# female guppy and ghost shrimp



## zpeck30 (Jan 30, 2011)

thought id try out something new..he does fine with two ottos and 5 zebra danios in a ten gallon so tonight i picked up 3 ghost shrimp and 2 female fancy tail guppies.. the guppies are real"plain jain" silver heads black and silver tail not too flashy not very big tails..so the betta has kind of sized up a shrimp but pretty much let it alone however the guppies hell chase them off if they get close and did like a half flare at first..im hopping its just the sight of a new fish that got him excited and hell eventually leave them alone..i tried to get the guppies that were least flashy


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## crowntail lover (Apr 25, 2009)

Just keep an eye on them


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## zpeck30 (Jan 30, 2011)

well i think thats the least of my worries now..a few days ago i noticed me betta had beed swiming kinda goofy like rubbing on the side but hes usually real active and i didnt think muuch of it dint see any ick spots..well now there about 4 white spots on his front fins and he pretty much just sits still now dosnt really eat much either..one of the guppies already died.idk if the betta got him or not it was swimming around real healthy then 2hours later it was floating upside down dead..no real signs of ripped fins or anything..about an hour later i noticed both of my ottos hardly moving one laying on its side..i just did a ptw yesterday but the nitrates were though the rough..so i did like a fifty percent change again and it dropped down a little but still a bit high i figure il do another ptw tommarow..the ottos are still alive but barly the bigger one will move from tiem to time but not much the others bine laying on its side for hours now but still breathing and my betta just sits in the corner..i wonder if those guppies and shrimp brought a disease they were all from the same tank....


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Why did you buy the guppies and fish if your betta was ill? Plus I really think your tank is over stocked now.

Also, ALWAYS quarantine new fish.


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## zpeck30 (Jan 30, 2011)

i didnt know he was sick til afterwards.and 6tiny fish three goast shrimp and a bettas not overstocked oh and 2ottos none are more than an inch long
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

zpeck30 said:


> well i think thats the least of my worries now..*a few days ago i noticed me betta had beed swiming kinda goofy like rubbing on the side but hes usually real active* and i didnt think muuch of it dint see any ick spots..well now there about 4 white spots on his front fins and he pretty much just sits still now dosnt really eat much either..one of the guppies already died.idk if the betta got him or not it was swimming around real healthy then 2hours later it was floating upside down dead..no real signs of ripped fins or anything..about an hour later i noticed both of my ottos hardly moving one laying on its side..i just did a ptw yesterday but the nitrates were though the rough..so i did like a fifty percent change again and it dropped down a little but still a bit high i figure il do another ptw tommarow..the ottos are still alive but barly the bigger one will move from tiem to time but not much the others bine laying on its side for hours now but still breathing and my betta just sits in the corner..i wonder if those guppies and shrimp brought a disease they were all from the same tank....


You said right here you noticed he didn't seem right.


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## zpeck30 (Jan 30, 2011)

i didnt relize he was sick til afterwards..notice it says but i didnt think much of it,anyways i made this post for advice not to get yelled at at


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

zpeck30 said:


> i didnt relize he was sick til afterwards..notice it says but i didnt think much of it,anyways i made this post for advice not to get yelled at


Excuse me? How was I "yelling" at you? I was just showing you where you said he was feeling ill.


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## Marona (Jan 31, 2011)

Sounds pretty overstocked...


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## alidawn15 (Jan 31, 2011)

If that's overstocked there are a lot of people with even worse tanks on this forum.


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## Crazykat (Nov 23, 2010)

What's done is done. If you have guppies, a betta, danios, ottos, and shrimp, that is pretty overstocked. For the future, it's a really good idea to quarantine your new fish in a new tank for at least two weeks to make sure they aren't sick. We sometimes have to learn these things the hard way. It sounds like you're having a very big problem with nitrates (you're using dechlorinator, right?). Reducing the number of fish in the tank would probably help. You need to do some pretty drastic water changes, especially now that you have sick fish. 

For Ich:
Bump up the water temperature to 82 degrees. Then, add 1 tsp of aquarium salt/gallon of water. It might be easier to put them in a bare bottom tank. Do 100% water changes every day. Alternatively (don't use both at once), you could bump up the temperature and use an ich medication. They usually contain malachite green and formalin. I would only use that as a last resort, though, since I think that those chemicals are pretty tough on an already compromised immune system. Either way, it's VERY IMPORTANT to get the temperature up into the 80 range so that the parasite will fall off of the fish so it can be killed. VERY IMPORTANT (note my use of caps here!!). I wish you luck!


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Sounds like ich is the issue. The guppy probably died from nitrate toxicity (as too much can kill just as ammonia and nitrites, but it would have to be a very high ppm unless the guppy had an already weakened immune system).

Ich meds will have a good chance of killing the shrimp, but them again, the shrimp can be removed from the tank while you treat it, as I dont think ich can live on shrimp (dont quote me on that, as I am not positive). 

Yeah, you can bump up the temp and add aquarium salt. Or you can use the ich meds (remember to take out the carbon filter during treatment if you have one...and to put a new active carbon insert in after the treatment to remove any access meds, then do a partial water change, check the water parameters). I have seen ich clear up in 3 days before. 

Ich can be introduced from new fish, yes. It can also develope in low water temps, and in stressed fish with weakened immune systems. 

Personally, with the 6 fish you mentioned in a 10 gallon, I dont think you are overstocked. Personally it comes down to the swim room needs and bioload...and your fish dont seem like it would be an issue in the 10 gallon. I have 4 guppies, a balloon molly, and an ADF in a FIVE gallon tank...and yes technically it is overcrowded, but with proper water care they are thriving...despite this, I am upgrading the tank for the sole purpose of being able to add a couple more guppies. lol. When it comes to people's definitions of overstocked, I think it comes right down to personal opinion if there isnt anything wrong with the fish, and 6 fish of that size in that size tank with the water changes and such you have mentioned seems absolutely fine to me. 

Yes, it is recommended to quarentine new fish. Something I wish I had the ability to do, but I dont generally keep a spare tank set up for this...I just add my fish as normal. It isnt always an option for everyone, and I have been very lucky as not to have any issues regarding this, yet. And when the issues happen they will be treated as needed. Everyone fishkeeps in their own way...and you did right by asking for advice and opinions. 

As far as the nitrates go... if you have the ability to add an additional bio bag to your filter, I would do so, and in it put in one of the filtration medias from Fluval that help remove access nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and other dangerous things in the tank. The cheapest and most effective way is to do your water changes when levels are high. You can also get an item called "Correct pH" at Walmart by Jungle for just over $3 that will help break down the ammonia, level out pH, and just keep the water parameters at a stable setting for 3-4 weeks per dose. I use it, it works great, and dont know what I would do with out it, especially at the price. 

I know it has been well over a week since you posted this, and I am sure you have everything in order by now. But I wanted to give you my 2 cents...especially since there seemed to be some tension regarding the thought that you were overstocked in your tank. Like I said before, I am overstocked in both of my tanks, but you wouldnt know it because of proper tank care. And I FULLY believe that fishkeeping truely is a matter of opinion and personal experiance...we all learn and adapt to what works for us. 

Hope all your fish are better and you havent experianced any additional fish loss.


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