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Original poster

Please help me keep my fish alive!

18 replies

SmartArse · 11/03/2008 15:31

I have a new, very small aquarium. I've had the filter running for a couple of weeks, as per instructions, and have now added 4 guppies. For the past 36 hours they have been swimming only in the top of the water, and mainly hang around in one corner. They are small fish and I'm wondering if the vibrations/current from the filter are too strong. Do I actually NEED the filter? Previously I've had goldfish which lived in a bowl of tap water which I changed every week. They survived almost 10 years, so were obviously more hardy than this little lot!

Any fish-keepers out there with advice, pretty please?!

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BigBadMouse · 11/03/2008 15:44

What size aquarium is it and do you know what model filter you have?

How is the aquarium decorated? Any plants, ornaments?

In general, yes, you do need the filter - esp at this early time in your aquariums life.

Original poster
SmartArse · 11/03/2008 15:47

It is very wee - 15 litres, I think. I don't know the model of the filter but it came as a kit with the acquarium.

There are some big stones on the bottom, a live plant, and a plastic one!

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Original poster
SmartArse · 11/03/2008 15:48

Bugger. One of them now seems to be swimming upside down. This is not a good thing, is it ...?

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BoysOnToast · 11/03/2008 15:48

if they are at the top and their mouths are opening and closing, they look like theyre gasping for air, maybe theres not enough oxygen getting into the water. are you sure the filter iss et up correctly?

did you put tapsafe into the water when you first added it?

if you take a little sample bottle of the water to the fish shop they can test it and advise...

BoysOnToast · 11/03/2008 15:49

guppies do seem to be not v hardy im(limited)e

BoysOnToast · 11/03/2008 15:50

oh, what temp is the water? do you have a heater in there? guppies need to be warm, whereas goldfish dont...

BigBadMouse · 11/03/2008 16:06

Hmmm, on the whole, upside down guppies is not an ideal situation...

4 guppies added all at once to such a small system could be your problem.

I would suggest you do a 40% water change ASAP. Gently remove 40% water and replace with water at the correct temperature which has had a chlorine remover added to it at the correct dose. It's not an ideal situation but will help reduce any ammonia build up you may have. How long have the fish been in the tank - I am assuming they have all been added at once.

Agree with BOT - not the best fish to start of a tank with.

ChopsTheDuck · 11/03/2008 16:08

I agree with boysontoast that it really sounds like they are lacking oxygen. Do you have an air pump in there?

BigBadMouse · 11/03/2008 16:16

They are probably lacking oxygen not due to a lack of it in the water but more so because of damage to their gill tissues as a result of new tank syndrome IMO.

Original poster
SmartArse · 11/03/2008 16:32

Yes there's an air pump. I swear they all looked quite lively an hour ago, but now another one seems to be struggling .

I'm not usually a pet murderer, honestly. Our previous goldfish lasted for years, our bunny died at the ripe old age of 8 and our guinea pigs are almost 6.

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Original poster
SmartArse · 11/03/2008 16:34

Thanks all for your help and advice, though.

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BigBadMouse · 11/03/2008 16:35

MIght nopt be anything to do with you at all. They could have been bought with an illness Hopefully you bought them from a decent supplier, I would go back and ask iof they have had any problems with their remaining guppy stock.

Original poster
SmartArse · 11/03/2008 16:44

Ummm, Pets at Home. I did notice that several of the tanks had signs saying that the fish weren't for sale as they were being treated ...

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BigBadMouse · 11/03/2008 16:48

Ahhhh...might not get great service then.

If they offer to replace the fish, best go with zebra danios or another danio - not neons (which lots of people seem to think are a good bet to start the tank off ).

I would get your water tested for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (in that order for pref if you can't do all 3) before adding any more fish though.

Once you get the tank up and running you'll find tropicals are just as easy as goldfish.

beautifulgirls · 11/03/2008 16:52

I would only ever get fish from a specialist fish store that can give you decent advice about the suitability of equipment for a particular situation and of the fish suitable for your needs/equipment/other fish etc. It does sound a lot like an oxygen issue to me too. I would do a large proportion water change and see how they go. Do not add any more fish into this aquarium until these have survived and are seen to be healthy, or have died and the tank has had a full clean out and started over again. Fish can have disease when they come in yes, but also the live weed can bring in problems. Guppies are a great fish to have - I used to have zillions of them. They breed like nobodys business and in the right environments the babies can survive with no specialist intervention. That said though they don't survive well when they get sick sadly and you can go from many to very few in a short period of time.
Fingers crossed for them.

BigBadMouse · 11/03/2008 17:15

Just wanted to reiterate about the oxygen thing. PLease don't think you aren't pumping enough into the water - chances are you are if you have any sort of working filter in such a small tank.

Disease and / or a build up of chemicals due to an immature filter can damage the gill tissues so that they do not effectively absorb oxygen from the environment. This is why unwell fish often gasp at the surface of the water - the gills are quite fragile.

I would agree that it might be best to go to a better supplier who will give you decent advice.

bamzooki · 11/03/2008 18:06

We have found it to be very much a pot luck situation with new guppies in the past - they either survive very well and if you turn your back have quadrupled in number, or go from looking well to practically dead in hours.
And that is them being added to established tanks.
Fwiw - whether these fish survive or not, you may find that it is tricky to maintain the water quality in such a small tank. That is because very small changes in its environment can have a big impact, where in a bigger tank it takes more to knock it off balance, iyswim.
Maybe you could get a book about tropical tanks that will outline the basic principles for you? Or see if the library has one. And even goldfish should really have filters in their tanks. You were obviously lucky with yours before, and maybe your tapwater didn't have a very high chlorination level.
sorry didn't mean to rant.

Original poster
SmartArse · 12/03/2008 09:32

Thank you everyone! I was feeling a bit miserable about it all but you all reassured me no end.

The good news is that the remaining 2 are looking better this morning so I'm crossing fingers, toes, the lot!

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