walklong
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hoping for enlightenment for the future (and maybe save last of trio). We purchased a trio of red delta tail guppies at a club swap meet on October 4th. Vendor gave us info that suggested the females were in they're first pregnancy.
Brought them home and drip acclimated them over about 90 minutes time, then released them into a lightly planted 20 L, which was holding about 40 2 week old guppy fry from another trio we have. The new fish settled in over the next several hours and were active and eating by the next morning.
October 8, found nine (9) new fry in the tank, neither female exhibited 'traditional' warning traits that she was near term, and we've learned that the first batch of fry might be as few as 10 or so. Then concluded that few, if any were eaten and we would just pay MUCH closer attention as we waited for next batch, intending to separate the female for birth.
October 11, added three (3) juvenile green cory to the tank. (Tank also has two (2) assassin and half a dozen or so pond/ramshorn snails).
October 14, transferred 15 newborn fry from a third guppy female to the tank, separated from the general population with a Lee's net breeder.
October 18, observed all three adult guppies behaving lethargically, hanging out at or near the surface, idling and not responding to food. I immediately did a 50% water change, and tested the original water: pH 8.0; NH3 0.0 ppm; NO2 0.0 ppm; NO3 10-15 ppm (API liquid test, all reagents well within date range).
Put an airstone in the tank, thinking that the O2 concentration might be low, also added a fresh carbon cartridge to the main filter (Marina S10, with a single cartridge and otherwise full of Seachem Matrix.
October 19, found the male dead in the tank first thing in the morning. Both females were hanging out in the back corner near the surface, although they both came out to feed. I put another filter in tank (Fluval 2 internal, with a cylinder of API medium/fine filter pad and a handful of seeded Seachem Matrix in the canister). Oriented the Fluval at the rear with the output aimed at the back glass to break-up the flow.
October 20, (this morning) found an adult female dead in the tank first thing.
Remaining female (I suspect she's NOT the one that dropped fry) remains lethargic and hanging out near the surface, fins clamped but no other external symptoms.
I've done 30 - 50% water changes every week/10 days, with addition of treated water (use either Prime or API Stresscoat +), top-off with treated water (I add dechlor/treatment to the bucket, and temp match when I fill the bucket).
Fry are eating: Hikari First Bites, new hatched brine shrimp, banana worms and micro worms. Adults also offered Omega One micro pellets/flake food. (All fresh).
Tank temp had been sitting at 72F, added heater and slowly raised the temp to 80 F, then dropped it back to 77.4 F) (as measured with my digital thermometer, used in HVAC service - I trust it).
There are NO obvious, external issues with these fish except for the clamped fins and the lethargy. No fin rot or damage, no spots, no fuzz, nothing. Gills are normal color and not flared, no pinecone. Fish idles in place with pectoral fins and a little tail fin movement.
The Cory's and the fry are all very active and behaving/eating normally. Tank parameters have been very stable (Saturday, the 18th would have changed the water anyway, but the test results above were from the water pre-change).
The tank has been up and running since early August. Substrate is eco complete under about an inch of black Nat Geo gravel from Petsmart. Three (3) temple plants, a small water sprite and a couple small dwarf sag. Three clumps of subwassertang and a clump of java moss and a few leaves of java fern. A tested inert rock, a piece of mopani drift wood and pennplax decoration are the only other things in the tank.
Any thoughts? (I can post pictures and needed.)
Brought them home and drip acclimated them over about 90 minutes time, then released them into a lightly planted 20 L, which was holding about 40 2 week old guppy fry from another trio we have. The new fish settled in over the next several hours and were active and eating by the next morning.
October 8, found nine (9) new fry in the tank, neither female exhibited 'traditional' warning traits that she was near term, and we've learned that the first batch of fry might be as few as 10 or so. Then concluded that few, if any were eaten and we would just pay MUCH closer attention as we waited for next batch, intending to separate the female for birth.
October 11, added three (3) juvenile green cory to the tank. (Tank also has two (2) assassin and half a dozen or so pond/ramshorn snails).
October 14, transferred 15 newborn fry from a third guppy female to the tank, separated from the general population with a Lee's net breeder.
October 18, observed all three adult guppies behaving lethargically, hanging out at or near the surface, idling and not responding to food. I immediately did a 50% water change, and tested the original water: pH 8.0; NH3 0.0 ppm; NO2 0.0 ppm; NO3 10-15 ppm (API liquid test, all reagents well within date range).
Put an airstone in the tank, thinking that the O2 concentration might be low, also added a fresh carbon cartridge to the main filter (Marina S10, with a single cartridge and otherwise full of Seachem Matrix.
October 19, found the male dead in the tank first thing in the morning. Both females were hanging out in the back corner near the surface, although they both came out to feed. I put another filter in tank (Fluval 2 internal, with a cylinder of API medium/fine filter pad and a handful of seeded Seachem Matrix in the canister). Oriented the Fluval at the rear with the output aimed at the back glass to break-up the flow.
October 20, (this morning) found an adult female dead in the tank first thing.
Remaining female (I suspect she's NOT the one that dropped fry) remains lethargic and hanging out near the surface, fins clamped but no other external symptoms.
I've done 30 - 50% water changes every week/10 days, with addition of treated water (use either Prime or API Stresscoat +), top-off with treated water (I add dechlor/treatment to the bucket, and temp match when I fill the bucket).
Fry are eating: Hikari First Bites, new hatched brine shrimp, banana worms and micro worms. Adults also offered Omega One micro pellets/flake food. (All fresh).
Tank temp had been sitting at 72F, added heater and slowly raised the temp to 80 F, then dropped it back to 77.4 F) (as measured with my digital thermometer, used in HVAC service - I trust it).
There are NO obvious, external issues with these fish except for the clamped fins and the lethargy. No fin rot or damage, no spots, no fuzz, nothing. Gills are normal color and not flared, no pinecone. Fish idles in place with pectoral fins and a little tail fin movement.
The Cory's and the fry are all very active and behaving/eating normally. Tank parameters have been very stable (Saturday, the 18th would have changed the water anyway, but the test results above were from the water pre-change).
The tank has been up and running since early August. Substrate is eco complete under about an inch of black Nat Geo gravel from Petsmart. Three (3) temple plants, a small water sprite and a couple small dwarf sag. Three clumps of subwassertang and a clump of java moss and a few leaves of java fern. A tested inert rock, a piece of mopani drift wood and pennplax decoration are the only other things in the tank.
Any thoughts? (I can post pictures and needed.)