my guppies are hiding behind the filter
 

I am a college student who has just recently started an aquarium in her dorm room. I am really new to this and wanted to join a forum like this for advice.

My aquarium is 5.5 gallons (the largest i could fit in my dorm room)

there are links to view a couple of pictures of it in my signature.

I have a filter, bubbler, grave (plus some decorative rocks), 3 plastic plants, and a grayish background. I was told I would not need a heater (my tank has stayed at 72-74 degrees).

Currently I have 4 female guppies and I plan on getting a snail once algae starts to grow in the aquarium.


My first question is that my guppies keep on hiding behind the filter (not an under gravel filter, but one that hangs on the side of the tank). I am not sure why they keep on hiding there. I added them to the tank about 2 days ago (after having the tank set up for a few days) and they were swimming around and checking out the tank a lot at first and playing in the bubbles and stuff, now they are just hiding behind the filter and I can't see them.

What should I do?

*edit*
another thing I was wondering is what sort of snail is the best? and also not too expensive, i am a college student :)

turn the light off for a day or two and let them get used to their new home. the water temp should also prob be a lil higher lik 75 79.

i have an apple snail...he's rather large but he stays mostly on the side of my tank....i only paid $3.00 for him at my local store....they will eat anything dead( including fish) but they also will eat left over food that goes to the bottom of the tank. do some research on them, one may fit well into your aquarium

ok I will leave the light off. I will also look into getting a heater but I was told at the pet store that I would not need one...

Do you have a water test kit?
Being a newly setup tank, your tank will go through an aquarium cycle. This is the process of building up the nitrate, to eat the toxic ammonia and nitrites. Try to read up on the aquarium cycle. Important info to know, when keeping fish.
Test the water, or take some water to the fish store to be tested for ammonia and nitrite. If either is over .25 PM, a partial water change is needed. The API liquid freshwater testing kit is a good one to have.

you asked for help and then second guess it nice~

Guppies are said to do well in temperatures anywhere from 68 to 86 deg. 72 to 74 deg being the preferred temperature.
As long as your dorm room temperature is not constantly fluctuating, they should be fine without a heater.
Constant changes in temperature can be stressful.

Such a small tank can easily succumb to fluctuations in temperature which could really stress out and even kill your fish. Adding a heater would make the tank temperature remain more constant.

Do you know your water parameters? Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH?
Also, how often do you plan to clean the tank, such a small tank will need to be monitored and cleaned more often due to the fast build up of waste and ammonia.

I wasn't trying to second guess the help...i was just stating a fact...sorry if i offended you...

I will read up on the aquarium cycle...and I will look into getting a water testing kit...i don't have one yet...


Thanks for being specific about the water temperature. As of now my water temp has not been fluctuating and has stayed consistently around 72-74 degrees (the thermometer is a stick on one which has a blue line on the 72 and a yellow line on the 74) if it does get lower this winter I will get a heater so they don't get stressed out...

Thanks for your help!