Urgent help please!***

[Virgo1991]

Hi fellow fish lovers,

I seem to be having a bit of a crisis with my guppies at the moment.

I used to have a small 30L tank which is where I started off with just a few guppies. I had this tank for about a year. As the population grew I upgraded to a 70L tank which ive had for about a year now. The water condition is fine, good pump, good oxygen etc. My guppies have been thriving.

Yesterday I went to a pet store, saw two fancy male guppies which I fell in love with at first sight. One male has a black fan tale and the other male is a stunning yellow/white color throughout his body, which I had never seen before, so I bought them both.

I did the usual process of introducing them into the tank with the other guppies. They all seemed to be quite content. After about an hour I noticed that one of my usual male guppies were attacking my yellow guppy (sunshine). I was immediately concerned and continued to monitor them, hoping it was just curiosity and the attack would cease.

It didn't, poor sunshine was swimming for his life trying to get away from him. Sunshine was getting literally bitten on his fins, body, etc. Since it was just the one male, I took him out and put him in the small tank in isolation for his bad behavior lol. Sunshine seemed ok as I kept my eye on him through the day. At about 8pm last night, I panicked cos I couldn't find sunshine but he was just hiding in an ornament, which I read online is not unusual for new fish who are still adjusting. I fed them and put their light off as per usual.

But this morning I looked for sunshine and he was actually swimming around, not hiding anymore which I was happy with. Upon closer inspection though he got chewed up over night hes still alive but his body, fancy tail, even parts of his gills look so painful. I immediately took him out, returned the usual male to the big tank, put sunshine in the small tank. At the moment I am giving him his fish medicine, waiting and praying my lil bugger gets better. I fed him a lil just to see how much pain he is in, whether he could swim, move his tail etc. He is eating which is awesome and a good sign and he seems to be swimming fine and ok despite his bites.

This is where I need your guys help, please. What do I do? Do guppies usually attack one another? Will I ever be able to keep him with the others? Should I even try? Oh and ps the other black male is 100% fine and completely part of the fish fam, why didn't they attack him? Why sunshine?

Naturally, I will definitely not attempt anything until sunshine is in tip top condition.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated by both myself and lil sunshine
Thank you in advance for your time!!!!!

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[abw0004]

Are they all male? I had a similar problem with my four male guppies. I started out with 2 and then I added 2 later. Right now your male guppies are establishing the hierarchy of who is most dominant. Mine will still fight at times. Try re-arranging some of the decorations and treat Sunshine with Melafix.

 

[Virgo1991]

Hi there abw,

Thanks for your fast response!

No, I have almost an even ratio of male and females, if not slightly more females. Ive seen and read of males fighting but not as viciously as sunshines case. Will definitely try rearranging the deco, read it helps as the fish are distracted by their 'new' surroundings and will pop in and grab some Melafix, will this aid recovery time?

Thanks again, much appreciated!

Sent from my GT-N8000 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[abw0004]

Yes it will speed up the recovery time. All males is fine, all females is fine, but if you add females and males a good rule of thumb is every male for 3 females.

Also, welcome to the forum!