Prevent Dropsy

[MagicAfra]

A couple of my guppies have gotten dropsy lately and I was wondering what the cause might be?

They both got fat right away and showed pointy scales and within a few days in which they stopped eating they died.

I heard that it was noncommunicable, and both times I tried to feed them peas but they wouldn't eat anything let alone the peas. Other than that I have been having trouble finding anything at all.

 

[Hholly]

Have you tested your water lately? How's the ammonia, nitrites and nitrate?

 

[MagicAfra]

I just tested it

Ammonia: 0.1-0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5-1.0 ppm
Nitrate: 0-0.1ppm

These aren't that bad are they?
I probably shouldn't have ammonia in a year old tank if I'm doing it right, right? Why is my nitrite moderately high but almost no Nitrate? Last week I did a fifty percent water change. Perhaps the bacteria for the conversion to nitrate were killed? But I let my water sit 24 hours to release the chlorine and then mix in somewhat more of the chemical than prescribed (to neutralize Chloramine and just in case). This should severely decrease the likelihood of Chlorine killing bacteria right?

 

[Hholly]

I just tested it

Ammonia: 0.1-0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.5-1.0 ppm
Nitrate: 0-0.1ppm

These aren't that bad are they?
I probably shouldn't have ammonia in a year old tank if I'm doing it right, right? Why is my nitrite moderately high but almost no Nitrate? Last week I did a fifty percent water change. Perhaps the bacteria for the conversion to nitrate were killed? But I let my water sit 24 hours to release the chlorine and then mix in somewhat more of the chemical than prescribed (to neutralize Chloramine and just in case). This should severely decrease the likelihood of Chlorine killing bacteria right?

Sounds like your tank isn't cycled. Do you change out your filter media often? You should only change it when it's falling apart. What dechlorinator are you using? Are you using enough for the whole tank volume? Your ammonia and nitrites are dangerously high and are probably the cause of your problems. You need to do a few 50% water changes to get those levels below .25ppm.

 

[MagicAfra]

It is a 10 gallon aquarium, little over a year old

Stocked with:
1 adult guppy (dead) ~1.5 in female
3 juvenile guppies ~1in
4baby guppies ~ 1cm
It's hard to measure with the tails

I use extra "top-fin water conditioner" after waiting 24 hours to release gases just in case. I add it to the water that I am about to put in the tank and stir for a while.

I don't change out my filter media though I lightly rinse it in old tank water every once in a while.

I will do the water changes, but I'm still wondering what I might be missing.

 

[Hholly]

Yeah, it's weird that after a year you are still not cycled.

 

[jondamon]

What is your pH?


If your pH is too low it can stop the nitrification process. Thus causing mini cycles.


Jon

 

[Candiceg]

Test your tap water. Might be your problem and I would switch to prime water conditioner. Much better

 

[MagicAfra]

I can't measure PH above 8.4 and it near maxes out my tests so I'm not sure but it is quite alkaline water. Can this also have detrimental effects on bacteria growth?
It is quite alkaline and hard even right out the faucet, and I heard it is slightly more acidic while the chlorine is still in.
I'll make sure to switch to Prime

 

[Hholly]

What is your stock level?

 

[MagicAfra]

Stock level?
You mean?: Stocked with:
1 adult guppy (dead) ~1.5 in female
3 juvenile guppies ~1in
4baby guppies ~ 1cm
It's hard to measure with the tails

 

[Hholly]

You're not overstocked. I guess just continue the fish in cycle. Have you tested the water today?

 

[MagicAfra]

I'll be able to test the water soon with a second 50% water change also.
But I was wondering, I have an extra twenty gallon filter with minimal water flow. Would it be beneficial to add that to the tank and try to seed it with media from a different aquarium? Would you recommend that someone over-filter long term? It seems like it would create much more area for bacteria but would the same amount of bacteria just spread over a larger area since the food supply stays more or less continuous or is it beneficial?
Thanks for all the help Holly

 

[MagicAfra]

I've been reading up on it and I think the overall consensus is that its not bad to over filtrate but it can be bad to create powerful currents?

 

[Hholly]

I've been reading up on it and I think the overall consensus is that its not bad to over filtrate but it can be bad to create powerful currents?

Yeah, you can diffuse the output with a sponge or something so it doesn't push your fish around.