Surface Fancy Guppies?

[Barnature]

I just got 5 Fancy Guppies for my 15g tank. The Tank has been up and running for about 5 weeks. Ever since I got them, usually 2-4 guppies would be up at the surface like they need to get more oxygen.

Does anybody know why? Should I get an airstone? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Nature

 

[Barnature]

Also, do Fancy Guppies need salt because I can't put it otherwise it might kill the tetras!

 

[gzeiger]

They will be fine without salt. Are they gasping at the surface, or just swimming near it? It's not unusual for guppies to swim high up in the water. Usually if oxygen deficiency is the problem all the fish would be affected, not just a few. Do you test for ammonia and nitrite, and how often do you change the water?

 

[Barnature]

No they are not gasping. They go to the top every now and then, some go up there more than others. I do not have test kits for ammonia and nitrite. ( Should I get some?) I change the water weekly.

Thanks!

 

[mike47517]

i would get an airstone just to be safe. oh and if you just got them then they probably arent very healthy yet. they never are. just make sure you feed them and everything and they should be fine.

 

[Lymore]

If your filter disturbs the water surface, you shouldn't need an airstone. The gas exchanges happens at the surface.
You should get test kits for ammonia and nitrite. At 5 weeks in, your are more likely to be having nitrite problems rather than ammonia problems.
Gasping at the surface can be a sign of either ammonia or nitirte poisoning. If there is too much nitrite in the water, your fishies can suffocate even with ample aeration, because it effects their blood's ability to transport the oxygen.
I have a guppy tank, and sometimes they like to hang out at the top, even if ammonia and nitrite are at 0ppm. Its normal behavior for guppies.
But still, test your levels just to be safe.
Once your tank is finished cycling it will be important to test for nitrates as well.

 

[Barnature]

Thank you so very much!

They are not gasping, just hanging out and besides, I have ten fish in the tank and only three like to hang out at the top half of the time. I will buy ammonia and nitrite test kits tomorrow.

Thanks again for the advice!

 

[gzeiger]

I recommend reading the article on cycling at the top of the Getting Started forum. You obviously won't be doing a fishless cycle since you have fish already, but you should understand the principles behind it. Based on the test kit results (test before changing water), I would continue to change water at least weekly, but as often as necessary to maintain ammonia < 1ppm and nitrite < .5 ppm. Once the filter is established, your test kits should read zero for both of these poisons, but as long as they are present in the water you really should be testing daily.

You know not to change the filter pad, right? They only recommend it because they sell filter pads, not because it's a good thing to do. Never rinse a filter pad to clean it in anything other than old tank water.

 

[Lymore]

There is also a product I've heard much praise for. Its called Tetra SafeStart. It supposedly contains self sustaining bacteria, and will help you with the cycling. I have heard that it is the only product that contains self sustaining bacteria.

StressZyme+ does a similar thing... but you have to add it repeatedly (weekly I think) because its not self sustaining. There are other products like StressZyme+.

 

[gzeiger]

One of the moderators here did a fairly exhaustive study of those products and found BioSpira to be the only one that actually contained live bacteria. Not sure if Tetra Safe Start was one of the ones tested or not, but products claiming to do that are overwhelmingly a waste of money and time. Also, to be effective at all they must have been continuously refrigerated or the bacteria will have starved to death since being packaged into their bottle.

Five weeks in already, you already have some bacteria in there. If you ask me it isn't worth it to try to buy a bacterial supplement.

 

[Lymore]

Yea, I agree that the ones you have to keep adding are a complete waste, and annoying.

I was told they stopped making biospira for freshwater, and safestart is what has replaced it.

 

[gzeiger]

I hadn't heard that. Either way, with five weeks in I wouldn't mess with it.

 

[Barnature]

Thank-you so much for the advice you guys! I am going to buy a pump just to be safe and plus, the bubbles that the airstone makes are also for decoration!

Thanks again!

 

[gzeiger]

Bubble walls do look nice if you don't mind the noise of the pump.

 

[Aries]

hmm you could also go with the route I took, since airstones wear out after prolonged use and the noise of the pump it's quite annoying, I switched to a Penguin power head. It just plugs into a regular outlet and creates a nice current with bubbles. You can turn the current to any direction you want and place the powerhead anywhere you want. I think they worth it. Never have a problem with mine mechincally speaking and theres no upkeep to it, also my fish love to play around in the current (I have guppies).

 

[gzeiger]

Is that the one with an in-line eductor so you can draw in air using a pump that's completely submerged?

 

[Barnature]

Cool! I was told that some pumps don't make any sound!
I got my water checked in the local store and they said that the water was fine.

 

[Aries]

Is that the one with an in-line eductor so you can draw in air using a pump that's completely submerged?

Yes :] The only downfall is with the hose drawing the air in, its short, so then the pump can't be "set" where-ever you would want it, but thats an easy fix. Just get some tubing which if your switching from airstone to this, then you already have the tubing. Cut it the length you want and wall-la. Very easy fix.

 

[Aries]

Cool! I was told that some pumps don't make any sound!
I got my water checked in the local store and they said that the water was fine.

Well, they will all make some type of noise, it just all depends how much, how loud, how annoying.

 

[gzeiger]

A submerged pump generally does an excellent job of dissipating the noise as heat in the water though, so it isn't noisy in the room.