Guppy questions?????????

[BamBam]

I've read several threads on Guppies and some of the problems they can have. So I do somewhat have an idea on how to spot things thanks to most of you. One thing I have not read though is for Guppies would and airator and heater be common place?

I know the temp should be between 72-80 degrees F, but do most of you just have that natural water temp or are you using heaters?

I have a filter on the tank, but no airator, just seems to me an airator would be a good idea. Could it cause any problems?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Allivymar]

Hiya BamBam and welcome to Aquariumadvice

Most folks use heaters, not only to ensure the water reaches the proper temps, but to ensure there are no big changes in water temp which is even more of a problem.

As for aeration, if you have a HOB filter, they usually add enough surface agitation to make a air pump and air stone unneccessary. Its the surface agitation that adds O2 to the water column by increasing O2 exchange. If you don't, you'll probably want to add some aeration.

 

[BamBam]

Thanks for the quick reply. I do have a Hang On Back filter, so maybe the air flow is ok, but not have a heater was bothering me. I'll go get one then, my geckos won't be the only pets with personal heaters.

 

[Allivymar]

Heh, we aim to please

Seriously tho LOL the timing was good; you'll find questions get answered quicker in the evenings when more folks are on (and home from work - those in the Americas anyway!).

Definitely get the heater. This way, if you run the A/C, or the temp drops a bit at night, the tank temps will remain stable

 

[BamBam]

Another thing is bothering me. My mom got most of these from a friend, and they do have a lot of black. I've read black spots can be a sign of to much ammiona. I got her a very Studly looking male when I heard she was getting the fish. He has absolutely no black on him and does seem more active than the rest. I'm a little worried that they all had damage before she even got them. She got a group of about 30, I think 5-6 may have passed over the last day. Anyway, I'll keep up on trying to get things right, but I have a feeling that the only one in good health is the Male I got from the pet store.

 

[lyquidphyre]

This is what someone had told me when I said that my goldfish had black spots on them (due to ammonia). Its when the ammonia is so strong it practically burns them.

Well, when I got my goldfish it looked like he had a black mohawk and my other had little black dots but since my water conditions were better than the overstocked goldfish tank at Wal-mart (I know, shame on me for buying at Wal-mart) but once they were in my tank for a week, all the black went away and they are very healthy and very golden.

Im not sure the black spots will go away, but if she keeps the water in good condition they should be okay.

How big is her tank if she has 30?

 

[Fruitbat]

BamBam....

Black is a fairly common color in guppies. Years ago, back during the Ice Ages, I tried my darnest to breed an all-black strain of guppies. I could never get them beyond 3/4 black....but the majority of their bodies were as dark as a Black Molly. Chances are that the black on your guppies is a natural color strain.

 

[BamBam]

The tank is 10 gallons, which has a 200 square inch surface area, form what I've read you need 1 square inch surface area per fish. Probably just some bad planning, I had no idea how many she was getting, she just said she was getting them so I got her a tank.

As far as the black goes, you may now far better than I. I've only really learned what I've been reading over the past few hours, but the Male I got at the pet store has had a far different attitude then the rest, maybe he was just strutting? :?

Oh and as for Wal-Mart, no same in that. Wal-Mart owns.

 

[Kwenbee]

Just my .02 cents....read the thread called "Another valuable lesson". Get a heater.

We didn't have one. We came home after being away over the weekend to learn we had lost heat and the water temp in the tank dropped to 40 degrees. Seven fish later (six on Sunday and the last one last night), we have a heater!

 

[DaPony87]

Wait wait wait a sec....u have 30 guppies in a 10 gallon tank? 8O If u then my God man get a bigger tank as soooooooooooon as possible thats so overstocked its not even funny!

 

[BamBam]

About half of them died through the night, it seems like all the ones that lived are very young. As for the Male I got at the pet store, he's still strutting around. The one that are still alive, seem to act very much like he does. I'm not exactly sure what to point at, but I know he has done fine through the whole thing, almost like the other, that I have learned were born and breed in well water, just weren't that healthy.

Anyway, got the heater, tank is about 72 degrees F right now, I figured 75 would give some play one way or another, but for now it should be fine. All in all, those that remain do seem to be in much better spirits. Thanks for all the help.

 

[venters04]

guppys

i keep a guppy breeding tank and i have both a heater and a air pump having a heater just makes sure there is not a large change in the temprature which can cause guppys problems a air pump doesnt put 02 in the water it lets toxic gases be released i have had my breeding tank for about a year and havent had any problems with haveing a heater and air pump but make sure you rase the temprature slowly over a period of a few days to make sure there isnt any too sudden change in water temprature

 

[BamBam]

Thanks venters04, I think I was a little on the fence about the air pump, but I'll go ahead and get on now.

 

[Allivymar]

Just a FYI, the surface area rule (which is almost as bad as the 1" of fish = 1 gallon) is more 1 inch of fish = 12 square inches of tank surface, not 1 inch of tank surface. Neither of them take into account body mass, fish activity, effect on bio-load, filtration and a host of other important factors.

I suggest testing the tank for nitrogenous waste. To have that many keel overnight is unusual; combined with the overstocking may mean there is ammonia and nitrites in the tank. And if you haven't water changed since the fish died, do it now.