For both beginner aquarists and their experienced colleagues, one of the most important issues is the compatibility of different types of aquarium fish. A balanced aquarium ecosystem directly depends on who gets along with guppies. Each fish, regardless of whether it belongs to herbivorous species or to predators, has an individual character. Some fish, due to their individual aggressiveness, constantly attack relatives, others destroy plants. Of course, there are exceptions when species incompatible in all respects coexist peacefully in one aquarium.
Who gets along with guppies: fish compatibility in an aquarium
Guppy fish are one of the most popular aquarium pets. At the same time, they are great for beginners, as their content does not require much effort. Viviparous females immediately produce full-fledged fry. Hardy and unpretentious fish with proper care can live up to 5 years.
In order to determine the compatibility of guppies with other fish, you need to take into account the living conditions of each species, its degree of aggressiveness and water parameters. It is believed that it is categorically impossible to settle guppies with predatory fish: barbs, scalars, cichlids, eels, mastheads and red-tailed sharks.
The optimal neighbors for them would be small, peaceful species of freshwater fish. The similarity of the living conditions and behavioral characteristics of the guppy mates with the following live-bearing fish species:
- catfish corridor;
- pecilia, swordsmen, molliesia;
- Malaysian glass;
- neon tetra;
- parsing;
- dwarf char;
- Endler Guppies;
- cockerels.
Let us dwell on each of these types in more detail.
Pecilia, Mollinesia, Swordsmen
All these fish are viviparous and are best suited to those species that get along with guppies. All these species are related, therefore, when kept in one aquarium, it is quite possible to cross them and, accordingly, obtain hybrid offspring. All these fish will not conflict with each other, with the exception of adult male swordfish. They can “swear” with veiled-tail fish, therefore it is better that fish with short fins are their neighbors. An ideal combination in the aquarium can be considered several pairs of mollies (these fish prefer to live in pairs) and a flock of guppies.
Malaysian glass
This fish is also called Indian glass fish and is often confused with glass catfish. Peaceful fish get along well with guppies. Moreover, their appearance is unique. Through the transparent body, the entire skeleton and internal organs are visible. Schooling fish, feel the best in flocks of 5-7 fish. There are also more original glass with fluorescent color. Their appearance is undoubtedly even more original. However, there is a significant drawback - they are more susceptible to changes in the aquatic environment and, when ill, can infect all the inhabitants of the aquarium.
Neon tetra
One of the most popular fish. They can be kept together with any peaceful fish. Their nickname, “the pearl of the aquarium,” fully characterizes the bright appearance - the iridescent blue body of the fish in combination with a reddish abdomen. Fish contain flocks of 6-10 individuals. Guppies and neons prefer to stay in the middle and upper layers of water. They do not bother at all viviparous fish and do not bother them.
Parsing
The specific metallic shade of the scales makes them a bright accent in any aquarium. Their stamina and peacefulness makes them great neighbors for guppies. Flocks parsing fit perfectly with them.
Dwarf char
Despite the peacefulness of all loaches, it’s dwarf ones that are primarily suitable for joint maintenance with guppies (in size), since their larger relatives can accidentally dine with small guppies. Schooling fish like to have shelters for recreation. It is advisable to keep from 3 fish in a flock.
Guppy Endler
The view is similar to guppies and in one aquarium, fish can interbreed. In an aquarium, it is best to keep them in flocks of 6–8 individuals or more. For them, it is necessary to equip shelters, otherwise they will simply be eaten.
Cockerels
Fish with gorgeous lush fins get along well with guppies. Nevertheless, the latter should have a sufficient number of shelters. This is due to the fact that during spawning, male males can be aggressive.
General rules for selecting guppy compatible fish
The types of fish listed above are far from the only ones that are suitable for sharing with guppies. Further, you can select the types yourself, guided by the basic rules for this:
- A guppy aquarium should contain fish with the same temperament. The long and lush fins of males of guppies aggressive neighbors immediately pluck.
- Inappropriate content with fast and aggressive looks. All this can provoke stress and complete physical exhaustion of guppies.
- When choosing fish, keep in mind that the conditions of the aquatic environment and nutrition should be the same for all species.
- The tank should be spacious with a place for swimming and equipped shelters.
- Other types of fish should be proportionate to guppies, otherwise the latter will simply be eaten.
- Viviparous individuals rarely swim to the bottom and can be kept together with small species of bottom fish.
Ideal neighbors - bottom fish
In an aquarium, the most harmless neighbors are those that rarely intersect. Such species include catfish and other bottom dwellers of aquariums, spending most of their life near the bottom. They are most active at night. It also sets them apart from guppies awake during the day. Guppies and catfish living in the same aquarium may not be aware of the neighborhood. Thus, the compatibility of these species is guaranteed.
Somik corridor
The small fish is calm in nature and belongs to those species that get along with guppies. The main qualitative characteristic of this catfish in the aquarium is considered its ability to clean the upper layers of the soil from the remains of feed and waste products of other fish. The relatively slow swimmer corridor prefers to stay in the lower layers of the aquarium, occasionally rising to the surface. Given that flocks of guppies swim mainly in the upper and middle layers of the aquarium, the species do not violate each other's habitat.
The probability of combining different types of fish
In most cases, representatives of the same fish family, similar in size, get along. Naturally, it is unrealistic to plant tropical species of fish in an aquarium with inhabitants of cool waters. Similarly, it is impossible to keep predatory fish together with peaceful aquatic creatures.
Nevertheless, experienced aquarists absolutely claim that there are exceptions to all the rules. Sometimes predators quite successfully get along with peaceful fish, and those, on the contrary, can arrange groundless battles among themselves.
Other possible neighbors
Many years of experience in studying the life activity of different types of aquarium fish allowed us to obtain additional information regarding data on who gets along with guppies. This will help to experiment. Following this information, we can talk about the relative compatibility of gourami and guppies, as well as with such fish as zebrafish, bots, tetras and iris.
The chances of them becoming friends increase many times if all the fish grew and matured together.