I need guppy help...

[Claritywind]

Time for a short story, i think. (will be put in a quote so that you know you don't need to read it):

*GOLDFISH*

I am a yr 12 student in Australia and need to do this thing the new SACE calls a 'Research Project'. Since i have wanted to breed guppies for a LONG time, i thought that this was the perfect excuse to fork out hundreds of dollars to get myself started.
My tank is a 50L (approx. 13.2 Gallons apparently) with a biological filter and a light attached/inbuilt.
I bought just 3 guppies the first time round, one male and 2 females. My the male began to 'grow' a white patch near his dorsal fin. this grew quite a lot and it scared me, as i realized he had managed to become diseased. One of the females i bought was already pregnant (or at least really fat) so i was scared i would loose the male, and a batch of fry.
The non-pregnant-looking female actually was the first to die, followed a few days later by the male. The fat female is still living to this day (5/Feb/2011).
However, she has not birthed once. This concerns me.
I cleaned out the water (took out approx. half of it, let it sit, then filled it up with fresh water of a period of time) and let it stay for a few days.
approximately 2-3 weeks ago, i bought 5 new guppies, 2 males and 3 females (making a total of 6 guppies in the tank)
2 of the 6 have died, one male and one female.
I am left with 4.

I have some questions.

-I have a female who i thought was pregnant (who hasn't dropped fry, but is now a tad thinner) whom i put in a plastic floater tank to drop her fry. She has spent quite a lot of time in this floater tank. would this isolation be the cause of her strange, sometimes aggressive, behavior?

-My surviving male is acting strange, and it started today. He used to chase the females about (mostly the pregnant/fat ones) and breed shamelessly. now as i look at him, he is in one corner of the tank staring at his own reflection. Is he alright?

-The once-thought pregnant female (lets call her 'Bluey') has taken to rubbing against nearly all thing; plants, gravel, and even other fish. She cannot be alone for long, and always follows another guppy around. She is also the only guppy i have noticed who will go out of her way to chase the 2 fry i have (their mother is deceased) around the plant.
I have seen her swim backwards and rub against another female guppy i have, who is pooping(?) white strings that don't detach like the normal poop...

-As mentioned above, i have a female who, yesterday, i saw had a white, thin string flowing behind her. i assume it is poo of some form.
Today, however, the poo is still long and white, but it appears to have bubbles/inconsistencies in texture. Does she have a parasite? is that a sign she is about to birth? (she doesn't LOOK pregnant...) or is she, in effect, pooing out her intestines?? O _O *SICK*

-The last female i have is my favorite due to her colour and pattern. she's probably a common, but i love her all the same.
She appeared to be pregnant. she had that strange bulge beneath her that had a 'point' near her front. when i was a child, i remember that being a sure sign that she was about to drop. However, i have noticed no new fry in the tank, but yet her 'point' has subdued and she now looks more rounded.
Has she miscarriaged, dropped some fry or what?
Is it normal??


As you can see, i am having issues with all 4 of my guppies.... what am i doing wrong?
I have noticed all 3 of the females occasionally rub against the gravel or the plant, but no where near as much as 'Bluey' seems to do.

From a true ignorant/novice/noob/idiot at this guppy breeding stuff, i do ask for as much help as you can offer me.

 

[OrangeCones]

What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

How much water are you changing (not just topping off, but removing and replacing)?

How often do you do water changes?

The rubbing on items in the tank indicates a parasite or poor water conditions (or both).

 

[Lynch_6913]

As stated above water info would be helpful, but I used a product I believe called aqua clear, and one dose fixed it, the white spot, it has an active ingredient I think called marine green, or green something. And the guppy could have dropped because with 4 gups in the tank the new fry could eat them up pretty quick. How much cover is in the tank? The more the better for fry if you don't seperate the mother. And if you put a female in a drop box to earlie it can cause a miscarage due to stress. Good luck!

 

[Claritywind]

What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

How much water are you changing (not just topping off, but removing and replacing)?

How often do you do water changes?

The rubbing on items in the tank indicates a parasite or poor water conditions (or both).

Ph level = 7.2-7.4
Nitrate = 0 (old test kit, might be faulty...)
i do not have a Nitrite test kit...

When i change the water i usually take out about half of it and let it set for a few hours before re-filling the tank over a period of a few hours.
I do water changes once a month, however i went 2 months without changing it not long ago.

I don't often use the water conditioner, however.
Today, i treated the water for white spot and added a second, small filter.
Also, when i fed them, i used a different feed. The guppies went nuts, they couldn't seem to get enough of the new food O _O
I guess changing the diet once in a while is a good thing?

Thank-you both for your help.



*edit*

And the guppy could have dropped because with 4 gups in the tank the new fry could eat them up pretty quick. How much cover is in the tank? The more the better for fry if you don't seperate the mother. And if you put a female in a drop box to earlie it can cause a miscarage due to stress. Good luck!

I added another small plant. It is plastic though and dense. not sure if any fry would be able to get in and hide among it before it got eaten by its pursuer XD
I beleive my tampering with the tank today (adding things and whatnot) has caused my favorite female to miscarriage now.... i swear she looks even less 'bulgy' =/ *head-desks*

 

[OrangeCones]

Until the tank has completed the nitrogen cycle, you may need to do daily water changes.

Your nitrate reading of zero indicates the tank has not yet cycled.

Once a month water changes is stretching it on a well-established, low-bioload tank. Twice a month is more feasible after the tank has cycled.

Your fish are likely suffering from ammonia and/or nitrite poisoning. If you cannot test the water, daily 50% water changes are needed to keep the toxins in a 'safer' range and prevent death. Diseases will show when water quality is poor. The water needs to be dechloriniated if your local water uses chlorine to disinfect. Otherwise, you will be killing the beneficial bacteria in your tank, as well as causing harm to the fish.

 

[Lynch_6913]

Also if you treated for fish and added another filte, if they are carbon they will soak up the medicine and it won't be effective or as effective

 

[Claritywind]

O _O
Thank-you so much OC. i will definitely start on daily, or every-2nd-day water changes.
I don't think that my we to chlorinate our water, but it may be wise if i start taking precautions.

My yellow female is definitely about to die; she has gathered 2 long scars down her back which are red and showing signs of decay.
Should i isolate her?

The second filter isn't a carbon one, i don't think. The 1st installed one is a carbon bio filter.
I will have to go and buy more nitrate/ammonia/nitrite testing kits.

Do you think i would have to treat the fresh water before i put it in the tank? or can i put it in the tank and condition it there?

I thank-you both for your help.
I am learning.

 

[lauraf]

You should condition your water prior to putting it into the tank. A product called Prime (made by Seachem) is a great dechlorinator, plus it also binds ammonia which will help protect fish against the stress of doing a fish-in cycle, which is probably what you are going through. I just add the Prime to my bucket of tap water a minute or two before I then pour the water into the tank.
When you get more tests for your water, look at buying a liquid test kit if you didn't have one already (not the strips - they are notoriously unreliable).
Do you have a separate tank to isolate your sick platy in, or just the floater tank that allows water to flow through it? If it's the latter, then any contagious disease the platy might have will be carried throughout the tank anyway, so it won't really make a difference to the health of your other fish.
Oh, and welcome to myfishtank - please keep asking questions - we're delighted to offer our advice on how to keep a healthy tank!!!
Cheers,
Laura

 

[Claritywind]

Thanks for the welcome, Laura ^^ i am finding my 'stay' here very plesant so far. very informative and useful.

I do only have a floater. i also have another floater, but it has the grates that allow water to come into it at the top, not at the bottom.
I know it is kinda cruel to isolate her in such a small container, but i feel i must protect the other fish.

I changed the water today and i treated the water before putting it into the tank.

Also, is it uncommon to see different sized fry?
i have only 2 surviving fry in my tank (i was unaware they were birthed, so couldn't save the rest), and one is noticeably bigger than the other. also darker.
Is that showing signs of gender? i thought that they don't show genders for a few weeks into their life cycle.
or is it just that it is stronger than its counterpart?

By the Liquid test kits, do you mean where you have a test-tube and add a few drops of indicator? is so, i have that. but it still relies on a colour-chart for me to compare it to.

 

[Claritywind]

Yellow female dead.

Obtained fungus treatment for the tank and have started the treatment process.

Lets all pray for the best =/

 

[lauraf]

Thanks for the welcome, Laura ^^ i am finding my 'stay' here very plesant so far. very informative and useful.

I do only have a floater. i also have another floater, but it has the grates that allow water to come into it at the top, not at the bottom.
I know it is kinda cruel to isolate her in such a small container, but i feel i must protect the other fish.

I changed the water today and i treated the water before putting it into the tank.

Also, is it uncommon to see different sized fry?
i have only 2 surviving fry in my tank (i was unaware they were birthed, so couldn't save the rest), and one is noticeably bigger than the other. also darker.
Is that showing signs of gender? i thought that they don't show genders for a few weeks into their life cycle.
or is it just that it is stronger than its counterpart?

By the Liquid test kits, do you mean where you have a test-tube and add a few drops of indicator? is so, i have that. but it still relies on a colour-chart for me to compare it to.

Sorry for the late reply - and sorry to hear your female didn't make it. Different sized fry is normal - sorta like a litter of puppies will have some stronger, some weaker, and often different colorations. Most likely nothing to do with gender tho'.
And yes, the liquid test kit you describe is the best one. Just make sure to follow the directions precisely.

 

[Dylandrewsdad]

Welcome! Good job in asking questions and doing the right thing for you fish. I have a son about your age and he was interested in fry, so in addition to my fish tanks, I set up a live bearer tank with guppies and platys and a nursery tank fort he fry if/when I can catch them.

The trick to saving the fry is lots of cover for them, plastic plants or real, caves or other deco. I use Java Moss for my fry to hide in.

Good Luck and keep us updated!

 

[nanu156]

the little floating isolation tank won't protect the other fish.

You need to test Ammonia every day. Do large water changes daily. You will notice the ammonia falling eventually to lower and lower levels. That means the cycle is working.

Don't buy any replacement fish for about a month as your tank is improperly cycled at the moment and you will continue to have disease issues until it is fixed.

Lots of fish disease can be compared to the common cold or staph, in that they are EVERYWHERE but you tend not to get them unless you are run down (in your fish's case stressed) the poor water quality is making the fish susceptible to illness.

DAILY water changes until you have this under control.

 

[Claritywind]

Thanks all so much for your help.

I HAVE added some more cover.
my two surviving females look healthy and are fatter than i ever remember a female guppy getting to o.0
They both have a dark black splodge near their rear. that means that they are ready to drop, yeah??

I don't think i will isolate them this round, i really don't want to risk them stressing out and having a miscarriage again. =/

I will just keep adding plants and cover and things until i am fully happy with the level of cover available to the fry.
At the moment there are quite a few very open places and bare ground.

again, thanks all for the help ^^
i haven't been doing DAILY water changes though. i am pushing to manage once every 3 days at the moment... i will be sure to keep everyone updated, especially if i have more issues ^^

 

[nanu156]

if your tank is only 13-14 gallons, you can do a daily water change in no time, you don't need the syphon for every change just use a pitcher scoop out a couple gallons then refill it and be on your way, really if you can't spare 20 minutes a day you shouldn't own fish

 

[Claritywind]

I am a year 12 student with other commitments
i really want to keep my guppies, and i really want to care for them.
i just cannot spend OVER 20 mins a DAY doing water changes. I have to condition and treat the water before i put it in the tank. it takes a while.
I also don't just put it all in at once. I have heard that may stun, stress and potentially kill the fish. so it takes much longer than 20 mins....

i am trying to do this project to the best of my capabilities.
....

 

[Dylandrewsdad]

If you don't have 20 min to care for your fish, maybe you don't have the time.......If the water you are adding to the tank is the same as the water in the tank, you will have no issues. I am not sure how a 12 year old in Australia does not have 20 min a day to care for fish, as my 11 year old in the US has plenty of time.....

 

[Lynch_6913]

judging by claritywinds posts, signature and even name i am assuming that they are either a senior, or is in year 12 of college, though that is a long time for college, my 2 year was killing me

 

[lauraf]

K, well, Clarity is a year 12 student, so, like age 17???
Anyway, Clarity, it takes me less than fifteen minutes to do a 50% water change on a 39g, so let's talk about your method here - it reeallly should be a quick job for you. As Marcy (nanu) suggested, you can use a pitcher and scoop out water. You can use a regular siphon and fill up your fish bucket a couple of times. Whichever method is easier for you. Then you put your water conditioner and whatever else you are using into your fish bucket while it is being filled with tap water. No need really to wait, just pour gently into your tank. And as long as the new water is the same temperature as the tank water, and you've added your dechlorinator, it is fine to add all the new water at once. Boom, water change done, and your kettle hasn't even boiled yet.

 

[nanu156]

Yeah, you can just dump it. Just drip the de-chlor into the bucket of water give it a swish and dump it in the tank. Honestly on a tank that size I could be done in about 5 minutes. I spend longer putting on my makeup (and the world tanks me lol)

When i was in high school I had a 10gallon on a shelf above my bed, so i had to stand on the bed and reach up to change water, (total pain) I still could have done it in about 5 min. You don't need to do a perfect job hun by vacuuming the gravel and the whole 9 yards. Just scoop some out and toss some in.

oh and think about it like this;

If your mom/dad/who ever had to feed you as a kid, said "hey ya know i don't want to spend 5-10 minutes every day feeding my kids.... Yeah that's a pain I have stuff to do...." How would that have worked out for you?