Missing Guppy?

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
🐶 POTM Poll is Open! 🦎 Click here to Vote! 🐰

Jenn09

New Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2009
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Hello All,

I am new to the forum and needed someone with fish experience to ask a few questions. I have very little experience with fish myself and want to keep my fish happy and healthy

This may not seem like an emergency to some of you but I am quite concerned!

I am a new fish owner. I purchased a beautiful blue Betta from petsmart just 5 days ago. I wanted to put more than one fish in our tank and the lady assisting me told me that guppies made good tank companions for Betta's because they are tropical and are smaller and less flashy than the Betta. So my husband and I also got 3 male yellow guppies and 3 male orange guppies. They are considerably smaller than our Betta and have done wonderful the past few days.

Today when I got home from class around noon, I checked on the fish and noticed the Betta was somewhat chasing one of the yellow male guppies around the tank. He finally stopped and I left them alone and started studying. This afternoon when I went back to feed the fish around 8pm one of the yellow guppies was missing. My husband and I took out the filter and checked there, we looked in the small log we have that the fish can swim in as well as the plants. We can't find him anywhere! There is a lid on the tank and the only opening is on top of the filter. I would think this opening would be too small for the fish to jump out of. We still checked everywhere around the tank to see if perhaps it did jump and no sign of a fish anywhere.

Could my Betta have eaten the little guppy? It doesn't seem like the Betta has a big enough stomach to hold the little thing. Also could he have done it in just a short 8 hour span. There are no fins or particles of the fish anywhere.

I feed the fish twice a day as recommended on the back of the food container. I've noticed about every afternoon prior to feeding them, the Betta spreads his fins and puffs up around his neck for a few minutes but after the food is in the tank he calms down. So now I'm concerned that I should separate them.

Sorry if this is a silly question or if I'm repeating a topic. As I said these are my first fish and I'm clueless. I would really appreciate any thoughts or comments as to what happened or what I should do!

Thanks!!!
 
TFFwelcomesign.jpg


Yes it is possible for a fish to be eaten withing a couple of hours.

If a fish died in your tank, and was left in your tank, it will most likely be eaten by other fish in your tank.

Did you cycle your tank before putting fish in?


-FHM
 
Thank you!!

We set the tank up the day before we got the fish and got the filter and everything running. We also put the conditioning drops in to clean and prepare the water. Is that what cycle means? Remember I'm a newbie. :)
 
Okay, I am sorry to say that your LFS (Local Fish Shop) got he best of you.

Please read the following links I am going to provide for you, and come back with your questions, as I know you will have many!

First read this:
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=175355

Second read this: http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=271928&hl=

Most importantly, this one:
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=224306

This is probably the most valuable advice a beginner fish keeper can know.

I know it is a little bit of a lengthy read, but please take this seriously! As this will ensure a proper healthy fish tank!

EDIT: You may think that testing your tanks water for Ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte and pH is hard, but really it is actually extremely easy! The test kits are very straight forward on how to do this. The API Freshwater Master Test Kit is a very good test kit that a lot of us use and trust, and is fairly inexpensive and very accurate.

Regards
-FHM
 
Sorry to throw all this information at you at once, as what you read, if you did read those links I have provided, may seem like a very hard and tedious process.

Let me assure you that this cycling process is not hard, especially if followed and done properly.

Please ask as many questions as you need, as I and other members are more than willing to help you out and get through these first couple weeks of cycling.

Looking forward to hearing back from you!

Regards
-FHM
 
Thank you so much!! The links you posted have been very helpful!!! I'm sorry its taken me a day to get back to you.

&& I do have some question! =]

First, How often do I need to change the filter? In the first link it mentioned getting "mature filter media" but I'm not sure what that is?

Also when I do partial water changes I am adding distilled water. Do I need to add a conditioner to the tank afterwords or a de-chlorinator just in case?

I am so glad you've pointed me in the right direction. Do you think my Betta may still be a little too aggressive to be with the guppies? Or maybe the guppy died due to the bad water conditions and subsequently got eaten?

Thank you for being patient with me! =]
 
I would say the guppy died due to poor water conditions.

You do not need to change the filter media unless it is physically falling apart.

You need to clean it however once a month in a bucket of tank water.

I would not use distilled water, as it lacks in beneficial minerals for the fish, and is a waste of money over time.

Instead, purchase a good bottle of water conditioner, API Stress Coat + is a good one, and use tap water for water changes.

Since when we cycle a tank we are actually growing beneficial bacteria that can process the ammonia our fishes produce, these beneficial bacteria live in our filter.

When cycling, it takes 4-6 weeks to establish these bacteria. If you want to speed that time up, you can get some mature filter media form an established filter, where these bacteria are already present.

-FHM
 
if its a male you might want to get red of him or the guppies i put 1 in a tank with guppies and in the first night it killed to guppys but some will kill them and others can be fine and not agressive at all so you should just watch him and see if he is being agressive
 
Okay! Thanks!

I just thought of another question.

I tested the water conditions for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, ph, and overall alkalinity. Do I need to test before and after water changes or just once daily?

& If the ammonia is high should I do partial water changes twice daily?
 
the reason the male betta will be chasing the guppys is because of the colours on the tail he thinks it is another betta and will chase them. it is not recommended to keep bettas and guppys together as they will end up killing eachother. Belive me that guppys are just as bad as betta's. Guppys can be very nippy.
 
Thank you kizno1 and oscars r ace

My husband and I are thinking about getting a new tank set up soon and moving the guppies to a home of there own! After we cycle it that is, now that we know how important that is.

I really appreciate the feed back! :D
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Members online

Back
Top