Sick/unhappy guppies

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Mtl Parrothead

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Mar 6, 2019
Messages
58
This morning I found 2 of my guppies not looking well. The one with the orange tail had that damage when I got him IMG_0273.jpgbut seemed to be doing well, I actually thought it was dead this morning when I turned on the lights he was just lying on the bottom but soon started swimming a IMG_0272.jpgbit. Now is just hanging on the surface

The other one was great yesterday all of a sudden this morning he is also hanging on the surface with the other one and lost a lot of his colour.

Tank perimeters seem perfect

IMG_0271.jpg
 
Do you have good surface agitation for oxygen?

Do you know your water parameters?
 
Orange tail one is no longer

Pretty good no airstone or anything.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
I forget ph
 
Also does the water have a fresh or earthy smell or something else?

As a matter of good husbandry practices, I always do decent 30-50% water change after a fish death.

Are you using liquid tests or strips?

Recent Guppy additions to the tank?
 
Also does the water have a fresh or earthy smell or something else?

As a matter of good husbandry practices, I always do decent 30-50% water change after a fish death.

Are you using liquid tests or strips?

Recent Guppy additions to the tank?



I’m running a fluval c4 with extra bio media

Water smells normal

Did 50% water change

Got them 10days ago

Using API master kit for testing (liquid)
 
Have there been any previous mystery fish disappearances?
Any fish bothering them?

Any differences in water parameters from store to you?

What is your pH? Do you happen to know GH/KH TDS?

It is possible that the fish were ill or became ill from the additional transfer from the store. Sometimes if you go back to the store where you got them and check out how their fish from the same group are doing /ask too if you might get a real answer or not, maybe.

Any specks of Ich?

Any poop concerns - white, stringy?

Are these Guppies the only ones acting off?

Checking to see if the filter media is cycled.

How long has the tank been running? And filter been running with the media inside?

Does it have a strong BB colony? As in not changed filter media recently or rinsed off in untreated tap water?

Sorry you are having problems with your fish.
 
I think I figured it out, I was watching them last night and seems that one of the guppies is chasing/bulling everyone. I’m going to move stuff around in the tank today hopefully changing up the territories enough
 
The male could be fighting for dominance for the female. You could add more females.
 
From what I see/was told all males

Would that also cause it to chase around the other species in the tank?
 
I think they chase around mollies from what people say and each other of course. I haven't heard of them going after faster schooling fish. Probably hit and miss with the particular guppies you get.
 
Once in awhile there is a real bully Guppy, not that usual, but I have had a meany before.

One other thing is a an unsafe water parameter can cause the fish to act aggressively/ out of character.
 
I think it’s a dominance from one, seems like the other has some damage to its tail fin now, but seems quieter in the tank I guess wait and see. It’s just not a good scene when the kids love the guppies

Water parameters today
Ammonia o
Nitrite 0
Nitrate between 5 and 10
Ph is 7ish I think
 
Woke up this morning to find the bullied guppy stuck dead to the filter intake, going to be working from home today as of lunch time so going to test water again and do another big pwc.

All other fish seem perfect
 
I had struggled with guppy problems for years and finally figured it out. the mix of live plants and water changes really makes a huge difference. Here is a picture similar to what mine look like!
image.jpg

image source
 
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