# Guppies dieing!



## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

i got a few guppies a couple of weeks ago and now there starting to die off. I have no idea whats boing on. The water is all good with amonia, nitrates, etc. And PH is between 6.5 - 7.0. There is no AQ salt in the water right now, i might try adding some salt but i am not sure how much per gallon? The guppies are usaly at the top so i added more airstones but that doesn't seem to be helping. Before they die they go to the bottom and struggle to stay up right and adventualy die.


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## DragonFyre14 (Aug 20, 2012)

for most aquarium salts i would recommend about 1 tsp to every 5 gallons. for the most part this has worked for me. what size tank do you have? do you have a filter on the tank? if you have a filter that is big enough for the tank you have, that should produce enough air without needing an airstone. Now Guppies are typically top swimming fish and just because they are swimming to the top doesn't necessarily mean that the water doesn't have enough oxygen. is your tank heated? Guppies are tropical fish and need a tank that is heated between 72 F and about 76 F


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

right now there in a 5g after quartine is over they will be going eather in a 10g for just guppies or a 35g with a few other fish like cory and sword tails. Yes there is a filter on the tank that works great for a 5g. It is kept between 72-78 F. I have never used a heater in this 5g because the filter and light produces enough heat to keep the water at 72-78


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## DragonFyre14 (Aug 20, 2012)

So you said after the quarantine is over. How long have you been quarantining them? has there been any improvements?


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

I have had them for a couple of weeks and the first 5-7 days they were fine then they started going down hill.


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## DragonFyre14 (Aug 20, 2012)

okay. well guppies are schooling fish and prolonged quarantine could cause extra stress/ cause the fish to become lonely. I would suggest replacing the one that was losing it's color while keeping the new seemingly aggressive one either quarantined or use a tank divider. although another problem might possibly be lack of vitamins. I have also heard of Guppies losing their colors as they age. Do you have all male guppies?


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

nope a couple of males and a couple of females. Theres about 5 in the 5g.


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

Do you think i should add some salt?


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## DragonFyre14 (Aug 20, 2012)

I would try adding some salt. as long as you only add what is recommended (or even a bit less) i shouldn't hurt. I'm sure you've heard this multiple times but you should have about 2-3 females per male. too few females could result in them becoming stressed and die. have you been doing regular water changes? (approximately 25% a week). I would suggest looking into some water conditioners to help get rid of bacteria. the only other thing i can think of is that perhaps there is a bacteria in the water that has been harming the fish. Is this a brand new fish tank or a previously established tank? (i apologize my responses about the loss of color was meant for a different thread )


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

This tank was infact set up before. And i got 2 males and 3 or 4 females (need to count again) I think i will do a water change and add a teaspoon of AQ salt.


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## DragonFyre14 (Aug 20, 2012)

Okay. Try that and let me know what happens. I'm sorry i couldn't be of anymore help. although I can't pinpoint it exactly I would say your fish were either sick when you got them or that they caught a disease of some sort.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Actually, it's 1 TABLESPOON per gallon, not teaspoon. Or 1 teaspoon per gallon. Did you acclimate them? Or was there any sickness or sick guppies in the pet store? Might be TB. Most guppies are already sick in the pet store. They're TROPICAL fish and need very warm tanks. Not 72-76, more of 78-80.


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## DragonFyre14 (Aug 20, 2012)

Most places i've seen say that a good temp is anywhere between 72-80 F (as long as you slowly acclimate them to that temp.) Colder temps cause them to grow slower but as a result they tend to live longer then guppies in warm temps that grow quickly


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

i got these guppies from a friend that that has a lot of guppies and breeds them. and yes i did acliminate them. Well i added 1 teaspoon of API AQ salt, should i add more?


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Yes, you should add more. But in a temperature of 72-76, the guppies are more prone to diseases and stress.


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

I added 2 and a half teaspoon of API AQ salt. I hope this works.


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

I'm confused as to why you're using salt??
Is the tank cycled?


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## DragonFyre14 (Aug 20, 2012)

although it hasn't been 'proven' adding some salt to the aquarium is believed to help improve the health of some fish, such as guppies, by helping get rid of diseases.


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

I see, just don't use it for longer than 10 days, and do a 100% water change after those 10 days
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

and yes its cycled


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

I hope its not TB...i have some cuts on my hands and got some of the tank water on me!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

What's ammonia reading at?


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Just saying guppies can actually handle extreme amounts of salt, not that you would want to...

Post the parameter readings,just because the tank is cycled doesn't mean the nitrates can't be high.


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

Last time i tested the water (2 days ago) the amonia is 0, nitrates is 0, and i ran out of nitrites test stuff so dont know the nitrites right now.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Weird. Your pH is low for guppies- and though I doubt this is having such an effect on them, maybe you should pick up some crushed coral at a petshop and add it to their water.  It might give them an extra boost if nothing else. Guppies are tough as nails but there's a slight chance that's your problem.


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

Any thing els i could use besides cruch coral? my petshop doesn't carry any :/


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

It'd probably be in the saltwater section.
I know some rocks work too.. Texas holey rock is one that is unmistakable.


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

My 35g has high PH like 8.0, should i just pour a couple of cups of that water in?


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

What? That's really weird... Same source water? 
You could but it will make parameters unstable and isn't the best idea.


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## Crowntailed (Apr 19, 2012)

kinda, the 35g was filled up by our well water then we used declorinator the 5g was filled up by the well water but it went through our drinking filter.


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