When it comes to keeping guppies in an aquarium, the general rule of thumb is to have at least 5 gallons of water per guppy. Therefore, a trio of guppies in a 5-gallon tank would be the minimum recommended size.
However, there are a few other factors to consider when determining how many guppies to keep in your aquarium. For example, you may want to consider the size and temperament of your guppies, as well as any other fish you may have in the tank. Male and female guppies can be kept together, but it is important to keep an eye on the males as they may become aggressive towards the females if they are not given enough space. Alternatively, you may choose to only keep male or female guppies in your aquarium to prevent breeding.
Overall, the number of guppies you choose to keep in your aquarium will depend on your personal preferences and the size and setup of your tank. As a general rule, it is always best to err on the side of caution and provide your guppies with plenty of space and a healthy environment.
To begin with, let’s first define guppies.
What are Guppies?
Guppies are calm, friendly, and beautiful fishes. They are highly outgoing species who would appreciate the company of their size.
We have male and female guppies with the following characteristics:
- Males are more aggressive than females. They can also be territorial, unlike females.
Why should we keep guppies together?
Guppies are sociable, they get lonely & depressed when left alone, even though we provide adequate food, space, and a friendly environment.
If you don’t want to keep a large number of guppies, maintain at least a trio in your fish tank.
Two of the three should be females, with one male. Maintaining this ratio is essential for the guppies’ harmonious coexistence in the aquarium.
Are male guppies allowed to be alone?
Keeping male guppies alone isn’t a terrible idea.
It makes your aquarium vibrant and attractive, and it’s also the finest way to control the population in your tank. We can have 2-3 male guppies alone, however guppies breed often, which can drive them to be aggressive. They may also compete for food, space, and females, or they may bully smaller male guppies. They are aggressive in nature, meaning they will not kill one other if kept together, but they may inflict harm on one another, resulting in wound infections and death.
We haven’t mentioned having just female guppies since male guppies are more colourful than females, and most people prefer males over females.
So, how should we tackle this problem?
How should guppies be kept together?
There are certain elements to remember:
We normally believe that the larger the tank, the more guppies we can fit in & the richer it appears.
But, that is completely false!
Why?
To stay healthy and comfortable, one guppy requires 1 or 2 gallons of water, i.e., 1:1 or 1:2 ratio. So ideally, we can have 4-5 guppies for 10 gallons of water in the tank.
To prevent bullying, group at least 5–6 guppies rather than introducing them one after the other.
Also, to protect the weaker guppies, provide extra hiding spots in your aquarium. This will allow them to protect themselves from bullying.
It’s advisable to keep male and female guppies together since male guppies are busy chasing females to mate which doesn’t promote aggression in them and female guppies enjoy the constant attention from male guppies, which relieves stress.
What happens if guppies are overcrowded?
Female guppies reproduce rapidly, and your aquarium may quickly become overcrowded.
Overcrowding the tank harms the guppies’ health and way of life. It also causes waste accumulation, the increase of bacteria & ammonia levels, and fish stress.
Finally..
I recommend that, do not keep male or female guppies alone – males get aggressive & females tend to eat their own fry (baby guppies) or a single guppy – male or female alone, since that can lead to depression.
Instead, have two females and one male, which will benefit them in the long term, rather than one female and two males, where they may become exceedingly competitive during mating, which occurs practically daily.
For them to be content and healthy, provide additional hiding spots, ample food, and a decent male-to-female ratio.
They also bring happiness in life, according to Vastu.
