This article is an extension of our care guide for Guppies which will cover some of the common questions asked about these fish. The answers here on this page are brief and to the point; but in order to fully understand the needs of these fish we highly recommend reading our full comprehensive guide mentioned above.
You can use the table below to jump to the question you need an answer to.
- Are Guppies Aggressive?
- Can A Guppy Live Alone?
- Can You Have Two Male Guppies Together?
- Do Guppies Die Easily?
- Do Guppies Need Light At Night?
- How Do I Keep My Guppies Happy?
- How Do I Know If My Guppies Are Happy?
- How many days do guppies give birth?
- Is It Ok To Keep Just Male Guppies?
- What Are Baby Guppies Called?
- Should I Remove Pregnant Guppy?
- How Are Baby Guppies Born?
- Can Guppies Eat Human Food?
- What Do Guppies Look Like When Mating?
- Can Guppies Have Multiple Fathers?
- Can I Touch My Guppies?
- Do Guppy Fish Eat Each Other?
- Can Guppies Live Without A Filter?
- Can I Use Bottled Water In My Fish Tank?
- Do Guppies Need Air Stone?
- Can Guppies Live With Koi?
- Can Guppies Live With Mollies?
Are Guppies Aggressive?
Guppies are generally peaceful and gentle fish, but they can still show aggression in certain situations.
Aggression is more likely to occur if the tank environment isn’t ideal or if there’s competition for food or females.
Male guppies tend to be more aggressive than females and will often chase females around to establish dominance and mate.
To prevent aggression, the aquarium mustn’t be overcrowded with males. It’s best to keep 2 – 3 females for every male guppy in a tank.
This ratio gives the males enough variety to stop chasing a single female around all the time. You can also keep an all-male guppy tank if you do not wish to breed them.
You might be interested in this article: Top 5 Plants For Livebearer Fish
Can A Guppy Live Alone?
Yes, a guppy can live alone but it is not recommended. Guppies are social creatures that benefit from the companionship of other guppies.
If you keep only one guppy in your aquarium, then it will often become bored and stressed which could lead to sickness or death.
It’s best to get a male guppy if you don’t want to keep more than one because female guppies may already be pregnant when purchased.
For a lone guppy to thrive, the owner must provide adequate space for the fish as well as plenty of enrichment activities such as hiding places, plants, rocks, and decorations so that they can explore their environment.
Can You Have Two Male Guppies Together?
Yes, two male guppies can live together in the same tank. However, it is important to monitor their behavior carefully as there might be some aggression between them.
Male guppies may chase each other to assert dominance or fight over a female (if present). This type of behavior is normal and should not cause too much concern if it doesn’t become aggressive or violent.
To prevent any potential problems, make sure that your aquarium has plenty of hiding spaces for weaker fish so they can escape from dominant males when necessary.
Read more here: Ultimate Care Guide For Guppies
Do Guppies Die Easily?
Yes, guppies do die easily if they are not taken care of properly. As a fish owner, it is important to be aware of the needs that these freshwater fish have and provide them with an environment where they can thrive.
It is essential to ensure that the tank size is adequate for the number of guppies being housed. Overcrowding can quickly lead to stress, sickness, or even death due to ammonia poisoning and poor water quality.
Also, feeding should be done regularly but in moderation as overfeeding can also impact their health negatively.
There are also other aspects of caring for Guppies that we mentioned in our Guppies Care Guide. Following those steps and recommendations will expand the lifespan of your fish!
Do Guppies Need Light At Night?
Guppies need darkness to sleep and rest properly, and keeping the aquarium lights on all night is not recommended.
Guppies should have six to eight hours of dark time each day, during which no light should be present in the tank.
This helps them get a good night’s sleep so that they can remain healthy and active throughout the day.
It is important not to disturb guppies when they are resting at night as this could cause stress and anxiety levels to rise significantly.
A slight disturbance such as turning on a bright light or making sudden noises could startle them awake and disrupt their natural sleeping cycle.
How Do I Keep My Guppies Happy?
To keep your guppies happy, it is best to give them a good home. This means providing them with plenty of space and an environment that simulates their natural habitat.
Start by selecting the right tank size for the number of fish you plan on keeping and make sure there are plenty of plants, decorations, and hiding spaces present in the tank.
Proper water parameters and diet are also crucial to keep your guppies happy. As long as you have an established aquarium and are following the care requirements mentioned in the Guppies Care Guide, your guppies will happily live in your tank.
How Do I Know If My Guppies Are Happy?
You can also tell when your guppies are happy by observing their behavior and body language.
Guppies that are feeling content will swim around the tank confidently and interact with one another, such as swimming in circles or chasing each other playfully.
Additionally, they should be actively exploring their environment – if they’re spending more time hiding in a corner or under plants, it could mean that something isn’t right.
How many days do guppies give birth?
On average it takes about 30 days from conception for a guppy to give birth. Guppies are a fascinating fish species that give birth to live fry.
Unlike most other fish, guppies don’t lay eggs; instead, the female will carry the eggs in their belly until they hatch. This is when the female guppy starts to give birth to live tiny versions of herself.
After all of the fry have been born, you can expect another batch approximately 30 – 40 days later.
Is It Ok To Keep Just Male Guppies?
Yes, it is ok to keep just male guppies. Male guppies often get along well with each other and can be kept in groups without any problems.
However, some things should be taken into consideration when keeping only males together.
For example, the tank size should be large enough for them to swim comfortably and also provide plenty of hiding spots as this will help reduce aggression between them.
Additionally, make sure you feed them regularly so they are not fighting over food resources which might trigger aggressive behavior among members of the group.
What Are Baby Guppies Called?
Baby guppies, or Guppy fry, are small and adorable additions to any aquarium. They start as tiny little fish that look almost like transparent specks in the water.
As they mature and grow bigger, their colors become more vibrant and defined.
Should I Remove Pregnant Guppy?
Yes, it is best to remove a pregnant guppy from the community tank for her safety and that of her fry. But never disturb her 48 hours before giving birth!
Pregnant guppies are especially sensitive during this time, as they are often harassed by other fish in the tank. This harassment can be stressful for both the mother-to-be and her unborn young.
Additionally, if she gives birth in an open environment such as a community tank there is no guarantee of survival for this tiny fry due to predation or poor water conditions.
I once made the mistake of transferring my pregnant guppy to a breeder box just a few hours prior to giving birth. This caused a lot of stress for her and unfortunately, I lost all the fry and my beautiful female guppy.
Female guppies become very shy and hide a few days before giving birth. This is an instinct that lets them give birth in a safe place without any stress. Moving them right before their due date will cause a great deal of stress to the fish and not many can survive it.
Lesson learned!
How Are Baby Guppies Born?
Guppy fry is born fully developed and can swim right away. The female guppy will usually give birth in a secluded area of the tank, away from other fish.
She may also release them one at a time or a few together in a cloud of tiny fry. Baby guppies tend to hide among plants and decorations until they grow larger and become more active.
The newborns are incredibly small measuring just 1/4 inch long when they’re born, but they quickly grow up!
In most cases, baby guppies can double their size within 3 – 4 days after being born. As such, owners need to make sure that there is plenty of food available.
To fully understand these fish, we recommend reading our Guppy Fish Care Guide.
Can Guppies Eat Human Food?
No, guppies should not eat human food. Human foods contain too much fat and salt and other minerals which can be detrimental to the health of these small fish.
Instead, they should stick with their natural diet of live or frozen brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, daphnia, and other aquatic invertebrates.
These foods provide them with all the essential nutrients that they need for a healthy life.
Additionally, certain types of processed human food may contain artificial ingredients that are toxic if ingested by guppies in significant quantities. For these reasons, it is best avoided altogether when feeding your pet guppy!
What Do Guppies Look Like When Mating?
When guppies mate, the male will typically chase and swim close to the female and try to mate with the female.
The male will try to sting the female’s vent with his male organ in super quick motions. Though this process only takes an incredibly short amount of time, mating between guppies actually consists of many repeated cycles until successful fertilization has been achieved.
After each cycle, both fish will return to their normal swimming behavior before repeating this brief ritual once more.
Can Guppies Have Multiple Fathers?
Yes, guppies can have multiple fathers. This phenomenon is known as polyandry and typically occurs when a female mates with more than one male to increase the genetic diversity of her offspring.
Female guppies will often pick different males to mate with depending on their traits such as size or coloration.
Females may choose to mate with multiple males if they believe that one male might not be able to provide enough sperm for all the eggs she has produced.
Research has shown that females are capable of assessing the quality of potential partners by observing courtship behavior, which can indicate how many sperm cells a particular male possesses.
Females can also store the sperm for up to 3 months before deciding to fertilize their eggs. This gives them a better chance of picking the right males for their eggs.
Can I Touch My Guppies?
Yes, you can touch your guppies, but they are not evolved to be touched. So there are a few things to keep in mind when doing so.
First and foremost, it is important to be gentle and careful not to hurt them. Guppies have delicate bodies that can easily become injured if they are handled too roughly or squeezed too hard.
Touching your guppy should only be done for brief moments as prolonged contact with human skin could cause the fish added stress which could negatively affect its health.
Only touch the fish if you want to monitor their health or want to move them to a new tank. Even then, when handling a guppy it is wise to sanitize your hands first and be very careful not to harm the fish.
Do Guppy Fish Eat Each Other?
Not the adults, but they will eat their fry. Guppies are one of the most peaceful species in the aquarium hobby and rarely display any aggression towards their kind.
If a female guppy has recently given birth to young fry (baby guppies) other adult guppies will try to eat them.
The female herself also can eat her babies after a few minutes of giving birth. This is why it’s important to have the babies in a separate tank to grow out.
Can Guppies Live Without A Filter?
Yes, Guppies can live without a filter, but it is not recommended since filtration helps keep the water clean and healthy for fish.
Without a filter, more time must be spent performing regular water changes and other maintenance tasks to ensure the aquarium environment remains safe for guppies.
If a filter isn’t used, it’s best to limit the number of guppies in the tank and have the largest aquarium for them possible. So that they don’t produce too much waste for the tank which could lead to poor water quality or even death.
Learn more here: Guppy Fish: Care, Lifespan, Diet, Breeding & More
Can I Use Bottled Water In My Fish Tank?
Yes, you can use bottled water in your fish tank. However, it is important to note that the quality of bottled water must be high enough for aquariums.
Spring or mineral water is generally considered safer than tap water and may be better suited for smaller tanks (around 10 gallons).
When choosing a bottle of spring or mineral water, make sure that there are no added chemicals like chlorine or chloramines as these will harm your fish. Additionally, check the label to make sure that it does not contain any metals such as copper and lead which could be toxic to aquatic life.
You also want to ensure its temperature matches what is already present within the aquarium before adding any new additions to your system.
This will help avoid unnecessary stress on both existing and new inhabitants alike while ensuring their overall health and well-being remains intact throughout their stay in your tank.
Do Guppies Need Air Stone?
The easy answer is: yes, guppies need an airstone in their tank. An air stone helps to oxygenate the water by creating tiny bubbles which provide extra oxygen for the fish.
An air stone bubbler also helps circulate the water and keeps it clean and free of any harmful toxins or bacteria which can be detrimental to your guppies.
Having an adequate amount of aeration in their tank not only ensures that your guppies have enough oxygen. But also helps increase their growth rate since more oxygen enables them to digest food better and therefore grow faster.
Can Guppies Live With Koi?
No, guppies and koi are not compatible tank mates. While it is possible to keep them together in the same tank, it is considered high risk because of the size differences between these two species.
Guppies are typically only 2.5 inches long at their maximum adult size while koi can reach up to 36 inches in length or larger.
This makes guppies easy prey for hungry koi who may mistake them for food or just see them as an easy target.
In addition, the water parameters necessary for keeping each species healthy can be quite different, making it difficult for both fish to thrive in one environment at once.
Guppies will also eat all the larvae or microorganisms in the tank or a pond and will leave nothing for the koi to eat. This can keep the koi more hungry and as a result, they might try to eat the guppies.
For this reason, we recommend against mixing these two types of fish unless you have plenty of experience caring for both species and have a very large pond.
Can Guppies Live With Mollies?
Yes, guppies and mollies can live together in the same tank. Both of these tropical fish are relatively easy to care for, making them a good choice for novice aquarists.
Guppies and mollies prefer similar water parameters including temperature, pH levels, and water hardness. They also have similar diets that make the fish compatible with each other.
Guppy fish are peaceful while mollies tend to be slightly more active swimmers who may nip at their tank mates’ fins. This only happens if there is not enough space in the aquarium.
So to keep both fish together you will have to make sure your tank has enough space and hiding spots for the guppies to take refuge.
