2 dead guppys, no idea why

[OohFeeshy]

I wnt into my room earlier and found one of my guppies dead at the bottom of the tank. The other two seem fine, so I don't know why. The fish seemed sluggish and ill looking since I got it 2 days ago. It's belly looked a bit swollen but I haven't overfed them. Can anyone enlighten me? THe water quality is fine. It is coldwater.

 

[Never2Bknown]

Was it a female? Could petrification of the ovaries. Otherwise it was quite possibly FDIO--Fatty Degeneration of the Internal Organs. It isn't a well-known disease because it's very hard to detect, but believe it or not, it's actually the #1 killer of tropical aquarium fish. It results from feeding too many fatty foods or all the same foods. Try heating your water, too; guppies like a temperature of 75 to 85 degrees F. Cold water can stress them out, weakening their immune system and making them more vulnerable to disease.

 

[OohFeeshy]

The fish were kept in cold water at the shop. I have only fed them flakes, but as I said, I've only had them since Friday. It's a male. Could it be a parasite?

 

[aqtaquaman]

guppies do best above 68. It was likely badly cared for then the shock of being moved to even slightly different water proved too much. If the swelling was white or greenish in colour it could have been the cold.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Another one is dead. I assumed these were OK for coldwater, they were in the coldwater section at the shop. Now it seems the cold kills them. The other one seems OK, he is swimming around and eating, whereas the other two just hovered around the top since I got them.

 

[mwm]

How cold is your water? I gave up on guppies long ago cuz all mine would just drop dead.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I don't have a thermometer (I will get one though, I need a gravel vac too), so I'm guessing around... 18 C? It's really room temperature, you know, when you leave some water round and it gets to around room temperature. If the other guppy survives, I will try to get a heater. I saw a 10 watt one online.

 

[Ben]

did you cycle the tank by any chance?

 

[OohFeeshy]

I kinda did a fishless cycle for 5 days with fish flakes, but I tested the water and it is fine. These fish are unintentionally finishing the cycle (well, finishing growing the bacteria, although it's not intentional).

 

[sylvia]

When you say the water is 'fine' what are your exact readings? The bloating may have been internal parasites, an internal bacterial infection or problems due to the temperature. Deffinately get a heater - guppies do ok in lower temps for a while but they are tropical.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Readings- Ph- 7.6, Ammonia- 0, Nitrate- 25 mg/l, Nitite- 0, Kh- 16

I live in a hard water area.

 

[sylvia]

Guppies don't mind hard water. You are right about your readings being fine though - it must be disease or the temp.

BTW, I live in a hardwater area too. It's never affected my fish.

 

[OohFeeshy]

If the last guppy survives, I will get a heater. Do you just bag the fish up like they do in the shop and then float them on the water for 30 mins?

 

[sylvia]

You mean to get them used to the heated water? If you put the heater in with the fish and turn it on, the temp should go up gradualy anyway so you need not bag and re-introduce the fish as it'll have time to adapt. It's also much less stressful this way.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Okely dokely. Thankee very much