Guppies Dropping Like Flies...

Hello!

My tank has been cycled since February 24 2018 at least I believe so. It’s been up and running and I’ve been doing the regular changes and cleanings. I know that date because I was so HAPPY). Anyway I’ve been having problems with my guppies,I had seven I lost two and now I’m about to loose another one. I’m not quite sure what’s happening. My parameters are good and I think my stockings okay, it was recommended by someone on here so I went for it. Here are my parameters and the stock In my 29-gallon.

parameters:






stocking:
1 Bolivian ram
1 German blue ram
1 dwarf Gourami
1 bristle-nose algae eater
2 khulI loaches
5 guppies (ones not doing good)
10 neon tetras


Anyway to tell you more about the guppies the two that already passed I had a forum about and asked you guys for some help and you helped me and that’s what brought me back here because I don’t know what to do. The other fish are good and are eating, swimming, and happy to see me it’s just that one of my five guppies are going down the path the other guppies went through. Hanging around the bottom with fraying tails, laying in the substrate and then they pass. At this point the guppie is laying at the bottom with a frayed tail. No specs of white or red spots just lethargic. Obviously there’s not much I can do for him but I just wanted to see what’s wrong so I can fix it before it happens to the other guppies.
If you need a picture of other fish or him let me know the light went out so they’re sleeping (about to) so I didn’t want to stress him or any of the others
Thanks!

 

I can’t see any pictures. Click “edit”, then “more options”, then “upload a file”.

 

I can’t see any pictures. Click “edit”, then “more options”, then “upload a file”.

My bad, all it was, was the ammonia: 0 nitrite: 0. If you need the nitrates I’d be glad to show you.

 

I would like to see actually, you have a heavy stock in my opinion.

 

I think 28 gallons is a bit small for two rams...Also did the guppies have any damages when they died? I heard rams in tight spaces can get aggressive

 

I would like to see actually, you have a heavy stock in my opinion.

I try and get it in the morning, my apologies I shouldn’t have waited till this late at night to post this. I’ll get back to you in the morning but yes I have been told that my stocking is right on the line to where I can’t add anything else, so I’m rehoming my GBR.

 

When you do that, bring your temp down a few degrees. Your other fish will appreciate that.

 

I think 28 gallons is a bit small for two rams...Also did the guppies have any damages when they died? I heard rams in tight spaces can get aggressive

Yes the guppies that pass usually have frayed tails but the rams never attempt to touch one of the guppies. The only thing I see is the Bolivian ram sometimes chasing the German blue ram. *29- gallon*

When you do that, bring your temp down a few degrees. Your other fish will appreciate that.

The temperature of the tank is 76-78 degrees, is that not good for them?

 

Oh, I read 80 on your profile or something. That’s okay for them but too low for the GBR.

 

Oh, I read 80 on your profile or something. That’s okay for them but too low for the GBR.

Again sorry about that I just updated my tank details and yea I believe I’m going to rehome the GBR.

 

GBRs like warmer water, and I'm betting theyre killing the guppies. Rams can be territorial and you can't watch your fish all the time. If you're only having issues with guppies dying, someone in there is killing them.

 

GBRs like warmer water, and I'm betting theyre killing the guppies. Rams can be territorial and you can't watch your fish all the time. If you're only having issues with guppies dying, someone in there is killing them.

You’re right, there is one thing I can do and I’m gonna rehome the blue ram and see if that helps this situation.

 

Also how planted or decorated is your tank? just in case the other ram becomes aggressive after that one leaves your other fish may need places to hide

 

Also how planted or decorated is your tank? just in case the other ram becomes aggressive after that one leaves your other fish may need places to hide

This is the setup and a question a little off topic is, is it normal for rams to become darker when the lights are off? Do they get darker to blend in or are my rams stressed? Also sorry about the algae still need to do my WC.

I can’t see any pictures. Click “edit”, then “more options”, then “upload a file”.

By the way I got the pictures to upload I just had to scroll over to 3/3 and I found them and saved them to my camera roll. Here:

 

Dont suppose you know how old the ram is? lol. If its still young than his/her color is still coming in. Also water and environmental condition will affect their coloring as well so could be that once the lights are off you just aren't able to see him as well since there's less light reflecting off his scales.

 

Dont suppose you know how old the ram is? lol. If its still young than his/her color is still coming in. Also water and environmental condition will affect their coloring as well so could be that once the lights are off you just aren't able to see him as well since there's less light reflecting off his scales.

No I don’t know the age of him and yea that might be why he has blue of his fins and a black stripe but it think it’s from the substrate that makes my ram really dull coloring. But I’ll work If rehoming my GBR and keep my Bolivian and hopefully get the stress down in the tank.

 

I would think the guppies would be the hardiest out the group so if it was water conditions I think it would affect the other fish first. It could be a few things as stated above aggression from other fish or another that comes to mind is simply poor quality fish.

 

From my guppy experience, frayed tails is stress from harassment, either from other guppies (e.g. all males) or other fish. When we had a lyretail swordtail with our male guppies, they had really frayed tails as the swordtail kept chasing/nipping them and in the end the swordtail went back to the LFS. When we had dwarf gouramis, they didn't care about the guppies and just barrelled through them.

Again, just from our experience, but the frayed tails for us always came from stress/harassment.

-G

 

That tank is pretty sparse too. Nowhere really for anyone to hide.

 

From my guppy experience, frayed tails is stress from harassment, either from other guppies (e.g. all males) or other fish. When we had a lyretail swordtail with our male guppies, they had really frayed tails as the swordtail kept chasing/nipping them and in the end the swordtail went back to the LFS. When we had dwarf gouramis, they didn't care about the guppies and just barrelled through them.

Again, just from our experience, but the frayed tails for us always came from stress/harassment.

-G

Usually when it's fish of the same species (eg guppies picking on other guppies etc, and not just males chasing females trying to mate), it usually means the one being picked on is weak/poorly. They'll target it, often killing it, so if they're poor quality or sickly guppies, that could be the problem too -after the first weakest one is killed off they'll target the next (if there's another weaker one). I've seen this happen more so with other livebearers, but I'm pretty sure guppies and other fish do this too. But I agree it's more likely the other fish species killing them.

 

Hello!
The other fish are good and are eating, swimming, and happy to see me it’s just that one of my five guppies are going down the path the other guppies went through. Hanging around the bottom with fraying tails, laying in the substrate and then they pass. At this point the guppie is laying at the bottom with a frayed tail. No specs of white or red spots just lethargic. Obviously there’s not much I can do for him but I just wanted to see what’s wrong so I can fix it before it happens to the other guppies.

Thanks!

Fishsmart, I am by no means an expert, but I consider myself pretty in-tune with behaviors of my guppies... A lot more of it comes down to something simple; SEX, and more so, ensuring they have that ability whenever they want. How do I mean?

My guppy problems have ALWAYS involved females. Much like in real life, when females are introducted to males, or vice versa, both sexes can start acting whacky. Males will pick on lesser males to get them mainly 1) OUT OF THE WAY, so that they have that poon on lock, and 2) to show off and establish dominance. If you have a females in the tank, the alpha male personalities WILL come out of hiding and the dominance games start. With my males, no females, no problems! Drop a girl and the fighting starts. But its petty...

HOWEVER, the girls have caused more damage to my males then anything...

My first beautiful trio I purchased, the male was too old too want to mate. He just wasn't interested. He wanted to chill and watch tv. The females wanted it, they wanted the babies. And much like in real life, when the females didn't get what they wanted, they ruined his life ( sorry OP =] ) Constant chasing, nipping, cornering, they just wouldn't leave him alone. Finally he couldn't take the nagging and chasing, and he went in a bush, rolled over and died from exhaustion. I was so confused and upset, probably like you are, when he died. I couldnt figure it out. Then it started to make sense.

My male guppy was fine when he was in the larger male section. I put him in the small squished girl section, hoping it would encourage mating but it only helped them chase him to his death. He was cramped and unhappy, and he just kind of gave up I think. My water levels were good as well.

So in conclussion... Try a few different things.

1) make a divider, or rubbermaid floating isolation tank, separate the females and see if he gets better. Females in the mix could be causing either M or F's to be picking on him.
2) make sure there is adaquate oxygen in the tank with bubblers, BUT, make sure the water isn't over bubbled. Too much moving current and bubbles can stress the guppies and make them hide, too little makes them lethargic and sickly.
3) make sure he has enough space! If guppies are too cramped, they just lay at the bottom and kind of give up and die.

Water parameters are good, so I am guessing this is a psychological/comfort issue to straighten out.

And when in doubt, do a 25% water change and see if they behave better. Either nitrates could be building up (those apI tests don't have the best nitrate test) or maybe something is leaching in the water. The leaching though is pretty unlikely.

If all the above measures are addressed, and you still are getting dead guppies, you probably just got a bad batch of genetics. LFS sell huge batches of fish that are siblings/inbred, so the chance of having some doomed genes is inevitable.