Need help with guppies

[justwannabeagoodfishmom]

Hi I'm new, I know literally nothing about fish but I have some so I need help.

as of now I have three guppies and another small thing that I don't know what it is. I joined because I'm having a lot of trouble keeping these fish alive. I got them from a friend who bought them somewhere and then deiced she couldn't keep them, when she gave them to me there were six guppies and the other one but I have since killed the other three guppies.
I've had them for a week and a half and the first two I lost were within the first three days. They both were acting fine but a few hours later started acting slow and kept to the bottom of the tank kind of hiding and then a few hours later I just found them laying dead on the bottom. After that the rest of them looked okay until two days ago when this one I just lost started acting like those other two. This one stayed at the top and didn't move around much, he didn't eat, didn't swim with the other fish, and his belly got kinda fat idk if that matters. Then this morning when I went to check them he was swimming upside down and on his side like he couldn't be normal so I took him out and put him in another bowl of water separate from the others and he ended up dying like an hour or so after.

I really know nothing about fish and I'm just scared I'm going to lose the other ones now too. I really don't want these guys to die too but I don't seem to be the best at keeping them swimming.

I brought a water sample to a pet store after I lost the first two and they said it was good maybe a tiny bit high in ammonia but I should change out part of the water and it should be ok.

this other one is getting fat like the one that died did so I'm worried about him. He's acting normal besides this though like he's swimming around fine so I don't know I'm just worried about them. I think I put up a picture but I don't know that I'm doing it right lol

 

[Aiken Drum]

Does your aquarium have a filter and a heater?

Does the output from the filter cause the water surface to ripple?

Did the pet store tell you the water parameters in numbers? If so what are they? Never accept everything is good, or whatever. Always get them to tell you actual numbers, write them down, and report the actual numbers. Pet stores, especially general pet stores rather than dedicated aquarium stores are notorious for giving poor advice. And do you know what type of water test kit they used? Test strips aren't reliable, whereas liquid drop tests are more accurate.

What water conditioner are you using to make your tap water safe?

 

[justwannabeagoodfishmom]

Thanks for your reply! I really appreciate the help.

Does your aquarium have a filter and a heater?

Yes

Does the output from the filter cause the water surface to ripple?

Yes, a little bit.

Did the pet store tell you the water parameters in numbers? If so what are they?

No. But I was planning on taking it again today to get looked at so I’ll make sure to ask.

And do you know what type of water test kit they used? Test strips aren't reliable, whereas liquid drop tests are more accurate.

They didn’t use test strips, they had the liquid with the drops and stuff.

What water conditioner are you using to make your tap water safe?

After I lost the very first one I went to the store and they gave me this

 

[justwannabeagoodfishmom]

What is this?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Ask why did they give you pH down? Guppies actually prefer harder, higher pH water.

If you didn't use water conditioner when first setting up the aquarium then your water will have been burning your fishes gills which will cause long term health issues and explain your fishes death and will explain your ongoing issues. The only thing to do with that is ensure they have pristine water to help with recovery.

Get your sample of water to take to the pet store, then change half the water making sure you use the water conditioner. Then take your sample to the store, write down the numbers and report back. While you are at the store see if they have a test kit, the liquid one, and buy it. Make sure it tests for at least pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The API Freshwater Master Testkit is a good one. You will probably be testing the water every day for the next few weeks. While you are there look to see if they have Seachem Prime or API AquaEssential as an alternative to the Topfin product as it may give your fish some protection from waste in the water which the Topfin product doesn't.

It looks like poo.

 

[justwannabeagoodfishmom]

Ask why did they give you pH down? Guppies actually prefer harder, higher pH water.

If you didn't use water conditioner when first setting up the aquarium then your water will have been burning your fishes gills which will cause long term health issues and explain your fishes death and will explain your ongoing issues. The only thing to do with that is ensure they have pristine water to help with recovery.

Get your sample of water to take to the pet store, then change half the water making sure you use the water conditioner. Then take your sample to the store, write down the numbers and report back. While you are at the store see if they have a test kit, the liquid one, and buy it. Make sure it tests for at least pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The API Freshwater Master Testkit is a good one. You will probably be testing the water every day for the next few weeks. While you are there look to see if they have Seachem Prime or API AquaEssential as an alternative to the Topfin product as it may give your fish some protection from waste in the water which the Topfin product doesn't.

It looks like poo.

Ok. I’ll report back later, thanks. I’m not sure why they gave me that they just said add a few drops because it might help.

I had a feeling my water was the problem. I’m on a well and we often have trouble with our water being hard and all that so I figured it was probably the reason.

 

[justwannabeagoodfishmom]

Also, what is my little yellow guy? Is he a guppie?

 

[Aiken Drum]

You arent cycled and you didn't use a water conditioner when you first got the fish. That's most likely your problem.

You now have a water conditioner, although there are better products on the market. And once you get a test kit you can safely get the aquarium cycled.

Can't promise anything though, because the fish have been living in toxic conditions for a while, but getting the water clean will help with recovery.

Guppies prefer harder water, so should suit your well water. But obviously I don't know what other contaminants may be in there that you wouldn't be found in a normal supply. You would need professional analysis for that, and some qualified in chemistry to analyse and give you advice on that.

The orange? That looks like natural colour. That's a very pretty fish.

 

[justwannabeagoodfishmom]

Ok so I took a water sample to the pet store she bought them at and they said the water looks good again, I know you said they don’t give good advice though. The woman there said that the ammonia was at 00.25ppm and the nitrate or nitrite was at the lowest it could be. I know you said to buy the testing kit for myself but I looked and it’s $55 and I’m not in a place where I can spend that much so I’m just going to bring water samples there when I need to test it.
The person working there also told me that when I clean the tank by taking water off the top it’s not doing anything and I need to buy a vacuum type thing to actually clean the gravel and such. Is this something I should do?

she also added that fish from pet stores like their’s are just inbred and not great hardy fish so they don’t think it’s anything I’m doing wrong. Obviously the water I put them in the beginning was my fault and that’s why they aren’t making it but I guess they’re also just weak fish.

 

[Aiken Drum]

You need to write down the numbers. "Nitrate or nitrite was the lowest it could be" isn't useful.

While your aquarium is cycling you need to be able to test your water everyday, and this could take months. $55 on a test kit is probably the best investment you can make in the hobby. How much is 80 or 90 trips to the pet store for them to test your water going to cost? If it's walkable distance and they are happy to do a daily test for free that's fine.

Your water is showing waste, and that waste is going to build up. It could quickly build up to toxic levels if you can't test.

If you really dont want to get a test kit, change half the water every day for the first week. Then in the 2nd week, change half the water every 2 days. In the third week, change half the water every 3 days. Etc etc, until in the 7th week you are changing half the water once a week. Then keep on changing half the water every week. You will probably be ok doing that, but spend more on water conditioner than you would on the test kit.

A syphon to remove water is something you need too. Removing water from the top (presumably with a jug?) is performing the function of a water change, but a syphon will help with removing detritus from the substrate and make water changes much easier.

Yes, many fish are intensively bred on farms, conditions aren't healthy, and inbreeding is rife. Fish are a lot less hardy than they used to be.

Not adding water conditioner to your water will kill fish. You are new to the hobby and will make mistakes. It's not your fault, it's a learning experience.