Margie3689
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hello everyone!
I come looking for some advice on my Fancy Guppy that I've had for about a month now. I am a fairly new aquarium hobbiest. I had a successful Freshwater tank when I was a child for a few years and have now decided to take it up again. I have a 10 gallon (largest my apt complex will allow). It has a heater and is maintained at a 78°F temp. It has a Whisper PF10 active carbon filter. It's set up with substrate and several self soft plants that I got at the pet store. I didn't want any plastic plants harming my guppies beautiful fins. I did a fishless cycle for about a month and also used Tetra Safe Start. My water conditions are at 7.6 pH, 0- 0.25 ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 0 Nitrate.
I use the API Freshwater Master Kit to test my water. I've tested once to twice weekly lately as I've been closely monitoring my tank. I do also use a water conditioner and stress coat replenished when I do water changes.
Now onto the fishes. I purchased 4 male guppies (I don't want any fry) about a month ago (a month after the fishless cycle). All appeared to be lively healthy fish when I got them. I acclimated them using the floating bag adding 1/2 cup every half hour for 2 hours method. I tested the water in the bag and in the aquarium so I could minimize the shock as much as possible.
The guppies did alright for a few days then one of them began to develop a fungus (cottony growth) and tail rot. Before I was able to get medication, the fish died. After removing the dead fish I did a 20% water change. The next day another one of the guppies too began to act lethargic and showed some fungus. This time I did have some Pimafix but no quarantine tank. I hesitantly treated the whole tank figuring the filter might take out the medication gradually and I'd just treat daily as suggested on the bottle. I did under do it though because I was afraid of over dosing them. I also added an air stone to add more oxygen to the water.
I did 15% water changes each day while I was treating the tank and also began using Melafix along with the Pimafix. The 2nd fish which only had a small amount of fungus developed dropsy and after that there say no saving him. The day after the 3rd fish also began to act I'll, no fungus this time but it also developed dropsy and died. During this time I had a horrible issue with cloudy water. The water would get super cloudy within a day but no spikes in ammonia, pH, nitrites or nitrates. Now I'm on my final fish.
I thought it too was going to suffer the same fate but a week later he's still alive. I stopped medicating the tank but continued daily water changes alternating between 15 and 20%. I do use a siphon on the gravel. The water clarity has significantly increased. Levels are still good. My last guppy is not showing any signs of fungus, or dropsy. I have noticed his tail fin is looking improved.
What worries me is he does occasionally clamp is top fin. And he's been way less active. He doesn't sit at the bottom of the tank but I do find him hovering at the top slanted with his mouth to the surface almost. I worried the tank lacked oxygen. I turn on the air stone for a while during the day. He will sometimes chase the bubbles and after his food (I only feed him 1 daily very small amount. Fed him a deshelled pea in case he was constipated and netted out any uneaten food that wasnt eaten within 3 minutes) and occasionally he does explore his tank and nibble on things but still not as much as I've seen him seen him do before. His favorite spot is right behind the filter which has a lot that hides him perfectly. He sits there most of the day.
I'm at my wits end! I'm trying to Do everything by the book. Levels are good, temp is good, plenty of other places to hide. Is it possible there's something still wrong with my tank or is my guppy just being shy now that he doesn't have a school to be with? I'm hesitant to add any new fish of my tank is still not in ideal condition. I'm sorry for the lengthy post but felt all the background info was crucial . I've included a pic taken today. The orange blur is my guppy not hiding lol. I just want my fish to be happy and healthy! Thank you!
I come looking for some advice on my Fancy Guppy that I've had for about a month now. I am a fairly new aquarium hobbiest. I had a successful Freshwater tank when I was a child for a few years and have now decided to take it up again. I have a 10 gallon (largest my apt complex will allow). It has a heater and is maintained at a 78°F temp. It has a Whisper PF10 active carbon filter. It's set up with substrate and several self soft plants that I got at the pet store. I didn't want any plastic plants harming my guppies beautiful fins. I did a fishless cycle for about a month and also used Tetra Safe Start. My water conditions are at 7.6 pH, 0- 0.25 ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 0 Nitrate.
I use the API Freshwater Master Kit to test my water. I've tested once to twice weekly lately as I've been closely monitoring my tank. I do also use a water conditioner and stress coat replenished when I do water changes.
Now onto the fishes. I purchased 4 male guppies (I don't want any fry) about a month ago (a month after the fishless cycle). All appeared to be lively healthy fish when I got them. I acclimated them using the floating bag adding 1/2 cup every half hour for 2 hours method. I tested the water in the bag and in the aquarium so I could minimize the shock as much as possible.
The guppies did alright for a few days then one of them began to develop a fungus (cottony growth) and tail rot. Before I was able to get medication, the fish died. After removing the dead fish I did a 20% water change. The next day another one of the guppies too began to act lethargic and showed some fungus. This time I did have some Pimafix but no quarantine tank. I hesitantly treated the whole tank figuring the filter might take out the medication gradually and I'd just treat daily as suggested on the bottle. I did under do it though because I was afraid of over dosing them. I also added an air stone to add more oxygen to the water.
I did 15% water changes each day while I was treating the tank and also began using Melafix along with the Pimafix. The 2nd fish which only had a small amount of fungus developed dropsy and after that there say no saving him. The day after the 3rd fish also began to act I'll, no fungus this time but it also developed dropsy and died. During this time I had a horrible issue with cloudy water. The water would get super cloudy within a day but no spikes in ammonia, pH, nitrites or nitrates. Now I'm on my final fish.
I thought it too was going to suffer the same fate but a week later he's still alive. I stopped medicating the tank but continued daily water changes alternating between 15 and 20%. I do use a siphon on the gravel. The water clarity has significantly increased. Levels are still good. My last guppy is not showing any signs of fungus, or dropsy. I have noticed his tail fin is looking improved.
What worries me is he does occasionally clamp is top fin. And he's been way less active. He doesn't sit at the bottom of the tank but I do find him hovering at the top slanted with his mouth to the surface almost. I worried the tank lacked oxygen. I turn on the air stone for a while during the day. He will sometimes chase the bubbles and after his food (I only feed him 1 daily very small amount. Fed him a deshelled pea in case he was constipated and netted out any uneaten food that wasnt eaten within 3 minutes) and occasionally he does explore his tank and nibble on things but still not as much as I've seen him seen him do before. His favorite spot is right behind the filter which has a lot that hides him perfectly. He sits there most of the day.
I'm at my wits end! I'm trying to Do everything by the book. Levels are good, temp is good, plenty of other places to hide. Is it possible there's something still wrong with my tank or is my guppy just being shy now that he doesn't have a school to be with? I'm hesitant to add any new fish of my tank is still not in ideal condition. I'm sorry for the lengthy post but felt all the background info was crucial . I've included a pic taken today. The orange blur is my guppy not hiding lol. I just want my fish to be happy and healthy! Thank you!
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