Guppy Bullying -- Help needed

[izziefish]

Hi everone, this is my first tropical fish tank, I have 7 neon tetras which have been in the tank around three weeks without any issues, beautiful fish and a bristlenose catfish who is also perfectly happy - the problem is my with 3 of my 4 guppies...

Three of them are constantly pushing each other around, facing off and I've noticed in the past 48 hours that they all have this strange patchiness on their bodies I think they're nipping each other. Oddly enough my fourth guppy is black and is completely uninvolved! Could it be to do with the fact that the three fish look alike??

They've been in the tank for a week now and at first they seemed to have decided on "favourite" places in the tank to swim around in. The tank itself is 65l and I really don't want the hassle of loads of fry floating around, especially as it's supposed to be a community fish tank not a guppy tank!!

Has anybody got any advice, it would be highly appreciated

 

[gilpi]

What "fry" are you referring to?

 

[izziefish]

What "fry" are you referring to?

Hi, I meant if I were to add females then there will be inevitable fry in the tank

 

[dcutl002]

Hi, I meant if I were to add females then there will be inevitable fry in the tank

Ah! OK. Yeah, the males will establish dominance with each other. I would add females for the males...2 females to 1 male, but I would get 1 or 2 Angelfish for population control. Also, when your Guppies get old you can save a few fry and regenerate.

 

[addisonnolann]

I would not add an angel fish for population control. They are too big for a 65 liter tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[dcutl002]

Oh, I thought it was a 65 gallon. The point is, get a fish for population control with your size tank.

 

[izziefish]

Oh, I thought it was a 65 gallon. The point is, get a fish for population control with your size tank.

I don't want any aggressive fish in my tank and I'm not keen on the idea of fry at all - is there any other way?!?!

 

[SpaceFish42]

Maybe you could just try separating the aggressive ones?

 

[dcutl002]

Big misconception is that fish are these "cute" little creatures that do not have a mean bone in their body. Truth is, fish are like little wolves ready to strike and devour something smaller and defenseless. Even Guppies are carnivorous creatures. Fish are wild.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SpaceFish42]

I don't think they're intentionally evil, they're just sort of like: "Oooh!!! What's that? Is it edible? *gulp* Yes, it is! I'll go find some more!"

 

[gilpi]

You don't want a guppy tank and you don't want fry but you want to add more female guppies for the males....


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[steele22]

I have a 40l with mixed guppies and it boils down to a couple of fry maybe making it through to tank life. Females seem to not last long after birthing fry, but now i have my own bred stock in this tank. Used a fry tank to separate the new fry from the the adults, as they eat the fry, a lot, regardless of the cover you may provide. Lucky to get many last in a community tank unless heavily planted.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[izziefish]

Maybe you could just try separating the aggressive ones?

Thanks for replying, how would you suggest I go about doing that because I only have one tank? Also I can't decide who the aggressor is because all three of them seem to be giving as good as they get!!

 

[izziefish]

You don't want a guppy tank and you don't want fry but you want to add more female guppies for the males....


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

No not if I can avoid it because the females look so plain and boring especially compared to the males plus I don't want fry

 

[izziefish]

I have a 40l with mixed guppies and it boils down to a couple of fry maybe making it through to tank life. Females seem to not last long after birthing fry, but now i have my own bred stock in this tank. Used a fry tank to separate the new fry from the the adults, as they eat the fry, a lot, regardless of the cover you may provide. Lucky to get many last in a community tank unless heavily planted.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Aquarium Advice mobile app

That's exactly the problem, I don't want to spend my hardearned pounds on fish that are going to die after giving birth to fish I don't even want!! My tank isn't heavily planted at all and I 100% will not be setting up a separate tank for fry lol

 

[SpaceFish42]

It might be better to just get rid of the guppies...

 

[Activez]

I honestly haven't seen females dying soon after giving birth in my years of a guppy tank. Also if you don't over feed them they usually stumble on fry and eat them if your tank doesn't have a lot of plants.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[steele22]

Wierd I know. I picked pregnant guppies at the LFS and hope the new ones bred in tank do better. The bristlenose may be causing the wounds, as i have heard they are veracious eaters, especially when they help consume an agae bloom. Downgrade it and go all guppies, and rehome the neons. Need more than 1 tank, and thats just the start.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[jrc0528]

Having a couple females to each male will eliminate the aggression. As long as your tank doesn't have thick cover for the fry to hide in you won't have to worry about any fry surviving, the adults will aggressively hunt them down as they are a delightful snack!


When I want to save a few fry I add a thick mat of artificial plants to the side wall of the aquarium and wait for the female to drop the fry. Once they are swimming in the mat, I just net it and move them to a fry tank to grow out.