I really don't know what's killing off my guppies/endlers

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captmicha

Le tired.
Dec 6, 2006
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I have a ten gallon tank of female guppies and female endlers. It has too many fish in it but it's not really badly over stocked. I do water changes once a week usually but sometimes I don't do them that often because I'm tired. I have live plants in this tank and the filter is rated for 10 gallon, not over rated like I should have with so much livestock. I also have an air pump going for it.

I came back from a week long vacation. I cleaned the tank before I left and again when I came back. There's since been a few water changes, about one every two weeks. There's been a lot of green algae in and on this tank b/c of nutrients and because it's sitting between two windows.

So I left the aquarium covered for three days with towels. It didn't get too hot.

All of a sudden, fishing are dying at the rate of one a day. One showed dropsy but the others aren't showing any signs at all. They just turn up dead. I don't have any really new additions to this tank. I've had the female endlers for 2-3 months now. I q'd them before adding them.

I have no idea what's wrong. I think that a less than well maintained tank would suddenly be causing deaths at this rate, particularly for such hardy fish.

I don't even know what to do now. All I have not expired on hand is epsom salt but I'm thinking that it may just stress the fish and make whatever it is worse. Should I just wait until my meds get here? Hopefully on Monday?

The tank is unheated, at room temperature. My water parameters are in my sig. I can't test the water because my foot is broken and it's really hard to get around. The best I can do is clean the tank and I've been doing that...
 

tanker

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Sep 1, 2003
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When you covered the tank and all the algae died, did you recheck for ammonia?? Nitrite??
 

lozt

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Jun 30, 2012
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Did you cover the top of the aquarium also? Maybe not enough air flow for oxygen?
 

XanAvaloni

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Nov 13, 2009
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Any sign of redness around the gills? I suspect Tanker is on the right track: if the green gunk died off it would not only stop taking up ammonia but release what it had already taken up back into the water. Could be just enough, with the high stocking, to push levels above what the more sensitive of the inhabitants could take.

deepest sympathies about the foot, but I fear you must hobble over long enough to get a sample and test just for ammonia if nothing else. That will give you better information for going forward than tossing in meds when you are not sure what the problem is. Can you hobble well enough to carry even small amounts of water? anything you can do in the way of WC is only going to improve the situation. Sorry for your difficulties, best wishes for the future. :)
 

captmicha

Le tired.
Dec 6, 2006
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Maryland, USA
I didn't cover up the top of the tank. I may be working without a full deck of cards but I'm not that bad. Lol. The algae didn't even die off, as far as I can tell. But I did a water change right afterwards. There's been no sign of redness around the gills or clamped fins.

I'll find a way to do the tank maintenance, I guess. I need to get a wheelchair but insurance has been impossible. Ever tried to carry things with crutches? Almost impossible. You're right I shouldn't treat without testing the water... Maybe my weakening filter (forgot to mention it) also led to this. Well... I feel dumb. Poor fish.
 

XanAvaloni

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Nov 13, 2009
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Check Craigslist or freecycle or whatever such things you have in your neck of the woods. I would think there would be a flourishing market in used homeheath medical equipment like wheelchairs; users either die or get better and the item is no longer needed. And as I have had reason to find out lately the cost of buying new is entirely insane.

Or keep an eye out for a used python type gizmo, have to get back and forth from the tank to sink/bathtub or whatever appliance has the appropriate faucet type but would eliminate the bucket haulage. best wishes.. :)
 
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