A few questions about my Guppies

[FishGeek]

Hi, I just have a questions that I hope that someone can help me with. I have a tank with 4 guppies and a snail. I know that my tank and filter can handle the fish that are in it but I have had a few problems with my ammonia. I think that I may be feeding them too much. It sounds kind of stupid but how do I know how much to feed them? They eat about 80% of what I put in there 3 times a day and are very eager to eat again. Please help! Thanks.
guppy_newbe

 

[punkrockfish]

tank cycled? doing regular water changes? cut back the feeding to twice a day and only feed what they can eat all of in a couple of minutes and try to remove any extra food still floating around. better to keep your fish a little hungry rather than feeding too much. just curious, how big is your tank?

 

[Davy]

If they are only eating 80% of what you put in the tank, then cut back by 20% so then they eat 100%. Most people only feed their fish 1 or 2 times a day. I personally only feed my fish 1 time each day. Guppies and many other fish will eat until they are so fat they can hardly swim so you can't really go by how much they want to eat.

The ammonia problem sounds like the tank is not cycled. How big is the tank and how often do you do water changes?

 

[FishGeek]

Thanks for the help. I have a 5 gallon tank and a filter that is supposed to move 35 gallons an hour. When I took the water into the pet store to get it tested everything was fine and the tank has cycled (that was when I only had two fish). The pet store told me that I could get two more guppies. I cut back on the food today and treated the water. I think that I am good now. I hope! Thanks again.
guppy_newbe

 

[punkrockfish]

i wouldnt get anymore fish either, b/c if, more like when, your guppies breed (if you have males and females that is) you are going to have more than you know what to do with.

 

[FishGeek]

Yes, I know. Right now I have a pregnant female that is due within the next week. I have 2 males and 2 females. I have a seperate 1.5 gallon tank for the babies for the time they are here. The pet store said they will take them. We would love to get a bigger tank but my husband is in the navy and right now we arent settled down so.....How often should I do water changes do you think? I have heard so many different answers.
guppy_newbe

 

[FroggyFox]

If you have any detectable ammonia, your tank isn't cycled. I'd readup on that. Even if it was cycled...the addition of the new guppies is making it go through another mini cycle.

Water changes on a normal, established tank...usually suggest 25% or more once a week. If you have a tank thats cycling with fish in it (meaning you have ammonia or nitrite in there) then I'd suggest more like 20% every other day until you're finished cycling.

Guppies take a long time to grow...hopefully the pet store will take them as feeders My stores around here wont take them unless they're an inch long...and even after a year or so they're not that big.

 

[FishGeek]

Thank You FroggyFox. That would explain why my tank looks the way that it did before I added these new fish. It has just a little bit of cloudiness in it with traces of ammonia, but everthing else is perfect. I thought that I was really screwing up. I just have to get the hang of it. Like I said I cut back on the food and did a 25% water change. Again I hope that I am good. I really appreciate the help from all of you.
guppy_newbe