Problem Balancing Population

KenC1

Here is my challenge. I have a 5 gallon tank which looks big for our house.
We have 3 Goldfish about the same size as our 8 male guppies.
The Goldfish will go if and when they grow too large.
The challenge. I read that you should have 3 females for each male with the guppies. That would be 24 females. I had a nightmare last night about all the reproduction and having more fish than water in a few months.
Right now my better half is not receptive to getting a new 20 gallon setup to breed guppies.
I am wondering if I should just wait and later get the other setup and keep 2 females in the 5 gallon for freeding and put the rest of the fish in the big one, OR just keep what I have and don't breed.
Ken

gmate

Way, way overstocked. Goldfish get big fast and are incredibly messy fish. The first Goldfish should have 15gallons for himself, and then 10 per additional Goldfish. The three you mentioned alone should be in at least a 30 gallon tank, and that's pushing it. The guppies will mate if you have a male and female in there, bottom line. And with most species, it's usually 1 male per several female, not the other way around. Many males usually get aggressive and territorial , and may stress each other out or kill each other (even in guppies).

Consider a bigger tank, or giving some fish away to your LFS or a friend. Good luck!

ksage505

Along with being completely overstocked, there is also a temperature problem. Goldfish are coldwater fish while guppies are tropical and need a heater. Goldfish need a LOT of room, there is no if about size. You'd really need two larger aquariums to keep these fish. If you can't upgrade, I believe the best thing to do would be to give the fish to someone with an appropriate aquarium or take them back to a fish store and get yourself a new fish that is appropriate for your five gallon.

KenC1

As I said in my original post. The Goldfish are going to go which will leave me with 8 guppies in a 5 gallon tank. That should not be overstocked according to some formulas.

jeaninel

Personally, I think a 5 gallon is too small for 8 guppies. At minimum a 10 gallon tank would be better. Why not just keep it an all male tank and you won't have to worry about babies.

KenC1

That is my wife's intention for now.
I had wanted to get a 20 gallon tank and use the 5 gallon as a breeding tank but, I was over ruled and we will have one aquarium for now. ( Until she gets her new Couch.)
We will end up with only 8 guppies and possibly a school of 6 neons so I can get some of what I wanted.

AbbeysDad

As mentioned, you don't mix Goldfish with tropical fish as they have very different temperature requirements. Goldfish do fine at room temperature or cooler while tropical fish need 76-80F.
Also, a 5g tank is not sufficient to really consider breeding even guppies...although it could make a decent fry tank until they get larger.
I suggest you get the Mrs. her sofa - remember, "if she isn't happy, yer not happy and if she isn't happy long enough, yer unhappy with half yer stuff!"
Then see about that larger tank.

AD

KenC1

While reading my aquarium book last night I came across a neat idea for after she gets the new couch. (If mommas not happy, nobodys happy.) I keep telling our son that.
She has agreed to let me buy a 20 gallon tank and move the 5 gallon next door where we have a place.
I could put a few female guppies in the 20 gallon along with the guppies I have and about 8 neons and let them reproduce.
In the 5 gallon I could put an Oscar and use it to keep the 20 gallon thinned out. I have seen this done before years ago.

ksage505

You can't keep an Oscar in a 5 gallon, oscars get huge. Even the 20 gallon would be outgrown in no time for an Oscar. An Oscar will eventually need 75 gallons and they grow very fast.

KenC1

Actually, I thought of that. I didn't really plan to do that. There are other fish to serve the same purpose.
I could always just remove breeding grass and there would not be a population problem.
I went to the local tfs yesterday when I was in town. I would not give them any fish. The place is dirty and now well lighted. It looked like they had put fish in there at one time and then just forgot about them hoping someone would buy them. There is not much of a market here for tropical fish or aquariums. This town is sort of poor and they don't grow much they cannot use for food. I know that sounds crude but it is just the way things are here.
If i go some miles from here there is a nice store which is well stocked. It takes about 45 minutes to drive there. I plan to go there maybe next week. There is also another store in a Mall on the way to our condo. I haven't been in that one for awhile.
I had an aquarium many years ago and it didn't seem to be that much trouble. I just kept things clean and the water at the proper temperature and things went smooth.
On the other end of the scale, my wife had a quite different experience. She had a tank without a pump and they just put the tank outside and took the cover off of it and the fish lived for a few years. I don't understand that one.