of the water

 

[Bisqueshoppe]

If money is a factor (I know it is for ours at time) try Craigslist. Thank were a few of ours came from. Just read the listing and don't be afraid to ask and inspect

 

[DreaminginBlue]

Yea, I second the above post. I got a specialty shaped tank that should've run for $80+ dollars at the store for $15 used. With a nice clean, it was all ready to go.

 

[BettaPonic]

I would recommend aquatic and semi aquatic plant. They get rid of Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. They provide a shelter to the fish. If you decide you don't like Guppies, Least Killifish can have a small colony in that amount. I would recommend two fifty percent water changes weekly.

 

[Burger Wife]

What gender are the guppies? If they breed you will have a problem.

 

[Autumnsky]

They were 2 males.

Check out the article in my signature for some solid basics on fish keeping. It will help answer some questions and has links for other subjects which are important.

I would not get any more fish until the tank is cycled and stable. About 5-6 weeks likely.

Good recomendation for the pwc at 50% 2x per week.

 

[BettaPonic]

Thank you*

 

[Toad]

If you aren't getting a bigger tank I would not recommend getting anymore fish.