Saltwater & Reef

hortoholic · 01-12-2010, 08:41 PM

Hello, i have 1 guppy in a 2.5 gallon aquaium and he is the only one but I do not know if it is because he is lonely or something else. When I checked the water, I got:

Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: .5ppm
Hardness: 25ppm
Chlorine: 0
Alkalinity: 80ppm
pH:~7.2
Water Temp: 79F

My guppy does not swim alot he stays in one corner and moving his little pectoral fins. sometimes fin is drooping others not. Both caudal and dorsal are held tightly. he does eat (at least this morning) and spend hours by the filter on a corner. He does swim periodically as well.

Did a water change. I got him at petco less than a week. I heard some things about petco and fish so maybe its that. But in any case he just stays by the filter in the corner all day.

What do i do?

your help is greatly apreciated.

thanks,

hortoholic

**dkpate** · 01-12-2010, 10:14 PM

What are your ammonia readings? Your nitrite should be 0, as well as ammonia, and the nitrate should be between 5-20ppm ideally.
Also, I think guppies like friends? That is a pretty small tank for anything but a betta, but that's JMO too.

**i3k** · 01-12-2010, 10:20 PM

How did you acclimate the fish to your tank?

bs6749 · 01-12-2010, 10:30 PM

Hardness is really low...did you use RO water to set up the tank? Guppies would most likely prefer a higher hardness than what is currently in the tank.

Also, you shouldn't have any nitrites as was already pointed out, but this indicates that you may have recently set up the tank, correct?

**Mark Hewitt** · 01-13-2010, 08:32 AM

We'll need to know your Ammonia readings before anyone can advise any further. As others have said, Guppies are indeed a schooling fish and prefer some of their own kind to swim with, it could just be that not only is he stressed by the 0.5 nitrites and possible ammonia levels, but that he's stressed being on his own.

I talked to the guy at the pet shop a little while back as I'm intending on getting some guppies shortly and he said that 3 is the minimum you should have.

hortoholic · 01-13-2010, 09:18 AM

I think he is really stressed as well. I also noticed that his tail fin is slightyl torn. But as for ammonia, is there something I need to test for amonia as my test strips do not measure amonia. Do I need a test kit for amonia as well? or should I buy an amonia reducer chemical? You have to pardon my as fish are not my expertise and I am only a bgeinner. Also, should ther be something I should add to the water to stabilize the water for hardness? (in other words, what can i add to make the water harder?) this is because my water is on the soft side. I will add another fish or two because since this fish is lonely since the other one died. I just added some ceramic biofilter rings so I hope that can be regulated. I also did a PWC yesterday. As for my water source it comes directly as city water from the tap in my dorm room. It has been setup up for about a week or two but I lost most of the water during the move so I had to re establish it so some of the water is new and hea been treated with a dechorinator. Thank you for your advice. Let me know if more information is needed.

Thanks,

hortoholic

**Mark Hewitt** · 01-13-2010, 09:26 AM

No worries about being a beginner, I am too. There is a *lot* of information you need to know. I know much more now than I did two weeks ago and then much more than two weeks before that..

Yes, you really should get an ammonia test kit, as this is the most important chemical which can harm fish, so if you have high levels you need to know.

Personally I would recommend the Master Test Kit from API. But you can buy the Ammonia test seperately too.

Tail fin being torn can be a couple of things, firstly being nipped by another fish, and secondly due to Ich.

**dkpate** · 01-13-2010, 09:58 PM

Your fish could have caught his tail on something, had it nipped or possibly has fin rot.
Like Mark said, you should get a test for ammonia. And in the meantime, I would do pwc's every day, or every other day to try and get that ammonia and the nitrites down. Do not buy an ammonia reducer, unless you are going to get Prime water conditioner, which will bind to the ammonia and nitrites, making them less toxic to your fish, which will help you while you are cycling.
I would also recommend the API Master Freshwater test kit. That way you can test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH. And in the long run, it is cheaper than the strips and wayyyy more accurate.
Good luck!

hortoholic · 01-13-2010, 10:36 PM

I did a 50% water change and he is no longer in the filter in fact he has been swimming in the water current of the bubble aerator all day and non stop. I really dont know how he does it. or I guess he like it? I will also get him a companion fish when i get to the pet store this weekend. I was thinking about some aquarium salts to repair his torn tail fin. I will also a amonoia test kit. I never knew there were test kist for just amonia. I will keep doing the water changes every day. i also consider that test kit, but for now I will look for a seperate amonia test kit until I finish the strips then i will greatly consider the test kit. Again, I would like to personally apologize for seeming to be a pest on here as it is not my intention. If you have any strategies that keep amonia levels down I would be grateful. I am not sure if its ich, but as many peoply say that some petco's have poor fih health. I think thi because there are no spots that indicate thats. would it be best to get ich medicine or what to use a prevention? Again, thank you for all your answers and assistance in this matter,

regards

hortoholic

**dkpate** · 01-13-2010, 10:55 PM

Some fish just like the current! My BGK lays in his bubbles 1/2 the day lol.
I would skip the salt for the fins, clean water will heal it too. And if you wanted, you could pick up some Stress-Zyme, the kind that has aloe, and it will help him grow his fins back.
I have seen the ammonia test at WalMart.
You are not being a pest lol! The reason we are all here is to ask questions and help out.
The only way to keep the ammonia levels down, is to do water changes. When I had to cycle my tank with fish, I did 50-70% water changes every single day...uggh. LOL!
I would pick up some ich meds just in case, so you have them on hand if you need them in the future. Especially if you are going to be getting more fish to put in the tank. I would not treat the tank just yet though, but keep a good eye out for spots.
Of all the fish I have bought from PetSmart, half of them have died, and half of them have lived. So when you buy from those stores, you can usually expect to lose a few, IMO.