Java moss kills guppies?

[Astarell]

Hi there, just bought some guppies the day before yesterday. Two of them were noticeably pregnant. One had 2 fry then died yesterday. I was sad, so I bought some java moss for the fry to hide in. Well, when I woke up this morning preggo #2 was all tangled in the moss and dead. Is this normal?

And because I know it will be asked:
10g bare-bottom aquarium
3 small (I think for bettas) plastic plants
1 wad of java moss
1 small handful of duckweed
Xinyou super biological sponge filter XY-380

Sorry about the poor picture quality. Anyway, that whitish blob in the bottom part of the moss is preggo #2. Should I remove the moss? I always thought it was supposed to be good for guppies...

EDIT- forgot to say that there are 7 others still alive in the tank. I know guppy females can store sperm packets, are the remaining ones going to get pregnant and die too? It seems only the pregnant ones die. I'm so confused.

 

[SubRosa]

Java Moss doesn't kill Guppies. Actually looking at the events that occurred one could just as logically say that a LACK of Java Moss was fatal! You should probably look into your water quality, or the source of the fish. Giving birth is rather stressful and it isn't unheard of for a female to die from it, but it certainly isn't the norm.

 

[James0816]

I won't say that it's not unheard of. I lost two Oto's that managed to get entangled in it somehow. Just call it a freak accident.

 

[Khemul]

It's similar to the the idea people get that fish get killed by getting stuck on filter intakes. Fish dies and the body drifts/tumbles around until it gets stuck or tangled in something. Doesn't mean its final location was the cause of death.

You may want to check your ammonia/nitrite levels. It probably isn't the moss killing the fish.

 

[nonamesleft47]

Would these be "feeder" guppies? If so they were probably already sick/dying when you got them. I have bought some batches for mosquito control in my tubs and suffered 90-100 percent death from no other reason than them being mistreated before I got them. I've had best luck getting feeder guppies to live by cranking up the heat to 82-83 and adding salt to the tank for several days. The survivors after 2-3 days will usually be fairly hardy.

Another possibility is, was the tank/filter cycled? What's your reason for having the tank bare bottom? Having such a sparse tank could stress already stressed/sick fish. The preg. females are the easiest to kill from stress/overcrowding/disease. I've had them give early birth and die in the bag before at auctions so I know stress will at times kill them.

Leave the java moss in there and get more if possible. Guppies like alot of plant cover so the more you can give them the more comfortable they will be.

 

[Astarell]

Yes, they are cheap petsmart guppies, I just wanted something pretty. Reason for bare bottom is that this is my quarantine tank. The guppies will be joining my goldfish in his 55 gallon once I'm sure they're not sick, which I'm beginning to think will be never. Water quality is just fine, 0ammonia/nitrite/nitrate and 7.6ph. It has the same water from my goldfish tank.

I was eventually going to get a male or two, after the females had been established in the big tank. (And after a quarantine period of their own) That way the goldfish could eat the fry, and the mollys that I eventually want could also eat the fry.

What other plants would you suggest? I have duckweed and java moss for live plants, and there are also 3 plastic plants. The only other plants I can think of need to be planted, and there's no substrate to plant them in.

 

[Astarell]

...I just discovered ANOTHER one tangled in the java moss. Not just resting against it like it had drifted there, but right in the middle of the ball. I was counting and noticed one missing. Now I'm down to 6. Well, 6 plus the 2 fry, who seem to be doing just fine.

 

[nonamesleft47]

It's not the moss, it's the guppies. Any healthy fish will be able to get in the moss and get itself out again.

Guppies and goldfish don't go together, neither do mollies. Guppies and mollies need warmer temps than goldfish and mollies need brackish water to really thrive. If your pet store sells ruby red feeders they would be a better alternative and are cold water fish so they will do well with your goldfish.

 

[jm1212]

guppies nowadays are not that hardy. with a group as large as you got, you should expect some die-off. i wouldnt peg the moss as much as the guppies just dieing and drifting into the moss.

 

[Astarell]

Well I broke up the moss into little chunks, so even if they swim through it they won't get stuck. I also divided the tank, with four on one side with some moss and duckweed, and the other two that now are showing signs of being pregnant (separating themselves from the group and slowing down, according to my lfs) and my 2 fry on the other with a small amount of moss.

I know that guppies and mollies don't traditionally go with goldfish, but it seems like if I keep the tank at 70-72 degrees, everyone will be okay. That's near the high end of the goldie range and the low end of molly/guppy. I didn't know about brackish water though. Argh. I think I'll just leave the guppies in their own tank and skip the mollies.

Here's hoping that the rest of them survive the birth and stop impregnating themselves soon. >.> At least petsmart has a 30 day return policy, I can get my $ back for the dead ones and use it to buy some nice gravel to put plants in for the guppies. Yay silver lining.