Guppies Scared of Me?

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Shaggy52282

AC Members
Sep 9, 2008
53
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41
Denver, CO
So I seem to have a bit of an odd problem with one of my tanks. I have a moderately planted 25g tank with RCS and Guppies. I started with 5 guppies (bought 6, but 1 was dead by the time I got home). I am up to 50ish by now (2 months later...plan to sell/trade as they get to "adult size"), but that is not my problem.

My problem is...for the past 2 weeks or so the adult guppies seem very scared of me. Any time I am in front of the tank and the adult guppies see me they freak and run and hide as fast as possible. The baby guppies are indifferent towards me, and the RCS are also indifferent...it is only the adult guppies. I tested my water and my pH is 7, and everything else is 0. Any ideas?
 
kamikaze_fish

kamikaze_fish

AC Members
Aug 18, 2008
93
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Kansas
Do you live alone or with people? Maybe someone else scared them somehow by reaching in or messing with them in some way. Maybe they're just stressed from over population (although I doubt that's it). Maybe a neighbor has been making loud noises near their wall if you're in an apartment. Maybe in your apartment or rental (if you rent), someone like maintenance came in while you were gone, even though they weren't supposed to do that and had no reason, and screwed with them (I've had this happen). Have you moved them to maybe a quarantine tank or bowl lately? My dwarf gourami was scared of me for 2 months after I did that to him.

Hope some of this gives you some ideas.
 
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Shaggy52282

AC Members
Sep 9, 2008
53
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41
Denver, CO
I live alone in a house. Odds are I spooked them during a water change or something...but it hasnt happened to me before with my other tank, so I was just curious if maybe there was a health issue that causes fish to act like that. Thanks.
 
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summer_of_41

AC Members
May 18, 2008
290
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Chicago suburb
I had that problem when I had a PH crash. All the sudden my guppies got skittish. They'd all hide in the corner and remain listless. But after I introduced some more guppies into the tank (& did water changes), the original inhabitants eventually came around. Now they are fine. It's hard saying what exactly happened. It's impossible to know whether or not they suffered neurological damage, but I'm sure the problem has been solved since they act content now (even when I have my hands in there) and have not reverted back to that behavior.

The only thing I can say is hang in there and see if things change.
 
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Shaggy52282

AC Members
Sep 9, 2008
53
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41
Denver, CO
I was thinking about it...and I might know where the "fear" came from. These guppies seem to be really heavy "sleepers". There was one time that I turned the lights on...and when I was checking on them, a couple of them were laying on the bottom...and I couldn't see any gill movement so I tapped the glass to see if they were dead. I couldn't say for sure if they started acting skiddish after that...but it is possible I suppose.

Thanks for all the input everyone.
 
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summer_of_41

AC Members
May 18, 2008
290
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Chicago suburb
This morning I noticed that all of my guppies & mollies were terrified of me everytime I come near the tank. They all race into the forest. I conducted a 30% water change a couple hours ago and since then they restorted back to normal behavior. ALL of them.

I have no idea what causes this behavior. So for anyone experiencing this, try an additional water change! It worked for me.
 
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