Questions

Fishman1995

Superstar Fish
May 11, 2010
1,341
0
0
North Carolina
#1
Is it possible to keep ONLY Male guppys and have no fights? I would like to have some guppys but having females seems to just be issues for the females and there's the risk of babys surviving. So would it be okay to have 3 male guppys in a 10 gallon with no fights that result in dammaged fins or worst?

also would it be acceptable to do a pair or trio of corys? My mom had a pair of peppered's in her 10 gallon over 2 years ago and they seemed ok. Id do a pair or trio of albino corys.

Also, call this an idiotic question, but is it possible to mix Shelldwellers with these fish ive mentioned :D i know it would be a no for me but could someone such as OC (even thou she wouldnt) pull it off?
 

nanu156

Large Fish
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#2
Ummm yes 3 male guppies in a 10g should be just fine

three corys with 3 male guppies in a 10g would be just fine

Shell Dwelling cichlids would do fine with that mix however they are going to need a bigger space, or you could do just the shell dwellers.

shellies guppies and cories all together in 10g is too many fish
 

ryanoh

Large Fish
Mar 22, 2010
858
0
0
#3
I think I may just be unlucky, but one of my female guppies is way meaner than any male I ever had. I think as long as they're not competing for females any number of males should be fine together.
 

Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#4
Also, call this an idiotic question, but is it possible to mix Shelldwellers with these fish ive mentioned :D i know it would be a no for me but could someone such as OC (even thou she wouldnt) pull it off?
If I had a 20long, I'd do shellies and guppies. I personally wouldn't do cories or any other bottom dweller so that the shellies were not harrassed too much.
 

ryanoh

Large Fish
Mar 22, 2010
858
0
0
#7
Sorry, I wasn't trying to say you were wrong. I just assumed the shellies, being cichlids, would be aggressive to the cories since cories are passive. I'm just surprised it's the other way around.
 

Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#9
Sorry, I wasn't trying to say you were wrong. I just assumed the shellies, being cichlids, would be aggressive to the cories since cories are passive. I'm just surprised it's the other way around.
If Fishman1995 was referring to Neolamprologus multifasciatus, they are a unique dwarf cichlid, males reaching 1.5 to 2" with females .75 to 1". Even a dwarf cory will be too large and too active for them in my experience in such a small tank, since they occupy the same area of a tank.

Everyone has unique experiences, he asked if I could/would mix the three types of fish. I was just explaining why I would do two of the three only.

Just my 2cents.
OC
 

ryanoh

Large Fish
Mar 22, 2010
858
0
0
#10
Good information.
I'm doing a little bit of research into shell dwellers right now too actually, so that helped me out too.
As a bit of an aside, should cories and multies be in the same tank anyways? Aren't they ideal parameters pretty different in pH?
 

Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#11
Both can acclimate to what is a value that is not 'ideal.' The lower range for a multi is the higher range for the cory, so *shrug*

In my earlier years of fish keeping, I kept guppies (or was it platies?) with multies, both bred like rabbits. I had cory cats in the tank too at first, but the multies seldom ventured from their shells with the activity. As soon as I partitioned the cories to one side of the tank, the multies acted more 'normal' and really showed their personalities.

I'm more interested now in providing fish with a more 'natural' environment, including providing their tank with the plants native to their home rivers/streams/lakes.

Due to the fact that multies are African and cories hail from South America, I now would not mix the two. Not saying it can't be done, but it is not something I would do anymore.

35 yrs ago, yes.

Now, nope.

Anywho...Just my 2cents,
OC
 

ryanoh

Large Fish
Mar 22, 2010
858
0
0
#12
I agree. I've gone from a community tank to what's mostly a biotope now.

Are BN plecos from the same place as shellies? I've read on a lot of other forums these fish are commonly kept together.
 

nanu156

Large Fish
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#13
plecos are south American but it is very common for keepers of african cichlids to keep plecos in their tank

again if we were talking about a bigger tank a bn would be suggested as a tank make for the shellies but really if he wanted anything other then just the shellies he needs a mid to top fish like the platties guppies
 

nanu156

Large Fish
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#15
no if you do shellies you get shellies as the fish that occupies the bottom half of the tank, we are talking about a 5g or a 10? either way 6 shellies would be more then enough fish for you to start with in your 10g get it up and running then add fish once the fishless cycle is done, if you keep shellies for a few months (3-4) with out incident then consider what fish you would like in the top portions of the tank.

love ya fishman but you are always raring to start a disaster.... don't make the same mistakes you have made in the past, take it slow error on the side of caution
 

Fishman1995

Superstar Fish
May 11, 2010
1,341
0
0
North Carolina
#16
Actually, cant shellies fit in a 5.5 gallon? Btw im gonna get rid of my crays to a friend with a 55 gallon tank and redo my 5.5 with Shellies and then there babys will be the first inhabitants to my 10 gallon. Whats my max number of shellies to go in a 5.5 gallon?
 

ryanoh

Large Fish
Mar 22, 2010
858
0
0
#17
What's the footprint of your tank?


This is a 5 gallon shell dweller tank, but I doubt this is the shape you have. What matters for them is how big of an area they have, not really how many gallons the tank is.
You could have a 100 gallon tank, but if the size of the bottom is only like 5"x5" its not going to make a good shell dweller tank.