guppies

Debbie:

IMHO the problem is not with the guppies which you are purchasing.

I can say this because I have been "right smooth" where you are (and spent several $K for experience).

This is history and told in 1st person:

I have this 110G tank (which is a community tank) with pristine water parameters but the water temperature is 78F and Gh is typically less than 5 and although I was being able to raise Gold Nugget Plecos and Black Angels, as well as several other species of fish, from juvies to adulthood many batches of show guppies died within weeks or months.

To add insult to injury the gal who used to cut my hair had a high hex tank.
She did not know what cleaning filtration media was or what a WC was and she was constantly giving away very nice show guppies to her clients to prevent overcrowding of her tank.

This is what I did before I purchased my last batch of show guppies and it appears to be working.
I purchased two very inexpensive 5G Eclipse hex tanks.
The filtration for these tanks is very rudimentary but I cycled them anyway.
I was not counting on this filtration but on 90% daily WC's (for a week only 25%) from my main tank to keep good water in the tanks and acclimatize the guppies to the water in my main tank.

I also purchased several varieties of floating plants and placed them in the 5G tanks as well as my main tank.

I received the show guppies as fry although I was expecting juvies.

Absolute joy! Several months later not only were the guppies reproducing in the 5G tanks but also in my main tank into which I had moved many of them.

I do not know that this post will help you but I was relating experience which might be of some use.

TR

not sure what this all means?

This is what I did before I purchased my last batch of show guppies and it appears to be working.
I purchased two very inexpensive 5G Eclipse hex tanks.
The filtration for these tanks is very rudimentary but I cycled them anyway.
I was not counting on this filtration but on 90% daily WC's (for a week only 25%) from my main tank to keep good water in the tanks and acclimatize the guppies to the water in my main tank.

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but are you saying it was better to put them in smaller tanks? also whats the temp set at in your tanks? I got mine a few days ago and one died and the second one looks like its going to go to. my temps are 76 degree's . my male looks well, he is active and eating, the female not eating now

I also know that fry do so much better being shipped! thants what I am looking for now.

glf: I am no guru here and was just trying to relay one of my many "adventures in fish keeping" (btw most have been negative and not positive).

grannylvsfish said:

but are you saying it was better to put them in smaller tanks?

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No! My comment was based on ordering 20 show guppies.
I ordered two flavors of show guppies and I believed that keeping them separated was appropriate.
I also believed that I could deal with them, ie. feeding, observation, WC's, better in a 5G tanks than 20G tanks (as if I had room for two 20G anyway).

grannylvsfish said:

also whats the temp set at in your tanks?

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The main tank and the two 5G tanks are set at 78F and monitored with a thermometer.

grannylvsfish said:

I got mine a few days ago and one died and the second one looks like its going to go to. my temps are 76 degree's . my male looks well, he is active and eating, the female not eating now

Click to expand...

glf:

I believe that the critical items were:

• [1] the slow acclimatization of the guppies to my tank water;

• [2] the induction of the floating plants as when one of them felt threatened they could attain cover in these plants;

• [3] the populations consisting of one male guppy per two female guppies;

• [4] feeding three times per day when possible and

• [5] maintaining pristine water.

TR

Awsome info jones I have 2 tanks set up for my guppies when i get them, when the population grows I will put them in my 29 gallon tank thank you for all the great info .