# Guppy keeping: are pairs necessary?



## slidewithme (May 18, 2012)

I've been trying to find the answer to this for a while, and for the last several weeks all the information I've found is conflicting.

I want to keep 5-10 male guppies in a planted 45g tank, with a school of black neon tetras.

I've read that this would be a GOOD idea because a bunch of males are fine together.

I've read that this is a BAD idea because the males will nip at each other's tails.

I've read that this would be a GOOD idea because they'll get along well with the tetras.

I've read that this would be a BAD idea because they will become stressed without at least 2-3 females per male.

I don't want female guppies, at all. If I can't safely/humanely keep several males _without any females in my tank, _I definitely would rather move onto something else. It's been a little frustrating seeing so many differing opinions/stories, so I'm hoping I can get some sound advice here.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

I've always kept male only livebearers. They do fine.


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## slidewithme (May 18, 2012)

wendyjo said:


> I've always kept male only livebearers. They do fine.


How many do you keep at a time?


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## Cyianara69 (Mar 26, 2012)

I have a tank full of males guppies, 15+ ..... they are fine ..


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## Edub (Mar 23, 2011)

I also have a tank full of males, and so does one of my friends. They do just fine by themselves.


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## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Fancy Guppies*



slidewithme said:


> I've been trying to find the answer to this for a while, and for the last several weeks all the information I've found is conflicting.
> 
> I want to keep 5-10 male guppies in a planted 45g tank, with a school of black neon tetras.
> 
> ...


I have about 1,500 Fancy Guppies in large, planted tanks. Guppies are best kept in a "species tank". Other fish will target the male's long tails and you'll eventually lose the males to fin rot or stress.

You can have an "all males" Guppy tank. Male Guppies won't nip one another's tails. It's other species that do that type of thing to the male Guppies.

Just a couple of thoughts.

B


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## slidewithme (May 18, 2012)

BBradbury said:


> I have about 1,500 Fancy Guppies in large, planted tanks. Guppies are best kept in a "species tank". Other fish will target the male's long tails and you'll eventually lose the males to fin rot or stress.
> 
> You can have an "all males" Guppy tank. Male Guppies won't nip one another's tails. It's other species that do that type of thing to the male Guppies.
> 
> ...


Thank you. The only other fish I plan to have in the tank with them are black neon or black phantom tetras. Are the tetras prone to fin nipping, do you know?


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## Cyianara69 (Mar 26, 2012)

I like watching the males do the "I'm the king of this tank" dance with each other ........


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## LB79 (Nov 18, 2011)

With black neons, there's no risk of nipping.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I have some Black Phantoms and they are not nipping, but there is only one fish with tempting fins, and he stays near the top and the Phantoms stay near the bottom. Nice fish! Neat, handsome look, and a bit different from all the torpedo shaped fish. I do not have Guppies in that tank. 

You could keep quite a few male-only Guppies in that large a tank, especially with plants. If a Guppy is getting harassed he could cool things off by hiding in the plants for a while. Just keep an eye on things. Most Guppies are social enough to get along pretty well. Every once in a while you get one that is just a pest or mean. Remove that one.


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## Psionic (Dec 22, 2011)

I have some blue Japanese male guppies with blue tetras and a bunch of other community fish. There's never been any fin nipping or chasing. They even school with the tetras. I guess they like the blue. 


-Val


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## EESDA (Apr 22, 2012)

males tend to be aggressive to each other when there are females around

an all male tank would be fine


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## Frosty Fisher (May 27, 2016)

I have 7 female guppies, and I was wondering if it would be okay for me to add a couple of males, or if they would nip at / hurt eachother


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Hah, guppies are one up. Less attractive females, "befriend" attractive ones, So that they can get a bit of the action.
It takes only one female guppy to start an invasion in nature, treat them responsibly.


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## Avianwing (Dec 15, 2009)

wendyjo said:


> I've always kept male only livebearers. They do fine.


Even Swordtails?? Because the Males hatred for each other is even more vicious than Bettas, Red tailed sharks etc.

Bump:


Nordic said:


> It takes only one female guppy to start an invasion in nature, treat them responsibly.


Yes! Pls never release them. Many of India's freshwater bodies are overflowing with this pesky invasive fish. Till two months back the Lily pond in my Apartment Garden had some lovely native tadpoles and I enjoyed watching them. Now there are only a zillion guppies.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

I keep male only swordtails as I am a breeder. There aggression is 98% just a very aggressive swimmery. The only deaths I have seen due to this is where new fish wee chased until they jumped the tank. If they can last 2 days, they are fine. I just make sure I have 1 alpha male with a good tail, and masculine demeanor. This prevents the younger males from growing out their tails and looking like a threat. They grow much faster this way too.

Did you know that many of the imported male swordtails start their lives as female, but change due to hormonal treatment? They can now sex change well into the 90 percent of fry to male with the addition of female hormones.... well 90s of the ones that survive the treatment. The higher the conversion rate, the higher the mortalities. It is done because males fetch a higher price.


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