Ate Herself To Death?!

Rorie · Jun 19, 2011

I have a tank which i am trying to breed some bristlenose in. I was told that if i added some guppies or the like, it could help with the bristlenose breeding. So i did. One male and two females. Within 24 hours the male died - shops fault i guess as my water has fry and discus etc, so i know there is nothing wrong with it.

Anyway, i think the male left his mark on the females as they got fatter and fatter. However, sometimes when i look at them, i swear they are a little thinner.....

Tonight i could only find one of the females. But then i found the second, dead, at the bottom of the tank. She has not been dead long - maybe 4 hours since i saw her last. But she was not twitching or anything, eyes were still normal etc.

I added 6 new guppys today, 2 males and 4 females, which would bring it to 6 females to 2 males.

Here is a photo of the other female (not going to take a photo of my dead fish!). Is she fat because she has eaten too much, or is she actually pregnant? I think that because i put in a couple sinking pellets for my plecs (got 10 of them in there just now), the guppys eat them, and maybe ate too much?! The dead one was pretty fat!!!

How can i stop the guppys eating all the food i need to give to my plecos? If this is what has killed her, then i really need to stop them!!

-Photos coming up as soon as my internet allows me!!

nurglespuss · Jun 19, 2011

OK first of all, I'm not sure who suggested that adding other fish would encourage your bristlenoses to breed? It isn't true, they will breed fine on their own.

Second, why are you adding more fish (presumably from same supplier) when you have the same fish dying already?

Guppies (being so over / inter-bred) can be delicate, and poor stock is very common nowadays.

It would be worth testing your pH/Temp and the usual Nitrite/ammonia etc.

Guppies weem to struggle at lower pH's in my experience.

Rorie · Jun 19, 2011

I think it is all personal opinion when it comes to fish keeping....what works for some, does not work for others. So putting a blanket 'NO" on the theory of adding guppys to help is a bit dramatic unless you have scientific proof looking into the chemistry of the water and the hormonal effect it has on the plecos. It has been documented to help some people!

Secondly, i would not just add fish if others were dying! One died when i got it 3 weeks ago.... the point was to show that my females could be pregnant. As it happens, the new fish were from elsewhere, but that is irrelevant. The one that i found dead today died after the others were added. I am experienced enough to know when to, and when not to add fish to my tank! I like to think that with my breeding projects and well run tanks, that i know what i am doing for the most part. But my question came in relation to the possibility of having allowed my guppys to over feed while trying to feed my plecos....

I gather you do not know the answer to my initial question, Nurglespuss?

eaglesaquarium · Jun 19, 2011

Perhaps try adding the pellets at night. Then the plecs might find the pellets during their nightly routine, but wouldn't be a big visible temptation for the guppies.

nurglespuss · Jun 19, 2011

Rorie said:
I gather you do not know the answer to my initial question, Nurglespuss?

It was difficult to glean your question, perhaps all the info and question first?

In answer: yes, Poeciliid fish are vulnerable to bloat when given too much ready supply of concentrated dried foods, plant matter can help with this effect (peas).

Also, there is no documented evidence of such an effect on bristlenose breeding... it would be impossible to attribute any possible effect without evidence i.e. research.

Rorie · Jun 20, 2011

Here are a couple photos. I will try feeding at night. Though my plecos are out all day, hence why i was feeding then. But in an effort to save the greed guppys, i will try once the lights go out.