There are many types of guppies and many of them make good tank mates by themselves. However, there are certain kinds of freshwater fish that you do not want to keep with your guppies. So, what kinds of fish make good tanks mate for guppies?
Table of Contents
Best Guppy Tank Mates
There is a variety of tropical fish that are compatible with guppies. Here are a few excellent choices which include Cory catfish, Gouramis, glassfish, etc.
Cardinal Tetras
These fish are peaceful, small, and just as colorful as guppies. They get along fine with adult guppies but care should be taken when there are young involved.
Cory Catfish
Cory catfish love to swim around and eat leftover food scraps and the algae off the tank. This means a cleaner tank for all your fish. Be sure to keep about 4 of these fish if you do get them as they prefer to be in groups.
Otocinclus Catfish
Otocinclus is another type of catfish that’s peaceful and can live in the same tank as guppies. These fish are also algae eaters, so they help to keep your aquarium clean. They are also schooling fish, so groups of six or more are best.
Glassfish
These see-through fish are good mates for a guppy tank. They are non-violent and like to be in schools of 5 or more. The only thing to watch out for is the fry.
Pleco
Plecos are peaceful fish and will get along fine with guppies. However, some plecos require large tanks as they can grow to huge sizes. A 10-gallon tank won’t do.
Endler’s Livebearers
These are also good fish to keep with your guppies. They are similar in size and color to guppies and are calm fish. There should be no problems with these fish.
Platy Fish
Platy fish and guppy fish are good tank makes because they thrive in the same water conditions. Guppies and platies also eat the same food so they are easier to maintain when kept together.
They are the perfect combination if you’re just starting a guppy tank. Easy to breed, easy to feed, and easy to keep. Please note that guppies and platy fish cannot crossbreed.
Mollies
While some pet shops will recommend mollies, it’s been noted that adult mollies will attack guppies. This can be stressful for your guppies which can lead to early death, and infertility, among other problems. However, guppy fish and mollies can crossbreed so if your aim is to have a hybrid fish then both fish can share an aquarium.
Fish To Avoid Putting In The Same Tank As Guppies
Your experience with these fish may be different. However, there are numerous reports of the following fish harming guppies.
Swordtails
Male swordtails are aggressive by nature. Many will tell you that it’s ok to keep both swordtails and guppies together but there are numerous incidents where swordtails attack guppies. It all depends on the temperament of the swordfish.
Goldfish
While some goldfish and guppies can share a tank, larger species of goldfish are capable of eating smaller guppies. Thus, it is important to know which species of goldfish you plan to get.
Also, goldfish prefer colder water in comparison to guppies so it may not be a good idea to keep them together. Goldfish also produce large amounts of waste which can be unhealthy for guppies.
Conclusion
When deciding which fish to keep with guppies, the main thing to consider is the size of the fish. Always try to keep fish that are smaller in size than the guppies.
Aggressive large fish will attack guppies that are incapable of fighting back. In fact, if your guppies are always under stress due to larger fish harassing them and they will eventually get sick and may even die before their time.
