Wait, I just noticed that you'd be heading to wal-mart to get the test- do you also get the fish from there? They are notoriously bad fish keepers, not all stores, but many are- that may be a concern as well- after you get it figured out- you may want to try another source for your guppies.
Why do all my guppies die?
- Thread starter Industrial
- Start date
this is a red flag:
"I moved the female and the male into a 5 gallon hex and the male developed finrot I believe as his tail was bloody and his body had some open sores on it too. The male died within two days. The female died of unknown reasons a few days later."
finrot doesn't usually cause bleeding or sores. This actually sounds a lot like Hemmoragic Septicemia. This is an incredibly deadly, contagious bacterial infection. Fins don't bleed. IF there is blood in a fin, it's because it's coming from the body, usually internal hemmoraging associated with septicemia. Sometimes, if the infection goes directly to key organs like the heart, the fish can die before it has a chance to display physical signs of the hemmoraging.
Sounds like you've had several different reasons for all of these deaths. just plain bad luck! I've never been able to keep guppies alive so I gave up years ago.
"I moved the female and the male into a 5 gallon hex and the male developed finrot I believe as his tail was bloody and his body had some open sores on it too. The male died within two days. The female died of unknown reasons a few days later."
finrot doesn't usually cause bleeding or sores. This actually sounds a lot like Hemmoragic Septicemia. This is an incredibly deadly, contagious bacterial infection. Fins don't bleed. IF there is blood in a fin, it's because it's coming from the body, usually internal hemmoraging associated with septicemia. Sometimes, if the infection goes directly to key organs like the heart, the fish can die before it has a chance to display physical signs of the hemmoraging.
Sounds like you've had several different reasons for all of these deaths. just plain bad luck! I've never been able to keep guppies alive so I gave up years ago.
Guppies are a hardy fish and not as fragile as some would have you believe. The problem comes from many sources as in: too much in-breeding, improper care from source-to-store, poor water maintenance, contaminated by other sick fish prior to sale, etc.
Some things you need to have is a properly cycled tank at correct temperature and properly acclimated to new environment.
The number of guppies you can put in a tank are phenomenal providing you maintain acceptable water parameters. I usually keep 20 in a 10 gallon tank and I have a breeding tank of 29 gallons, that at any given time may have as many as 100 adult guppies in it.
If you have too many guppies in a tank they simply will not breed or if pregnant will not drop fry. They actually self-regulate their own population. If you choose to breed them you need to introduce some guppies from a different source. This will help to strengthen a possible highly in-bred bloodline.
Some things you need to have is a properly cycled tank at correct temperature and properly acclimated to new environment.
The number of guppies you can put in a tank are phenomenal providing you maintain acceptable water parameters. I usually keep 20 in a 10 gallon tank and I have a breeding tank of 29 gallons, that at any given time may have as many as 100 adult guppies in it.
If you have too many guppies in a tank they simply will not breed or if pregnant will not drop fry. They actually self-regulate their own population. If you choose to breed them you need to introduce some guppies from a different source. This will help to strengthen a possible highly in-bred bloodline.
Thanks for all the tips!
When I did the tests, the ammonia, nitrates and nitrites were at zero. Hardness was hard and PH was neutral. The test strips cost 11 bucks (so 22 for the 5 in 1 and the ammonia strips that can do 25 tests). If the liquid kit really does a hundred tests hands-down I am getting that.
The guppys were not from wal-mart. The only fish I ever got from Wal-Mart was a dragon goby that was being kept in a goldfish and koi tank. I would give them more chances, but normally the fish appear to be on the verge of death there.
I have had two guppies give birth and both of them were a lot thinner than the two that died before birth. My moscow blue female was still fat, but not like a minature manatee. She was also "box-shaped" like a guppy should be before birth. She only had 8 fry which might explain the thinness. My moscow black was bigger overall, but still thin for being pregnant and never got the box shape. She had the babies without really any signs of her being that late into her pregnancy. The second time, she got much fatter than the first time. Same with my half-black that died. That could just be a cooincidence though.
Judging by all the responses, and the hardiness of the fry compared to the adults, I am going to draw the conclusion that it was just stress and a bacterial infection that killed the guppies. Hopefully soon, I will have enough that I can breed my own guppies without having to transfer any from stores to my house (which will calm them down) and the guppies will be distant enough cousins that they will not die on me.
When I did the tests, the ammonia, nitrates and nitrites were at zero. Hardness was hard and PH was neutral. The test strips cost 11 bucks (so 22 for the 5 in 1 and the ammonia strips that can do 25 tests). If the liquid kit really does a hundred tests hands-down I am getting that.
The guppys were not from wal-mart. The only fish I ever got from Wal-Mart was a dragon goby that was being kept in a goldfish and koi tank. I would give them more chances, but normally the fish appear to be on the verge of death there.
I have had two guppies give birth and both of them were a lot thinner than the two that died before birth. My moscow blue female was still fat, but not like a minature manatee. She was also "box-shaped" like a guppy should be before birth. She only had 8 fry which might explain the thinness. My moscow black was bigger overall, but still thin for being pregnant and never got the box shape. She had the babies without really any signs of her being that late into her pregnancy. The second time, she got much fatter than the first time. Same with my half-black that died. That could just be a cooincidence though.
Judging by all the responses, and the hardiness of the fry compared to the adults, I am going to draw the conclusion that it was just stress and a bacterial infection that killed the guppies. Hopefully soon, I will have enough that I can breed my own guppies without having to transfer any from stores to my house (which will calm them down) and the guppies will be distant enough cousins that they will not die on me.
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i'd have to agree with industrial...i used to have a guppy tank that i originally stock with 6 guppies (4 fems, 2 males)...one male died within 2 weeks, with two females following soon after...the other male went about a month later, but not before impregnating (possibly) both females. i kept the two females in a 10g by themselves until i saw my first fry drop not long after (about 10). i then moved the fry and the two females to a 20g well cycled tank where they kept on dropping fry. there were probably around 40-50 fish in that tank until i decided to change direction and traded them all at my LFS (almost all...5 fry remained in the java moss i moved back to the 10g with my otos and are now full grown).
i am religious with my tanks and clean them quite often so i don't see an issue with the number of guppies in the tank. def sounds like a bit of bad luck, but i don't know if we have enough info on the tank.
i am religious with my tanks and clean them quite often so i don't see an issue with the number of guppies in the tank. def sounds like a bit of bad luck, but i don't know if we have enough info on the tank.
If your nitrates are at 0, your tank is either heavily planted or not cycled. A 0 nitrate reading is certainly not harmful, nor is a .25 ammonia reading as you need a negligible amount to maintain a cycled tank. Any nitrite reading below 40 is acceptable and less than 20 is preferred.
A first spawn should never be taken as indicative of future ones. First spawn of a too young female will be smaller and will increse with more maturation before fading out with age. Body shape as in "box shape" really has no bearing but you well know the difference between thin and fat, lol.
A first spawn should never be taken as indicative of future ones. First spawn of a too young female will be smaller and will increse with more maturation before fading out with age. Body shape as in "box shape" really has no bearing but you well know the difference between thin and fat, lol.
