Guppies are dying in my tank

[M. Ajaz Khan]

I have a 55 gal tank, in which i have a lots of plants, CO2 injection, 8-Angles, 6-clown louches, 6 albino sharks, 4-mollies and 4 grammies alongwith 2-remaining guppies. (I started with 12-guppies a month ago)

I have mixed 1-teaspoon seasalt per gal of water, the ph in my aquarium varries between 6.8 to 6.5. water temp between 30 - 33 oC. I do weekly water changes, 25%, the tank has undergravel filter powered by a 1400-Ltr/Hr power head, and two power filters of same output.

Plants are doing very well and so is the other fishes, but only guppies are dying slowly, without any appreant cause.

the only sign i noticed that the guppy which is about to die hangs to the surface and next day dies.

Please advise what is worng in my tank.

 

[grimlock3000]

Check your Nitrite and other water levels first, every time I have had a Guppy float near the surface and die, it was during a Nitrite spike. Nitrite gets in the gills of fish and prevents them from drawing as much oxygen out of the water so they have a tendency to come near the top where the oxygen is higher.

 

[madasafish]

Yeah, and they are a pretty good indicator species--they are more susceptible to ammonia spikes than many fish. I lost a few that way when I started keeping fish...

Also, do you sense any aggression from the Angels or sharks? Could they be chasing your guppies until they're tired? Do they appear to attack them at all? I'd be most concerned about that.

 

[LondonGman]

Never heard of “O2 injection”before. I have just done a search on Google. Very Interesting. Thanks for bringing it to my attention

 

[madasafish]

Hunh? 8O You mean "CO2 injection," LondonGMan??

"O2 injection" as a term doesn't usually exist--that's what a bubbler/airstone does. It agitates the water surface, encouraging the offgassing of CO2 and absorption of O2.

CO2 injection helps plants get the necessary levels of carbon dioxide they need to photosynthesize. Pretty important part of a planted tank. In fact, I should go refill mine now. Thanks for the impetus.

 

[M. Ajaz Khan]

I am much grateful to you all for your valued inputs, I will check Nitrite and Amonia levels they may be the cause. Thanks a lot.

 

[LondonGman]

"O2 injection" as a term doesn't usually exist--that's what a bubbler/airstone does. It agitates the water surface, encouraging the offgassing of CO2 and absorption of O2.

I run my UGF with airstones and an air pump but I have never heard of it being referred to as an “O2 injector”. It seems that “CO2 injectors” differ from my set up in that they involve the purchase of cylinders of CO2 gas then having it bubble through the tank water.

Also it seems from my search on google that the “CO2 injection” helps to lower the PH level which seems to be a lot of people trouble. Theoretically, based on my school chemistry lessons adding carbon dioxide to water should reduce acidity. Sweets can correct me.

Buying cylinders of CO2 gas and adding it to water is all new interesting news to me and certainly a lot different from my humble air pump. Amazes me the things you learn on this website LOL

 

[M. Ajaz Khan]

UGF and CO2 injection are two different things, CO2 injection can be through gas cylinder which involves quite expensive setup, and it can also be through Furmentation of Sugar by yeast, this is quite economical and affordable.

Carbon Dioxide when mixed with water produces CARBOLIC ACID, therefore the water PH is dropped towards acidic side (like 6.5 to 6.8) this does a lot of good to the plants.