AndyTH

Hey, hoping for a swift response here as I've no idea what to do and have to leave the house in an hour.

One of my fish had been nibbling away at the aquarium plants until there wasn't much left except a stem, so I decided yesterday to buy him a new one to keep him happy. I swung by the exact same store yesterday, bought the exact same plant, gave it a quick rinse in treated water, popped it in the tank , replacing the old one. The fish were very happy, and quickly set about exploring / devouring it.

I wake up this morning and either this plant is catnip or poison, both of my guppies are on their bellies on the bottom of the tank, and seem to swim off fine when I disturb then, but after some distance then go back to stomach like they're exhausted. Also the female guppy seems not to be pregnany anymore? Where she had a large dark mass visible is now a small, yellow blob. I don't think she's fried as I've taken to popping her in the breeding catcher when I go to bed incase it happens overnight and they all stuff their faces.

One of my Rams is also acting similar, but doesn't seem as bad.

Am I being paranoid? Should I remove the plant or is it too late? I also don't have any other tank to move all the fish into (well, I have a tank but it's empty and it'd be far too small) water changes? Help

clinton1621

I would say she gave birth, they act weaker right after birthing... they could have also stuffed themselves on the newborn babies...

Just to get a better idea though, what are your tank readings for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and temp?

AndyTH

She was in one of those catchers where the fry fall into an unreachable (at least for her) compartment, and that's empty.

Readings are all fine, temperature is fine, water is still clear as anything.

clinton1621

Hmm... what type of plant is it?

AndyTH

Amazon sword...thingy (at work, can't look at the card in the book) Tall grass-blade looking plant, had a few of them before without any problems. Just wondering if it was contaminated

Shawnie

I agree with clinton that they probably ate the plant, and the babies so they are totally engourged ...but getting the water parimeters will help also ...goodluck with your babies!

AndyTH

So I get home expecting a fish graveyard, and they're all zipping around fine! THe strangtest thing is, the dark patch that I presumed was my female Guppy's devloping babies is back, whereas this morning she was completely translucent from the midriff down!

Maybe it was all a dream from too much coffee

Shawnie

or not enough cawfee ?

im so glad everyones zippy!!!

Fishies-for-me

Glad to hear every one looks better...maybe eating the plant was the problem after all and they just had to digeste it and move things along...( ifnya know whatwhat I mean...lol) I think I would think twice about putting live plants in there in the future if those pigs...umm..I mean fish are gunna pig out at the salad bar. Small amounts of well washed romain lettuce or spinach might be a better idea.

clinton1621

If it was first thing in the morning, then maybe they were just asleep or tired... a lot of fish (especially guppies) rest by laying on the bottom, and they can also appear different in color while they are resting =)