# How many Guppies can I keep in a 25l tank



## jasonmk1j

Hi, I had a 25l tank set up for some fish that didn't get on in my community tank which I've since returned to the shop I got them from.

As the tank was already in place and set up I "negotiated" so that the tank is now a permanent fixture and so, needed some new fish, something interesting enough for me to justify their being there. I considered another Betta, but great as they are, I can't stand to see them locked away in solitary confinement, they just look so bored or frustrated... 

Having been looking at fish for my community tank so long, having to ignore so many that I couldn't have due to the Betta, I suddenly remembered my 1st choice for tankmates, before learning just how limiting the Betta can actually be, the Guppies (followed by just about every other fish I liked the look of *r2 )

So I picked up 2x female and a Male from my local friendly fish man, then by some strange coincidence, a friend came round wanting me to take some of his fry off his hands as he was getting overrun, So I took 3x small ones about 1cm long.

The tank has a filter pump rated at 400 lph, although I think thats a bit optomistic, I've also added extra sponge to the outside of the casing over the intakes and piled up a load of 1" gravel up behind the large rock which covers the whole filter/sponge/gravel alltogether (I hope) giving the tank loads of areas for the good bacteria to colonise.

Its was set up about a month ago using gravel/filter sponges & water from my already cycled tank and established itself very quickly with the 5 fish that were in there, all parameters are good and it gets a 50% water change weekly. theres also a good selection of plants since it became a refuge for any stray that I found floating around my main tank.

I dont plan on adding anymore adult fish, 1 female is already carrying, but how many fish could I realistically keep in there?

Thanks, sorry it was so long :betta:


----------



## jamesk

I kept 10 in my 10 gallon, and they were happy. I think that's the max though.


----------



## piklmike

2 female Guppies plus 1 male Guppy equals.... at least 50 Guppies in 6 months... if they act like the 4 females and 2 males I started with 4 YEARS ago in a 29G. I now have a 55G. with 30 or 40 males. And another 55G. with 20 or 30 females and I CAN'T COUNT THE BABIES! I also have 2 10Gs. and 3 20Gs. one long 2 tall, for special needs! and that's just for GUPPIES.


----------



## jasonmk1j

Thanks for the replies, I'm totally expectng the tank to fill up pretty quickly but I won't actually be doing anything special to preserve the fry, I'll just let nature take its course.

I've a friends parents with a Koi pond which is home to some massive fish who'll be more than happy to take any surplus, I'm just wondering how many I should allow before they're considered "surplus" i.e. Koi food 

Thanks


----------



## beaslbob

FWIW my 10g ran for over 8 years with descendants from the original cycle trio of guppies. There were a farily stable population of 30 fish from fry to adults with 6-10 reproducing adults.

Tank was heavily planted and used the methods in the link in my signature except that I used play sand instead of the peat/sand/pc select layered substrate.


my .02


----------



## jasonmk1j

Thanks, I've looked at your "methods" they remind me of an old family friends tank, except his used substrate from a local stream and plants were all taken from his outside pond, water was from the well in his cellar and the tank was always thriving with life.


----------

