My new tank

fulmeralex

I am extremely pleased to tell everyone that I will be receiving a new 16 gallon bowfront for Christmas. Here's the equipment that I will be using with my new tank:

1) 1 100 gph Whisper box/power filter
2) 1 Whisper 10-30 gallon (100 watt) submersible heater
3) 1 air bubbler
4) 1 digital thermometer

My substrate will be natural-colored gravel about 1-2" thick. I will have about 8 small live shoots of lucky bamboo and a small clump of Java Moss anchored to a peice of dried coral. Some other miscelaneous decorations will include 3 small peices of driftwood, 2 small-medium sandstones, 1 medium-large rainbow rock, a tiny pot for fish to hide in, and about 5-7 medium-large plastic plants.

Stocking: (my stocking is pretty much set in stone right now)
1) ~10 adult guppies
2) ~20 fry/juvenile guppies
3) 4 ghost shrimp

Here's the deal: I know that I am already pushing my limits with this amount of guppies, and I also know that my tank can quickly be overpopulated. However, I have been keeping fish, and especially guppies, for a long time now and it seems to me that they do well in large family groups. They seem to become alot less stressed out when there are so many of them in a tank. I am very much aware that ammonia can and will build up quickly in my tank, so I plan to change 30% of my water weekle by gravel vacuuming. I will also do small feedings several times a day to ensure that there isn't a bunch of extra food laying around rotting. The question is: Since I will not be rehoming any of my guppies, should I invest in a "population control" tankmate? Here are some tankmates I was considering to help with my extra fry problems:

1) a Dwarf Gourami (please let me know what you think about the compatibility. I am perfectly fine with this fish snacking on fry but it will be a definite NO if you think he'll attack my adult guppies.)
2) African Dwarf Frog

Let me know what you think about this plan.

Hawkian

Uummm... 30 guppies in a 16g is a lot of fish. If I were you I'd control the population by not putting so many fish in there in the first place. A 16g is small enough that you will have a harder time maintaining good water condition even with a small amount of fish so I think you're asking for trouble when you put that many fish in there on top of that. If you cut the initial amount in half (i.e., 15 guppies) then you can think about having a population control fish... but I'm not an expert there so wait for suggestions from other members as to which fish to use.

If you are thinking of having lucky bamboo in there... and possibly an African Dwarf Frog, does this mean that you're only going to be filling the tank halfway? If so... number of fish goes down again... and look into lucky bamboo before you add it in. Seems like they aren't made to be fully submerged and the stem can rot...

I'd try to rethink your stone tablet before you carve it ... it's much easier to add than to take out.

Angel079

Watch on the dried Coral for the Java, it can up your hardness within the tank by quite some.

I'd control population by making deals with your LFS. The Gourami are too peaceful and need much more room then what you can offer. The Dwarf Frogs only do well in groups and chances are very well they will not touch the fry anyway because of their size and speedyness.

Personally I'd not go for what you're trying to set up there, but your tank- your headache

fulmeralex

Okay, well the reason I'm set in stone with the stocking is that I already own all of these guppies and my parents went through all the trouble to get them for me from a woman on Craigslist who had about 80+ in a 10 gallon round tank. I figure that since all the guppies they got me are alive and well, they are used to coping with a tank that's way overstocked. So the bottom line is, I can't get rid of my guppies. I know they will begin overpopulation in no time but I guess I'll just have to deal with the consequences. Do you think that getting another 100 gph filter would make a difference?

Hawkian

Couldn't hurt.And since you already have them I'm the last person to suggest that you get rid of some... but I would stay away from a population control fish or anything else for that matter. I think you'll have your hands full just controlling the guppies.

Oh... I'd stay away from the bamboo but small *aquatic* plants in there can only help you in the long run.

Angel079

If you wanna keep them all, I can only really really suggest to get another used small tank for cheap and separate the guys & gals....
30 fish - Let's be nice and say it "only" 10 gals in the gang (which I'm sure its more), each have ~10 fry every 8 weeks (and that's a NICE low count) so that's 100 right there - Let's be nice again say only 70 will become adults and not die so there you're already at 100 Guppy in the tank and 8 weeks later you have another set of fry of 100....and so on... You'll quickly face to have more Guppy then water in this tank and I'm not kidding they have a LOT baby's ALL the time.

fulmeralex

Okay... I guess that I will have to start a post on craigslist and give some guppies away once I get too many. I'll just keep up with my water changes and hope for the best. Maybe I can give some of the adults away and get a more voracious fry-eating fish.

Angel079

Try your LFS, they often take some too (of the adults that is)

fulmeralex

So... if I give some away, (I've already put 4 young males into a separate tank until I find someone who'll take them) could I get some danios/glowfish to eat fry and distract the males from constant mating? Or will the danios/glowfish just rip my guppies apart?