Cant Understand It!

[craigieboy01]

Hi all, I have just fishless cycled my Fluval Edge for nearly 4 months, I was using an Api Master testkit, I done the whole 1 week qualifying and done a 90% water change, added water conditioner, I then added 5 guppys, 1 died yest and i woke up to 3 dead today, cant understand it? My temperature is 26, Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 40ppm, Ph 7.6, apart from the Nitrate being a little high, i cant see anything else that i'm doing wrong?? Maybe a 30% water change to get the Nitrate down, what you think?? Thanks Craig

 

[scotty]

could it be possible the guppies were ill before you bought them

 

[nmonks]

Fancy guppies are fairly delicate. Do make sure you're providing hard, not just basic, water: adding a pH up potion isn't what you want here! If you can, add 2-3 grammes of marine salt mix -- not aquarium/tonic salt -- per litre. This will harden the water and raise the pH, and it also reduces nitrate and nitrite toxicity. While guppies don't need brackish water, they positively thrive in them.

Personally, I don't rate fancy guppies highly as pet fish. Of the four "common" livebearers, I find platies the most reliable and least demanding. But better still, if you can find something like Limia nigrofasciata instead, so much the better. With these wild-type livebearers, you'll be amazed by how much more lively and robust they are by comparison with the inbred fancy livebearers we mostly see in the trade.

Cheers, Neale

 

[craigieboy01]

Fancy guppies are fairly delicate. Do make sure you're providing hard, not just basic, water: adding a pH up potion isn't what you want here! If you can, add 2-3 grammes of marine salt mix -- not aquarium/tonic salt -- per litre. This will harden the water and raise the pH, and it also reduces nitrate and nitrite toxicity. While guppies don't need brackish water, they positively thrive in them.

Personally, I don't rate fancy guppies highly as pet fish. Of the four "common" livebearers, I find platies the most reliable and least demanding. But better still, if you can find something like Limia nigrofasciata instead, so much the better. With these wild-type livebearers, you'll be amazed by how much more lively and robust they are by comparison with the inbred fancy livebearers we mostly see in the trade.

Cheers, Neale

Hi Neale, went back into the P@Home store i got them from and noticed their was only 3 left of which 2 looked as if they were on the road out, after explaining my situation and asking what happened to the rest of them, he said they were probably sold by expect their was something wrong with them when i got them, he came me some vouchers for some fish which was nice of him. I will buy some marine salt and add it to harden the water and hopefully buy some more guppies as thats the fish my neices and nephews want, the guy in the P@H also said i shouldnt really keep Guppies as an initial fish as they are temperamental. Cheers