High Fatality Rate

Jan 17, 2013
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#1
Hi everyone!
I recently started attempting to keep guppies and I'm off to a disappointing start. Hoping for some insight. Out of about a dozen guppies from 3 different sources, I have 2 survivors. A baby female that just got her color the other day, and a juvenile male.

It's a 10g, with 3 cories and 2 olive nerite snails, a small piece of mopani driftwood and a big, beautiful java fern. After pulling 2 more fatalities out of the tank I tested the water before and after doing a change, it's good as far as I know:

pH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Temp: 78 degrees

The fish do not appear sick before they die. It's very sudden. Is this disease? Are guppies prone to doing this? I appreciate your help...
 

Thyra

Superstar Fish
Jun 2, 2010
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Yelm, WA
#2
How long has your tank been set up? Without any nitrAte it does not appear to have cycled which means there would be no beneficial bacteria in your tank. Are you aware of the cycling process?
 

Jan 17, 2013
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#3
@Thyra
Thanks, I forgot to get into that. The tank has been set up for about 10 weeks. I did use a bacterial supplement when I started cycling the tank... I wonder if it didn't take. :-/

But on second thought? I was taught years ago that all zero's was my goal. I mean.. nitrates are poisonous.
 

Last edited:
Feb 27, 2009
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#5
I was taught years ago that all zero's was my goal. I mean.. nitrates are poisonous.
Nitrates are poisonous in higher levels, but some measurable amount would be your proof that the ammonia and nitrite are being converted by the beneficial bacteria. If I ever see 20ppm in nitrate, I do a water change to dilute it. Most fish can tolorate 20ppm easily, and some can tolorate much higher levels. I've seen healthy/breeding guppies kept in nitrates in the 40-80ppm range.

You said the tank has been set up for 10 weeks, so I would find it hard to believe that you are still showing 0 for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Ammonia is being added to the tank (fish respiration/waste), so where is it going? How are you testing (liquid test kit, test strip)?

The fern would be taking in some nitrogen source, but it would be odd that it's able to consume it all. Does the fern show any pin-holes in old or new leaves?
 

Jan 17, 2013
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#6
I tested using the usual API liquid kit. I decided to go back to my LFS to get another bottle of healthy microbes (can't hurt, right?), had them test it too. Same results.

The fern looks great with the exception of a little brown-hair algae that's taken up residence on some of the taller leaves. No holes.

I noticed that their guppy tank has new information on it, though, warning that they are in brackish water. The girl I usually talk to wasn't there, but I suspect my problem may have been that the fish were in brackish water unbeknownst to me and I didn't take the steps necessary to acclimate them back to a low-salt environment. :(
 

FishDad

Superstar Fish
Mar 4, 2012
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Cleveland
#7
That could be... but your test results definitly need to be addressed. Something is wrong. You should be seeing nitrates if you tank is cycled, otherwise you might be on the verge of a huge spike in ammonia. I would retest.
 

Jan 17, 2013
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#8
Agreed. I got a bottle of "Stability" by Seachem from the LFS to try and establish some happy microorganisms in there. In the meantime, the 2 young 'uns and the cories are doing well. So... knock on wood...