Guppies are a popular freshwater fish in the aquarium hobbyist world. Their vibrant colors and active nature make them a highly sought-after commodity. But what about their temperaments – do they bully each other in captivity?
Male guppies will bully each other, especially it there aren’t any females in the tank. A dominant female guppy may also harass another pregnant female. Also, if the tank is too small or there aren’t enough hiding places, aggression levels among guppies will rise. Therefore, it’s best to keep guppies in a 1:4 male-to-female ratio.
Now that you know male guppies can (and often do) bully each other, let’s take a closer look at this in more detail. In this article, I’ll explain whether or not guppies can kill each other, how to prevent them from becoming aggressive in a community tank environment, and how many you should keep together.
So, if you want to learn more, then let’s get to it!
Are Guppies Aggressive Towards Each Other?
In general, guppies tend to be a peaceful species and usually get along well with each other and other fish in a community tank environment. That said however, if more than 1 male is kept together in a tank with no females, they may become aggressive towards each other.
As well, if guppies are kept together in too small of an aquarium, they may become territorial and fight each in an effort to defend their ‘home’ or space. For this reason, it’s recommended to keep guppies in a school of 1 male with 4 or 5 females in no less than a 10-gallon tank.
Will Guppies Kill Each Other?
Though highly unlikely for guppies to kill each other, they can nip at one another’s fins or tails which can cause the bullied fish to become ill. Fins that don’t regrow can get infected, allowing diseases such as fin rot to set in. To prevent this, be sure to provide guppies with plenty of hiding places in an aquarium.
The best hiding places for guppies include plants, rocks, caves, driftwood, terra cotta pots, PVC piping, and other decorations or ornaments specifically designed for aquarium use. This will give guppies a place to retreat to if need be as well as provide each fish with an area or ‘home’ to call its own!
Why are My Guppies Biting Each Other?
Guppies will bite each other out of aggression or frustration. More than one male in a tank at a time is the most common cause of this behavior. Males will nip at one another’s fins and tails in an attempt to assert dominance over an area or the female guppies in the tank.
Should you notice this happening frequently in your aquarium, first thing to do is check for injuries like torn fins or ragged tails. Then, remove the bully from the tank by placing the fish either in its own separate tank or in a quarantine mesh insert inside the community tank.
How Do You Stop Guppies from Fighting?
To stop guppies from fighting, there are 8 things you can do. These include the following:
Separate the Fish
As mentioned above, it’s best to separate aggressive fish from others in an aquarium as soon as possible. You can either move the bully to its own smaller aquarium or place it inside a quarantine mesh insert. After a few days, you can try to introduce the bully back into the community tank to see if being removed has calmed its aggressive tendencies.
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It easily attaches to the top of any aquarium by way of suction cups and is used to isolate injured or aggressive fish.
Add More Females
When it comes to guppies, males will get aggressive and territorial if there aren’t enough females to go around! The best male to female ratio for this species is 1:4. And, if possible, keep only 1 male in an aquarium at a time. Multiple males, even in the presence of females, have a tendency to bully or fight one another for dominance.
Add Other Tank Mates
Adding other docile fish to the tank can help curb guppy fish aggression. The best tank mates for guppies include angelfish, betta fish, cory catfish, danios, gouramis, platies, mollies, rasboras, swordtails, and tetras. Bigger bottom dwellers such as loaches and plecos also do well with guppies.
Add Hiding Places
Making sure guppies have plenty of hiding places to retreat to if (and when) necessary is crucial to minimizing aggressive behavior traits in guppies. Live plants, rock, caves, driftwood, and other aquarium ornaments are recommended.
Provide Adequate Food
Aggression in guppies is multiplied when they don’t get enough to eat. Ensuring that your guppy fish get plenty of good quality food including fish flakes and pellets along with frozen brine shrimp (since their omnivorous) will prevent them having to compete for food. It’s recommended that you feed guppies 2 or 3 times daily with no more than what they can consume in a 5-minute time period.
Check the Water Parameters
If the water parameters are off, guppies will feel stressed and thus become aggressive. The temperature in the tank should between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit with a pH level in the 7 to 7.5 range. Being a type of freshwater fish, guppies like harder water, but not necessarily that which comes straight from the tap. You should treat it with a water conditioner/dechlorinator in advance.
Get a Bigger Aquarium
If placed in too small of an aquarium, guppies can become aggressive and territorial as they feel the need to defend their space or home. At the very least, a school of 5 to 6 guppy fish should be kept in a 10-gallon tank, although bigger is better! I’d recommend you keep them in a 20-gallon tank instead.
Sell/Give Away/Return the Fish
As a last resort, you can sell or give away the aggressive fish. Don’t flush it down the toilet! Not only is it cruel but could harm or likely kill the fish in the process. Rather, return it to the fish store you purchased it from and exchange it for another guppy.
What do Guppies Look Like when Mating?
At fist glance, a pair of mating guppies can appear as two fish fighting each other! The male will repeatedly ‘sting’ the female near her gravid spot, which is located behind her abdomen. Prior to breeding, males will often chase females around the tank. This frantic behavior, though natural, can appear aggressive as well.
Will 2 Female Guppies Fight?
Females guppies have been known to fight to each other, albeit very rarely. If and when this occurs, it’s usually because one of them is pregnant and there’s a dominant female in the tank. The dominant female will chase the pregnant one, thus increasing stress levels in the tank.
The best way to prevent this is to place the pregnant guppy in a quarantine or birthing tank until after the fry are born and then move her back into the community tank, keeping just the fry in the birthing tank as guppies will eat their offspring if given the chance.
Can 2 Male Guppies be Kept Together?
Two male guppies can be kept together, provided they’re in a larger tank with at least 10 females in total. If you don’t want your fish to breed, then I’d recommend you keep just females. Males are preferred because of their vibrant coloring and active nature but multiple males in an aquarium can increase stress and aggression in fish.
Can You Keep a Single Guppy?
You can keep a single guppy in an aquarium, but it won’t be happy. Guppies are a type of schooling fish which means they prefer the company other fish from the same species. A group of 5 or 6 guppies is okay for a standard 10-gallon tank, preferably with more females than males. On the upside, one guppy in an aquarium likely won’t suffer from bullying, unless you place it with other bigger, hostile fish.
Conclusion
To conclude, multiple male guppies in an aquarium will bully each other, especially it there aren’t enough female guppies to go around! Also, if there’s a dominant female in the tank, she may chase or harass the other females, especially if they’re pregnant. Therefore, it’s best to keep just one male guppy with 4 or 5 female guppies, if possible.
Hopefully, this article has answered all your questions regarding guppy fish and their bullying behaviors. Thanks for reading and good luck with your freshwater aquarium hobby.
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