HELP!! what's wrong with my new tank

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jen54

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jul 18, 2013
Messages
66
Location
Lincoln, England
I have got a small 35 ltr (10 gal) tank for my Dad. I have cycled it - readings have been stable for over a week now and are the same as my 4 other established tanks. I thought I would put 3 of my young female guppys in it just to finish any cycling needed and they were just hanging about and hiding and not really swimming at all. After 3 days they were still the same - as if they were about to give birth! So I took them out and put them in another tank and in 10 minutes they were fine.
During that 10 minutes I had put 3 of my male guppys in the new tank but straight away they are acting the same as the females did! I KNOW that they aren't pregnant LOL so whats wrong with my tank?
 
How are they acting? What's the water agitation like?

I have a small internal filter that has a flow rate of 200 lph which ripples the surface, I also tried an airstone as well but that didn't make any difference.
The fish are just hiding in the weeds or by the heater and filter, also they won't eat. The other fish didn't eat for 3 days but 1/2 an hour after putting them in one of my other tanks they were stuffing food.

The new tank has a mirrored back, could this be causing them a problem? Everything else is the same as my other tanks. Except I have a clip on LED light, but they are the same even with the light off.
 
The new tank has a mirrored back, could this be causing them a problem? Everything else is the same as my other tanks.

I guess the mirrored back could be a possiblility. Have you checked the heater and other equipment is working correctly?

I would suggest it could be because theyre in a new enviromemt but then i wouldnt think theyre intelligent enough to let it effect them the way it has and 3 days is more than enough to adjust.
 
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I guess the mirrored back could be a possiblility. Have you checked the heater and other equipment is working correctly?

I would suggest it could be because theyre in a new enviromemt but then i wouldnt think theyre intelligent enough to let it effect them the way it has and 3 days is more than enough to adjust.

I don't think it's a new environment problem 'cos when I put them back into my other tank that was new to them too as they had never been in that tank before and they were ok in 10 mins.

Heater is ok I've even swapped thermometers to make sure.
 
You've tested ph too?
Maybe do a big water change- sometimes something can get into the water by accident- hand lotion, or a room spray, something like that?
 
You've tested ph too?
Maybe do a big water change- sometimes something can get into the water by accident- hand lotion, or a room spray, something like that?
Yes, ph ok. Did a 50% change 3 days ago then 25% evey day since
 
I'm completely baffled!! I don't want to buy the fish that my elderly Dad wants (silver tip tetras and/or neon tetras) until I know thy'll be ok, and xmas is approaching fast
 
Maybe make sure there are no stray electrical currents in the tank from the heater or something else?
 
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