Guppy fish are wonderful and colorful aquatic creatures. They are the most popular freshwater aquarium fish. Guppies have vibrant eye pleasing color and they are found in countless varieties. They are calm, social and also small in size, making them the perfect fish for 5 gallon tank.
A 5 gallon tank is a good size tank for a beginner and super easy to maintain. You can even add couple of tank mates with your guppies in your tank.
How Many Guppies You Can Keep In A 5 Gallon Tank?
A beginner can keep 2 to 3 male guppies or up to 2 female guppies effectively. Keeping male and female guppies together in the tank will result in constant breeding and increasing the population of the guppies in the tank. So, if you want to breed the guppies then only think about putting the male and female guppies together in a 5 gallon fish tank.
But how do you know how to determine, how many guppies in 5 gallon tank. I have always wondered, how you decide the number of fish you can keep in any tank. As you know different fish species are found in their natural habitat with thousands or millions of gallons of water.
They live in ponds, rivers, lakes and in large water bodies like seas and oceans. It is very hard to replicate the natural aquatic habitat of a fish in a small fish tank.
Experienced fish-keepers and experts in the fish-keeping hobby have formulated a rule to count the stocking density of fish in a tank. It is based on the surface area and volume of the tank.
This rule will not only help you to determine how many guppies you can keep in a 5 gallon fish tank but is applicable to nearly all aquarium fish, you are planning to have in the future. Let me walk you through this easy to understand and practical formula.
Determining How many Guppies In A 5 Gallon Tank
It is recommended to allow 12 sq. inches (75 cm2) of surface area per 1 inch (2.5 cm) of adult fish body length excluding its tail fin (caudal fin).
In addition to the surface area you need to consider the volume of water in the tank, in order to provide proper swimming space for the guppies. Allow 1 gallon of water per inch of adult fish body length (2 liters per centimeter).
By this rule we can now find out the actual number of guppies in a 5 gallon tank. Adult male and female guppies differ in size. Male guppies are smaller and females are larger. Adult male guppies are about 1 inch in their body length excluding their tail fin.
After allowing 1 gallon of water per inch of fish body length we can have about 5 adult male guppies in a 5 gallon tank (provided that the tank is full of water to its maximum level and nothing else is occupying the space in the tank).
5 (Volume in gallon) /1 (Length of fish) = 5 (Number of fish)
Adult female guppies are usually 2 to 2.5 inches (5 or 6 cm) in body length. So, if we apply this formula, we have 2 to 3 female guppies in a 5 gallon fish tank.
5 (Volume in gallon) /2.5 (Length of fish) = 2 (Number of fish)
It appears to be simple right? Well it’s a little tricky question to answer. You have to consider other aspect of the fish tank also, like the effective volume of water available in the tank.
In a 5 gallon fish tank you have a water filter and you may add some gravel and some decorations that can decrease the tanks maximum space (volume of actual water in the tank).
Factors To Consider While Stocking Your Aquarium With Guppies
- Decorations
- Gender
- Age
- Breeding
- Water Filter
Decorations
Decorations can occupy the space from 10% to 20% of the tank. This will decrease the available swimming and living space of the guppies and you may be left with only 4 gallon of water inside a 5 gallon tank. This will decrease the number of guppies you can keep in the tank.
Beginners should always start with 2 to 3 male guppies in their 5 gallon tank. They need time and experience to maintain all water parameters for the well being of their pet fish.
They can add more guppies as they get well acquainted with fish-keeping.
Gender
Males are smaller and are preferred for small aquariums. Female guppies are a little longer and larger than the males but can fit a small aquarium in a small number.
Age
When your are buying your guppies in a pet shop or a store keep in mind that the juveniles are very small than the adults. Gender of baby and juvenile guppies are hard to determine. You can be tempted to get many guppies for your 5 gallon tank and you might have guppy fries all over your tank in a matter of 2 to 3 months.
Breeding
Guppies breed like rabbits and can fill the tank with 50 to 100 broods after a month of mating. If you don’t want your guppies to breed just keep one gender in your tank.
Guppies breed constantly, so, I will suggest keeping only males or only females in a 5 gallon tank. Only keep them together if you plan to breed them.
Water Filters
Use sponge filter as babies and juveniles might get sucked into a canister filter. Consider a size that fits your needs, and good enough to clean the 5 gallon tank effortlessly.
Why 5 Gallon Tank Is A Good Idea To Keep Guppies For Beginners?
If you have chosen a 5 gallon tank to house your favorite guppies, you have done an excellent work to start with. These 5 gallon tanks mostly come with all the required kit to assist you if you are beginning your aquarium hobby.
A 5 gallon guppy fish tank is a great tank for basic maintenance reasons. It is inexpensive to buy, easy to clean, super easy to setup and due to its compactness it will not require a large area in your home.
You can keep it on a table, nearby an electric outlet to power the pump or filter of the tank. Some tanks even come with pre-equipped lighting system and it can offer a variety of different colors to suit your mood.
Water filtration system and heating control system plays a vital role to determine how many guppies you can keep in a 5 gallon tank. Always make the welfare and safety of your guppies the most important priority when considering buying a tank.
In a tank a fish lives in an enclosed environment. The population density in a fish tank is much higher than in any natural aquatic habitation of fish. Guppies are a very good option when it comes to smaller fish tanks. Their smaller size makes them a perfect fit for 5 gallon fish tank setup.
Suitable Tank Mates For Your Guppies
Guppies are placid and social aquatic creatures. They show well as a group in a single-species tank but you can also keep them with non-aggressive fish as part of a community aquarium. Molly fish, swordtail, cory catfish, platy fish, harlequin rasboras, cardinal tetra and bristle-nose pleco are some good tank mates for guppies.
Guppies mostly occupy the top and the middle part of the tank. Bottom dwellers are a great option for tank mates.
Mollies
You can keep 2 male guppies and a molly fish, which go well in a 5 gallon tank. I have seen, people, keeping 4 male guppies and 1 molly fish, in their 5 gallon aquarium. They get along with each other quite well, unlike neolamprologus multifasciatus which is very territorial.
Possibilities and combinations are endless. Just give it a try.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can keep 2 female guppies and a maximum of 3 females in a 5 gallon tank. If you want your female guppies to breed inside a 5 gallon aquarium, then, keep 2 female guppies with 1 male guppy.
If you are a beginner or new to the aquarium hobby, just keep 2 to 3 males, in a 5 gallon aquarium. You can easily monitor the water quality and all water parameters when you have less pooping guppies.
Experienced guppy keepers keep up to 5 male guppies in their tank and constantly monitor the water quality. They are good with the filtration system and maintaining water quality.
Male guppies are considered to be more vibrant in color than the female ones. You might consider only keeping male ones inside a 5 gallon tank. Their vibrant fin, body and tail colors will always give you a reason to smile.
Yes, you can keep up to 3 male guppies in your 5 gallon tank. You can also, try to combine 2 female guppies with a male one, if you are interested to breed them.
References:
- Encyclopedia Of Aquarium And Pond Fish by David Alderton
- Livebearers Understanding Guppies, Mollies, Swordtails and Others by David Alderton
- Image Credit: Author Chris.sherlock
