Friend for two guppies?

[Condensation]

Hey there! I recently got back into aquariums and fish after a long break (10+ years without a tank). Since I'm trying to get back into the basics and don't have much room at the moment I started with a basic 5 gallon. I'm using the included 15W bulb and filter, and a 50W heater. Its planted with several Cryptos (melting, oh boy), DHG and Pogo's.

Currently I only have two fancy guppies inside. They seem to be doing well, they spend most of their time together exploring the tank far and wide for food they won't find. They're fed twice a day with flakes, and a weekly treat instead of flakes. I'm also dosing the plants with fertilizer and CO2, and doing a 15-20% water change every few days as the tank is still cycling.

I'm looking for opinions on anything else I could add to the tank. Possibly a snail or shrimp, something that'll stay near the bottom since the guppies are so active. I realize how it can be with smaller tanks, and any advice that isn't "get a bigger tank" or "get a betta" is welcome, thanks!

I can provide pictures of anything if needed.

 

[keegster803]

A colony of RCS


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Angela1108]

A snail or shrimp colony should be ok you probably want to let it cycle and be up and running a little bit before you add them though as inverts are often more sensitive to things than fish are. Red cherry shrimp or ghost shrimp are pretty easy to get going. If you want more colorful I would go for RCS over snails


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Condensation]

I'm definitely not planning on making any additions until its cycled and stable. How many shrimp are we talking for a colony? I wasn't expecting this tank to be handle more than a single mystery snail or several shrimp (along with the guppies).

I don't really have a lot of experience with shrimp, particularly RCS, any advice is helpful. At this point I feel that about one or two gallons can be dedicated to them.

 

[amit.rajaram]

I cycled my tank with 4 guppies, and later added 2 platys and a swordtail, 4 ghost shrimp and a mystery snail. I know you won't be able to add all of them in a 10G, but they all live very peacefully with each other, so you should be able to pick any one of those species of tank mates.

 

[keegster803]

I'd start with 2-3 shrimp, if you want a colony make sure you get a male and a female or two females and a male. And if you want it to be a colony I would add something like java moss or that kind of plant for the shrimplets to grow in and hide in for protection, as the guppies will probably eat them


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Condensation]

And if you want it to be a colony I would add something like java moss or that kind of plant for the shrimplets to grow in and hide in for protection, as the guppies will probably eat them


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

I have a bed of Dwarf Hair Grass, would that do? I could also add a moss ball.

I know that a breeding tank should be separate ideally, but I'd be ok with a colony with the guppies. My concern is that I may wind up with too many shrimp for a 5G tank. Would they be ok as all males or females?

 

[Angela1108]

Lfs will probably take them or they would be pretty easy to sell if you got too many of them


I would say 3 or 4 to start if you get adults. If you get babies you will want to start with a few more as guppies might pick some off. There are some good threads on here about care so if you just search red cherry shrimp or RCS they should come up. They are pretty easy. They like biofilm and plants but will eat leftovers so with other species in a tank you don't have to feed them specifically. They will take up left overs


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Nils]

Actually, the population will grow, but only very slowly because as with all fish, the guppies will eat the small baby shrimp. Your adults should be fine though. I would probably do that.

Nils

 

[Condensation]

Actually, the population will grow, but only very slowly because as with all fish, the guppies will eat the small baby shrimp. Your adults should be fine though. I would probably do that.

Nils

So do you think a colony would do ok? I'm thinking of doing three adults to start, either three males or two males and a female to prevent overpopulating.

Thoughts? My biggest concern is overcrowding a small tank.

 

[Angela1108]

Well if you were only going all of one sex go all female- they have a lot more color. They have a kinda short life span so I would consider 2m and 1f.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Condensation]

That's probably the way I'll go, 2m and 1f.

I know they eat leftovers so would they be ok with a moss ball and leftovers? Or should I pickup some pellets or algae wafers.

 

[Pseudomugil]

Scarlet badis are really cool ruby red fish that only grow to an inch long.

 

[Angela1108]

Maybe pick up sinking food- but only feed like one every coups of days max. uneaten will make the water params go pretty crazy


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice