# Guppies without a Heater?



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I have received some guppies, which I have in 2x 10 gallon tanks, males in one, and females in the other. I live in a condo, and room stays at around 22 - 23 degree celcius during the winter.

My question is, can I keep my guppies without a heater. Can they stay alive for years? Has anyone had them breed without heaters? Note that the living and breeding questions are totally separate. Any tips on Guppies would be very appreciated. 

Thanks


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

That temp range is fine for them. 

My guppies and endlers are all happy and breeding in my place (both without heaters).


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Hitch said:


> That temp range is fine for them.
> 
> My guppies and endlers are all happy and breeding in my place (both without heaters).


Hey Hitch,

Thanks for that info. That temp I mentioned is the Air Temperature, which stays between 22 to 23 C. I don't know what the water temp is. Am I still fine? Can I expect some breeding if I put a male with the females?

Thanks in advance


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

ur water temp will be around the same temperature. 

and yes, as long as the tank is well kept, breeding would not be a problem. They just wont breed as fast as if they were in a warmer tank.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Hitch said:


> ur water temp will be around the same temperature.
> 
> and yes, as long as the tank is well kept, breeding would not be a problem. They just wont breed as fast as if they were in a warmer tank.


thanks Hitch, appreciate it.


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## TorontoPlantMan (Aug 16, 2013)

Guppies will breed with or without a heater, I keep mine without a heater as well and just heavily planted. One thing I gotta say though is I'd recommend getting a trio. When I had a male and female my male ended up pestering the female to death, only once I introduced 2 females and a male everything's been clear. Only problem is dealing with the babies every couple weeks


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

TorontoPlantMan said:


> Guppies will breed with or without a heater, I keep mine without a heater as well and just heavily planted. One thing I gotta say though is I'd recommend getting a trio. When I had a male and female my male ended up pestering the female to death, only once I introduced 2 females and a male everything's been clear. Only problem is dealing with the babies every couple weeks


Thanks. I actually separated them into 2 separate 10 gallon tanks, one which has the males, the other where it is the females and babies. I was thinking of introducing 1 male with the 4 -5 females and see if he does breed, and then put him back with the males after a few weeks. I guess I don't have enough females to put the males and females together yet. Also, I was afraid I would get too many babies and I couldn't handle the stress of too many fish. I have a 3rd 10g tank which will likely house the extras when they grow up to keep control of the main 2 x 10 g tanks.

That said, is it safe enough to keep the babies with the females until I can sex them and separate them, or do the grown ups eat the babies?


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

being well planted, plenty of fry will make it. You will probably end up being over run fairly soon


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I've never had a heater in any of my tanks so far. Only thing I keep that needs heat are my little froggies, who get theirs from the lamp on their tank.

Endlers do fine, breed fine, loaches, rasboras, cories and danios all have done ok, even the pencil fish are ok, even though it has gotten chilly in here lately, with the weather changing. 

Landlord hasn't seen fit to turn on the heat yet, but it's a sort of blessing in disguise, since it's usually so hot in here I need fans running on the tanks. But the fish and shrimp all cope with temps down to 68F just fine so far. It was not that cool for very long, once I closed the balcony door. Tanks went back up into the low 70s where I try to keep them most of the time.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

thanks everyone, this does help me alot.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Yup you're good 

I have a 75 gallon loaded with 24 platys and swordtails originally. Now it contains roughly 70 of them lol, no heater and my Dad's office (which is where they're at) stays around roughly 20C, sometimes it gets colder and they're still breeding and living strong.

As for the "years" of life, expect probably 2 years maybe 3 at most from a standard guppy.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Just one possible problem with not using a heater, some plants might melt. I have had experience with vals melting without a heater in a colder area


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks. I should be fine. I had both the planted tanks running with RCS and snails and dwarf cories many many months prior to receiving the new guppies about a week ago.

I actually have one jagger heater in my possession, but it is a few years old, and I always fear of the risk of it frying all my fish, so I only want to use it as a last resort for curing fish with bacteria. Also, if I can get by without that 1 heater, the better, and besides, I have two 10 gallon tanks, one with males, the other with females and babies.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

How cold was it when the vals melted ? I've got a huge pile of them and they don't seem to care in the least about the cooler temperatures, at least not that I've noticed so far. Want to sell them actually, I'm hoping the cyperus will take their places.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

pretty cold, the tank was in the basement and the cheap ebay heater broke, not sure what the temp was but a little cooler than normal room temp


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