# Guppies keep dying.



## Oranda (Apr 19, 2011)

I've had a 10g tank set up with a filter and heater ( set to 78 degrees ) for about 3-4 weeks. I added aquarium salt ( 4 tablespoons ) prior to even putting fish in. I added the correct dosage of Prime and I used Stability for the first week the tank was set up. I have no gravel or substrate, just a bare bottom tank. The only plant I have in there is Java Moss for potential fry to hide in. Three Guppies ( 1 male and 2 females ) were added after 1 week of the tanks set up. Floated for 20 minutes before entry into the tank.

I've gone through probably 10 guppies and the longest living one just died over night. I checked on them before going to bed and 7 hours later my wife woke me up to tell me the last male had died. I have had numerous samples tested and I was told that the levels are perfect by 3 different Pet store locations. I can't figure out why my Guppies are dying and it's getting to the point where I am just about to switch to Mollies. Any help would be appreciated.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Did they die quickly? Guppies usually like salt, but it can be bad to move them into it quickly. Did they show symptoms? A disease that a specific fish is susceptible to can stay in a tank and kill new additions. Did you get them from the same place? They could be a weak or disease carrying strain.

Go to mollies. If you keep killing the same fish, there is a reason even if you can't figure it out. take a break for year or two and try again.


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## Oranda (Apr 19, 2011)

No symptoms other than a few of them wouldn't be able to swim. Their side fins would be moving back and forth but they wouldn't swim in any direction other than what the current would take them. They would twist and turn even go upside down. This only happened with 1 or 2, and one of them I was sure was just added to the tank too soon by my wife and I figured that one just was shocked from new tank syndrome.

I got them all from the same place. 

I added the salt a week maybe before adding the fish.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

What matters is if the salt level in the store = salt level in the tank. salt doesn't go away unless you change water, it stays there. If the salt level is different, you need to acclimate slowly or they can die of, (I think its called), "osmotic shock". Look up drip acclimation.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i keep several strains of guppies...not a grain of salt ever added...and no sudden(overnight) deaths...i believe that the salt is the problem..start doing large water changes until youy get all of the salt out....then try again...set the temp at 76...


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I'm going to agree with loha I have had guppies for about 5 months with no salt and no deaths. Try taking out the salt. 

Also when setting up a new tank, instead of using a chemical cycling I like to use minnows. For my ten gal i put in 10 minnows 15 cents each to cycle the tank. If they dye it's not horrible. I keep a few in my community tank for when I want to start up another tank. It's a good idea to try taking out the salt let some minnows live in there for a couple weeks then remove and add guppies. 
My 2 females and one male are alive and happy but won't breed. I'm ok with that for now though.


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## Oranda (Apr 19, 2011)

Thanks for this. I did a 40% water change, I will wait a day and do another 40% change. If the remaining two die, as sad as it will be, it'll make it easier for myself. I'll just start from scratch, but I would rather they live through the water changes. Of course I am adding stability and prime in the amounts required for the water changes.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Guppies don't so well in softwater. Hard water is fine, a little (1 tsp / 5 gallons) aquarium salt is fine. Brackish or even full salt is okay with slow acclimation over a period of weeks. Fast change in either direction can kill.


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## Oranda (Apr 19, 2011)

Yea the LFS guy told me to put twice that amount of aquarium salt into my 10 gallon tank...


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I have learned to use google on anything with my fish. 1 anyone can say anything that can be false. 2 I want to be sure on everything so I check up to 5 different sites. If I were you I would do the 2 large water changes and forget the salt. I added salt to my 55g and had 8 fish die. I completely changed the water now and the fish are fine. You can breed your guppies without the salt.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

ease upon the prime...it actually consumes oxygen...in my opinion all you need is plain dechlor by weco...inexpensive and only 1 drop per gallon..i have been using it since 1973.
i have tried others but have had the best results with the dechlor.if you are replacing 10 gallons of water , only treat for 10 gallons...and on water changes of 30% or less i don't even use the dechlor...

always keep in mind.......

The more you mess around with your tank ; the more problems you create for yourself..


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

> We add orthophosphate to the water to reduce the amount of lead getting into tap water from lead pipes.


http://www.winnipeg.ca/waterandwaste/water/quality.stm

If leaving out the salt doesn't cut it,you may want to look for a new water supply. 

I can't believe people have fits over BPA, but they let the water company deliberately poison the tap water to protect against another poison (lead).

This is the likely compound http://www.actionpa.org/fluoride/philly/zincorthophosphate.html It is being marketed to water suppliers to reduce lead in the water.

Kudos to Winnipeg for disclosure, though. Many places add it without notice.


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## Oranda (Apr 19, 2011)

I haven't taken out any more water since the 40% water change and the 2 surviving females seem to be doing fine. Tuesday I will go get a male and see how things go.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I would get rid of the rest of the salt before adding more fish.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

just acclimate slowly. Put the new fish in bucket or something and gradually add tank water to it.


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## Oranda (Apr 19, 2011)

The 2 females stay huddled next to one another at the bottom of the tank underneath the filter. The food I put in settles at the bottom of the tank, they don't go after it like they have in the past. They don't stay near the top of the tank. I wasn't sure if they were alive so I very softly touched one with a chopstick and it zipped along the bottom of the aquarium like it was blind. ...

All I did was a 40% water change 2 days ago, since then I haven't done any changes or additions to the tank.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

it will take them a few days to acclimate again...you may even lose them..too many changes in a short period of time....


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## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

It's been a few years since I kept any guppies but I remember a couple of things. As soon as I ditched the aquarium salt things went better, and also the females (at least in my experience) seemed a bit heartier than the males. If you try again, and it isn't a disease problem, try getting a few females adjusted then add a couple of males a few weeks later. It worked for me in the past. I can't guarantee my success was anything but luck but I ended up with gazillions of guppies in the tank that I had to keep giving away.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I have been trying to get mine to breed and so far I've had 0 luck. I've pretty much over fed all of them until all 3 male and females looked fat. I read online by feeding them like that would get them to breed. I've pretty much gave up on that and put all 3 in my community tank and that tank has no salt in it. They look vary happy in there.


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## PuterChickFL (Feb 23, 2010)

when I had a guppy tank a year or so ago, the salt addition was not good. eliminating the salt and no more problems.

as far as mating, I never put any effort. just a male and a few females, the temp around 82 and they just started popping out.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Ugh I hate hearing luck story's like that when I've had 0 luck trying to get them to breed. I have 2 fancy females and 1 fancy male guppie :/


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i have about 8 or 10 kinds of guppies right now..i just got some from a friend that is moving...only thing is i can't remember if the reds or the yellows dropped the 100 fry in my white cloud tank....and i am going to have to start selling some of my black bar endlers pretty soon..i have no idea how i got started back into these guys...
none of my tanks have salt in them...


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

You got 100 from one fish?? I wish I could just raise one set of fry! I'm not sure whats going wrong with mine. Maybe my male just doesn't like the females. He was swimming by them a bit but its not often. The females are always together though.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

don't worry cory...i am gonna hook you up...


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## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

Overfeeding doesn't help breeding. It just makes for fat unhealthy, and possibly stopped-up fish. Overweight people aren't any more fertile than healthy normally fed ones. Same principle.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

it all starts tomorrow cory.....lol


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Tomorrow? In getting lost in the thread lol.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

hmmmmm....where the heck is oak creek anyways ???


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Your coming down? Oak creak hmm Milwaukee area?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

are you pretty7 close to there ?
coming down ?? heck no...i can't afford the gas to even get out of cleveland...
i was just wonderin..
you might want to check maps of your country areas..find small rivers or streams....you should find all kinds of darter , daces , minnows and other amazing stuff in them...rainbow darters can hang in there with even the most colorful tropical fish...but you would have to put in a powerhead to give them some current...


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Ohhhh I'm going to be coming to Ohio this summer, we have a shop keeper that I do builds for that live out there and to beat the shipping I drive there to drop it off. This time I'll be bringing 10 coffee pot primitive style covers, 1 primitive style grand father clock and a few other small things. Thank god that lady pays for the gas food and hotel when I go there. And I make a few bucks on my builds, I also drive to Indiana to drop off builds for another shop keeper every now and again.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Oops forgot to add I'm about a hour maybe from there


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