I just got a 12 gallon tank, I want to have Mollies and Guppies in it.?

Question

1. How many of each could I have? Is 6 Guppies and 2 Mollies ok?

2.When I purchase them would it be best to get the Guppies or the Mollies first or does it matter?

Answer 1

I suggest, like madison said, giving the water about half a week to set up. Also, add the fish gradually (maybe one or two every couple of days) to prevent a sudden change in ph that could kill the fish from shock. If you don't have any objects in your tank now, put a few in to make it more comfortable for the fish. A few sanitized coffee mugs can work quite nicely. As for the fish themselves, you can add the fish in any order but make sure they get along. 6 small fish is about right for a tank like that, but you should consider a pleco or algae eater to help clean your tank. Aesthetically, i would have more than two types of fish, but make sure there are at least two guppies there.
A rule of thumb for amount of fish is that if the fish should line up nose to tail, their combined length should be about the same as the length of the tank. (I mean across not forwards/backwards)

Good luck with your tank!

Answer 2

1. The group of 6 guppies would be fine, but not 2 mollies! Mollies are schooling fish and do best in bigger groups (6+) and the gender ratio should be 1 male to every 2-3 females.

My advice would be to choose 1 type of fish. Mollies can get to be 3 inches, guppies usually smaller.

Answer 3

Get 3 guppies and 3 mollies. That way each fish can grow up to 2 inches and have enough swimming space. Purchase them all at once so that they grow up togther. This should prevent fish bullies. You will need a 50 or 60 watt heater and a filter. Live plants are always great in a tropical tank!
Good luck and Have fun!

Answer 4

The guppies in a 12g would be great, get about 6 of them. Mollies won't work so well, they get bigger than a 12g tank can easily handle and will become somewhat aggressive to other fish in the tank.

Answer 5

Before you get fish, you need to set up the tank first for about 3-5 days. The tank needs time to produce beneficial bacteria or the fish could die very quickly. Keep the tank running (light on during the day, off during the night) with the filter running. Also, when you get the fish make sure you float them for 15-30 minutes and DO NOT put the water in the bags in your tank, if any of the fish were sick at the store, they can spread it into your water.