Gupy losing coloration

[MisticX]

my male gupy (and actualy females too) are losing coloration FAST

even the new one i bought 3 days ago is losing a lot of colour.

any ideeas why ?

i feed them several types of food during the week.

[An t-iasg]

Generally, color loss can be a sign of stress. Are other fish causing stress to the guppies - chasing or nipping them? What are your water parameters?

Are you noticing the color loss all day or just in the morning? It is common for fish to become rather dull overnight to avoid predators, but in the morning, when the tank lights come on, they should color up rapidly.

[MisticX]

ph stable
ammonia spiked at 0.1 today because y-day i fed them a LOT
no2 stable 0
temp 27C (83f) (coming down after a ich treat)

theyr colour started degrading about 2 weeks ago.

edit:
i forgot
nope none of the other fish are stressing them, they actually pretty much play with the zebras, and moly's
they are also the only ones losing color, the red platys are incandescent red, the black molys and white molys are perfectly elegant in colors AND ways of acting (swiming feeding) the neon tetrat are bright as brand new, zebras .... well not much of a color except the stripes, and the corys are pinky as always

so all in all ... only my guppy lost color, they are active as always, but no longer reproducing nor having bright colors as before
so i guessed it was all about the food

[An t-iasg]

Do a few extra water changes to bring the ammonia down. Although it's not a high level, any level of ammonia is bad for fish and can be responsible for stress. If you're just beginning to lower your temperature after an ich treatment, lower it slowly, a degree every 6-8 hours. Too fast of a temperature change could cause stress.

After the ammonia level returns to 0 ppm and the temperature is stable again, then evaluate the fish again. They did have a few stressful incidents (the ammonia spike and temperature changes) that could have affected their color.

It's good that you are giving them a varied diet. That will keep them healthy and allow for good coloring. Here is a chart from DrsFosterSmith that recommends a variety of foods for guppies/livebearers: Proper Fish Diet: Feed Your Fish a Variety of Foods for Total Nutrition

[patryuji]

With the fish you listed I would say the guppies are the most easily stressed (in my experiences)...the color will probably return once the ammonia spike goes away (unless you also have a nitrite spike).

[tropicfishman]

Its most likely a sign of stress. I don't know much about the guppys, but maybe you can add some more places for them to hide and claim as there own. I know that with some bright multi colored fish, the color of your gravel can effect the way there colors look, but I doubt thats what it is in your case. Try to find out whats stressing them, watch at night or during feeding to make sure the other fish aren't secretly bullying the guppys. What looks like playing could actually be aggression.

[MisticX]

Originally Posted by tropicfishman

Its most likely a sign of stress. I don't know much about the guppys, but maybe you can add some more places for them to hide and claim as there own. I know that with some bright multi colored fish, the color of your gravel can effect the way there colors look, but I doubt thats what it is in your case. Try to find out whats stressing them, watch at night or during feeding to make sure the other fish aren't secretly bullying the guppys. What looks like playing could actually be aggression.

it really is playing, because it's not always the zebras who run them, but most of the times it's the guppys who run after the zebras,


theyr color is coming back slowly, might have been the ammonia spike, but i doubt it.

[kimo]

Originally Posted by patryuji

With the fish you listed I would say the guppies are the most easily stressed (in my experiences)...the color will probably return once the ammonia spike goes away (unless you also have a nitrite spike).

Disease, unstable water parameters, a 6" Angel, or light colored gravel are about the only things that will fade the color in a guppy. Fancy guppies are about the hardiest fish in existance once they get over the initial shipping and new water syndrome. (from one who has been breeding them for the last 40 yrs.)

[wwwtinman]

What is your guppy male to female ratio? In my experience with guppies in the past 5 years i've been told that keeping 3 females for every male is the recommended amount because they will cause each other stress. If the males and females are about 1:1 ratio or females are outnumbered the males will be chasing the females down all the time, causing stress on the females. Some females will also tend to get defensive causing stress on the males as well.