Okay so I bought some new guppies today (3 total- 2 males, 1 female). I added 2 tablespoons of the aquarium salt like it said on the package into my 10 gallon tank but as I was reading online I found that only 1 tablespoon was needed to take care of the guppies. Will they be okay? Also the female is pregnant. How long does it usually take for them to give birth. Also is it a live birth or is it egg? Just curious.... THANKS!!!
2007-05-01 16:49:53 · 11 answers · asked by Nicci 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
That is a little high, but your guppies shoud be fine in that water. In the orient, where most of them are bred now, they use lots of salt to keep diseases and parasites under control in their breeding tanks.
Guppy females can give birth about once a month. They can even give birth without males being present if they have been impregnated once. You can get 3-4 litters of fry (babies) after the males are gone.
BTW, you should really get 2-4 more females. Two males with only one female is not a good mix. The males will harrass your female to death. You need more females to spread the "sexual harrassment" around. Stress is one of the top reasons for fish getting sick. She will definitely be stressed by the constant attention of two males.
2007-05-01 17:02:23 · answer #1 · answered by 8 In the corner 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Guppies are one of the more forgiving fish. I have a 10 gal with guppies in it for my Angels. I feed them and change there filter once a month...that's it! No casualties in 5 months!
However, I have to take the pregnant guppies out and put them in my Angel tank as soon as I find out they are pregnant because they are quickly multiplying. The fry are a great treat for my Angels. Then I move them back to the "guppy" tank where they breed some more!
Guppies are live bearers, which means they have live fry. Make sure you have at least some plants on the bottom of the tank so that they can hide in it. Other than that there really isn't much to it! ~Good Luck~
2007-05-05 14:16:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually the recommended dosage is 1 tablespoon per 5 US gallons, so you're ok.
But you don't need to use salt in the tank, it's generally only needed for high nitrites levels or disease/parasite treatment, like ich.
Guppies have live births, and the usual gestation is about 28 days give or take.
2007-05-01 17:08:48 · answer #3 · answered by tikitiki 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Guppies come from the estuaries of Trinidad (the parts of land that lead into the ocean). They can take 5 tablespoons of salt per 10 gallons without ANY ill effects. What you did is no cause for concern.
As they get older, they actually like the water a little salty.
2007-05-02 03:01:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The salt is ok. The rule of thumb is...1 male 2 females. Like everyone says harassment is the killer of females most the time.
If you want to keep your babies when she gives birth i recomend you get a breeder box. This will keep mother away from babies after they are borning. Fish eat the babies.
Here is a lot of helpful tips about guppies. Go read blog and see video and pics.
GL
hope this helps
2007-05-02 00:09:01 · answer #5 · answered by sportyconnie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your guppies will be fine. They can take salt concentrations up to full seawater (if acclimated slowly). Two tablespoons in a 10 gallon tank is nothing!
Guppies give live birth - evey 28 days on average.
2007-05-01 16:54:11 · answer #6 · answered by copperhead 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No the saltier the water the more they flourish, they give birth to live fry, and normally 28 days from inception they will give birth, the female will have a darm section on the unserside of the belly and just above the anus the section will become swollen and snow white then you know she is about to give birth
2007-05-01 21:54:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thats a tad high but the guppies will survive, they are tough little things. Also you should add at least 2 more females to the tank. With your male to female ratio as it is the males may hassle the 1 female to death.
2007-05-01 17:37:13 · answer #8 · answered by Palor 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Don't worry,they will be ok.The female will give birth in about 2-3 weeks.
2007-05-02 04:13:03 · answer #9 · answered by Dragon Buster 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They'll be fine. As long as you don't add any more salt, then they'll be ok. The fry will turn out ok also. It's a live birth.
2007-05-01 17:43:35 · answer #10 · answered by ZooTycoonMaster 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋