Guppies won't breed

[vacuumlad]

Hi,

I was wondering why my guppies are not breeding. I have 1 male, 2 female guppies, 1 molly and 1 danio in a cycled 5.5 gallon tank that has a heater, filter and lots of hiding spots. The tank is heated to 78 degrees, And the fish have been in the tank for about 2-3 months Is there any reason why they are not breeding?


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[BBradbury]

Your Fish

Hi,

I was wondering why my guppies are not breeding. I have 1 male, 2 female guppies, 1 molly and 1 danio in a cycled 5.5 gallon tank that has a heater, filter and lots of hiding spots. The tank is heated to 78 degrees, And the fish have been in the tank for about 2-3 months Is there any reason why they are not breeding?


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Hello vac...

The water in small tanks doesn't stay clean enough for reproduction. It's as simple as that. If you want to be successful in the water keeping hobby, you need at least a 20 gallon tank. 30 gallons is better. 55 is optimum.

There's not enough water in a small tank to maintain a steady, pure water chemistry and that's what's required if you want the fish to breed.

Get a larger tank, get some floating plants in there, change the tank water frequently and you'll increase your chances for success.

B

 

[SFAquariums1]

In my personal opinion, I think the tank is a little overstocked and if they are breeding the fry are getting eaten before you notice them.

I don't at all agree with needing a 30 gallon tank for breeding fish, especially guppies!!! I usually keep 1 male to every 3 females. Almost anytime you buy guppies, the females already have males sperm in them, so chances are the fry you get aren't even from your male. I would upgrade to a 10 gallon. Get 2 males and 6 female guppies. Make sure the tank is cycled and has plenty of hiding spots and soon enough you should see plenty of fish swimming around!

I'll also throw in, do research before breeding anything! Each type of fish has a different requirement for breeding. I breed betta fish in a 10 gallon tank that only has 5" of water in it....... I've got a 15 gallon full of guppies, I'm breeding paradise fish in a 20 gallon long...... All fry and parents are healthy. I actually only have a couple of fish that I breed in 55 gallons.......

Just make sure you have your water quality up to par before adding fish!


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