I rescued a ten gallon

[Angel Lady]

I walked in this house with my sister. And I couldnt believe my eyes when I looked at that algee covered tank with more than a thousand guppies in it. I started asking her right away if she would sale it to me.

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

How horrible!!! Why is it that people think pets are disposable creatures? How would they like to live in a room covered with poo and mold??
Enough of my ranting, is she going to sell it to you?

 

[IMCL85]

Poor guppy

 

[Angel Lady]

Well to finish what I have done so far with them since they havent had a gravel vac and a water change in 6 month. I am sorta at a stand still. I checked the water and the readings states as follows.. Ammonia 0 and nitrite is 0 but here is the big one nitrate is at the highest my reading would go. at 80ppm. I am afraid to change a lot of the water out so how should I do them. I am moving some of them to some other 10 gallon tanks that I have setting around as soon as I get thier water back to normal again. How should I do this so I wont put them in shock or anything. Some of them have drospy and some fin rot a lot of disease. I feel so sorry for them..Thanks in advance for all the great help that I have got here so far..You people are great.

 

[kevin007]

i dont think it's even possible to have 1000+ guppy in a 10G tank, post pics

 

[IovaykInD]

I'm sure he didn't mean literally 1000+ guppies in the tank. I can be sure it looks like that though. Yea, I want to see pics as well, just as a warning so I don't ever end up like that.

Isaac

 

[Angel Lady]

Yes I did mean a thousand or better you should see them I am in the process of getting pictures. But I dont want you all to think it is me keeping fish in such in humane conditions. I personally don't see how any of the little fellows are living..Most of them are babies. Now they are quite a few larger ones. They are mixed with feeder guppies and fancy guppies. They are actually very pretty some of them. What I can weed through..I feel so sorry for them. But now back to the question I ask. How can I get them back to the water they need to be in without shocking them..

 

[kevin007]

and i thought my 100+ adult guppies were alot..

if you get a large tank..and introduce them to the new tank like you would with bagged fish from your lps, i'm sure they would have a healthy life

 

[SarahBravo]

I would just do lots of small water changes..... say 5 or 10% twice a day till you can get the nitrate down and get them used to clean water again. Or maybe pick some out and put them in a jug or bowl of their own water, then add 1/2 a cup of clean water every 15 minutes till you think they're acclimatised then put them in another tank.

Good luck with them, good on you for rescuing them.

 

[xxSarahxx]

Nightmare situation........... bless you for taking them on!!
Personally...........although it is a MASSIVE task I would also try and separate the males and females to stop any more breeding however, you will have to be careful about the males fighting, etc, as even without any females in the tank this is possible.
Right..........water changes without shocking....... how mant tanks have you got? In his sort of circumstance I would use ANYTHING I had..... ice cream tubs, glass bowls, tupaware (sp?), sinks, etc! Heat with lights if necessary or 'hot water bags'.
I would bag up the fish in sets of four of five (or more if they are small) with the yucky water (just thought fish bags may be difficult so may have to improvise with anything that floats!!) Next......... take about three hours to acclimatise them. Leave the bags (or floating containers) in the new clean tanks/containers for 15-30 minutes, then add a small amount of clean water every 15-30 minutes until the bag is full. This will take hours but I think this is the only way to reduce the stress as they will have adapted to the appalling water. Use lots of stress coat or general stress reducer as well.
As for the abundance of sick fish........ I wonder if for ease these should go in separate tanks too... although then you have four different categories of tanks..... 1) Sick males. 2) Sick Females. 3) Males. 4) Females.
Does this help at all? If you have anything else you think I might be able to help with feel free to PM me if it's easier.
Out of interest...... how much did you buy the lot for? There is a possibilty to not only save these fish but f you were to sell them you might be able to cover the cost that you will be spending on meds, tanks, etc!!
Good luck and well done again for rescuing although you have a hard run ahead of you but I'm sure you know that!

 

[Angel Lady]

Yes I do but it is worth it to save atleast half of them. I gave her 50 dollars for the tank and fish. I have four twenty gallon tanks empty that I wasnt going to use anymore. But now I have no other choice. Poor things. I have used every bowl that I have and went and bought some big plastic bags. I am just getting started. So far I havent switched anything yet I am just getting the clean water ready for them..

 

[xxSarahxx]

I would love to know how these guys get on. Have you got another pair of hands around to help you out with this bit as it might be useful but not a necessity. Would love to see pictures of the little guys before and after as such as well. Please stay in touch and just SHOUT (!) if there is anything else I can do to help.

 

[Angel Lady]

I am going to take pictures of them tonite when I can get a good shot. But I dont think you can see them too much algee..I am pretty sure that you cant. I have to raise the lid just in order to see them. So I think it is pointless to even try. That little tank is a shame. They are so much fish waste on the gravel that you cant even tell what color they are. Also they are looks to be breeder grass on the bottom of the tank when I raised that out it looked like they were over 200 guppies babies started swimming for thier lifes..So I quickly sit that back in the tank. I will try to get some pictures but I doubt that I will be able to. It is too black to tell anything about it..I have some two 20 gallon tanks and two ten gallon tanks ready to go for them..I just have to slowly change the water everyday for a week or so until I get them ready for a change. So wish me luck with them I will be keeping you all posted on the out come. And thanks for all your help..I know I will be needing more. I wish they were some place I could report them to. But atleast I did get them so mabey they stand a chance of having a good home.

 

[fish_keeper2]

poor guppies .....if you wanted too once the you are sure they are healthy and all you could find a lfs that will buy them. im sure you could get 100 or more bucks

 

[Angel Lady]

I plan on rehoming them because I dont have the extra room for them now.I have to many tanks now. I have the tanks ready for them but guess where they are sitting at on my kitchen table. I just couldnt stand to see them in a shape such as that. Well I have started the water changing process on them.. I took a gallon and a half out of thier this morning, I just hope it wasnt too much..