[DragonFyre14]

So, I have a 10 gallon tank with three female guppies in it. (I haven't moved them yet because I might be giving them to a friend and want to make sure they won't have a ton of babies in the future.) Anyway, so I took one of them out and placed her in a smaller tank by herself (her tail looked ripped and I was trying to see if I could get it to heal) and without changing anything else in the 10 gallon (same routine in every single way) the remaining two stopped eating and would just sit on the bottom or hide in corners.
Has anyone else noticed similar behaviors? I'm putting the little girl back in and hoping that they will go back to normal. (I would also like to point out that the one who was separated also refused to eat). Do guppies get lonely or are these three just really attached to each other? They are all from the same batch of fry and have lived together since they were born.
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[CichlidNewb]

From what i know of guppies they are shoaling fish and like to be kept in large groups. I would personally recommend keeping 6+ together for this reason

 

[DragonFyre14]

Really? I've always heard they were fine in smaller groups (like 3) but most of the ones I've had don't really swim in groups like other schooling fish and seem perfectly happy by themselves or in pairs.

 

[CichlidNewb]

Most will recommend keeping them in groups of 6+ with a ratio of 2 females to 1 male This is because of there nature as shoaling fish. This might not be the problem but to me seems the most likely cause of the 'depression' when you separated them.

 

[DragonFyre14]

That's possible. These three have grown up together (and haven't had any others with them for a long time) once they get a little bigger they will most likely be going to a friends house to play with her tetras and mollies and such.

 

[CichlidNewb]

i would try keeping all your guppies together (thats assuming you have more) until the move.
This would give you a chance to see if this is the underlying problem before you pass them on.
The three alone would probably do fine in your friends tank if he/she has mollies and platys because they can mingle with those and not feel as lonely.

 

[DragonFyre14]

I do keep most of my guppies together. I have a batch of 6 fry that are too small to go with these three. Also, these three are being kept seperately to ensure they aren't pregnant when she gets them. They all seem to be happy and are eating like little pigs again so I think they'll be fine.

 

[CichlidNewb]

That good to hear. Hope they have fun in there new home

 

[DragonFyre14]

Hopefully they will. From my understanding its a 20 gallon tank but they do have what I believe to be an African butterfly fish. Which if it is, they sometimes can attack other surface dwelling fish. So, just going to keep an eye on it. They say he's very docile and the guppies are smart so I don't think it will be a problem.