my male Guppies have gone!?

[Francis]

There were about 4 males and 2 females in the tank so I got 4 more females to stop the males pestering and now they have just dissapered! (the males). Any Ideas anyone?


Thanks,
Francis.

 

[Annastasia]

Are you sure they aren't hiding? Or are they dead, you think? Have you checked around the tank is case of jumping? Guppies aren't big jumpers, but you never know...

 

[Francis]

They can't possibly jump out, the tank is very well covered, and I can't see them hiding so i guess they are dead.

Francis.

 

[Annastasia]

Well, they can get through un-imaginably tiny places...but I still doubt that. If you think they are dead, you should probably try to find them, because rotting fish isn't going to be good for your water quality. You never know though, when you go looking for them, they might just pop out alive. It's happened to me before.

 

[Mickslack]

Do you have any loaches or pleco's they will eat a carcus very quickly, what are your water levels like females are larger so will tolerate higher levels of toxins

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

They are most likely dead and many tropical fish will eat their dead tank mates but i would still check for any bodys that could be left in the plants, rocks, behind the tank filter and any other places the bodys could have got trapped in. How big is the tank and what other fish and how many do you have in the tank? I would definatly test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels in your water quality as if there are any bits of dead fish this would have caused ammonia to rise and i would test for the ammonia and nitrite just to make sure the tank is stable and water quality issues wern't the cause of death .
I would avoid buying anymore than 2 males max if you want anymore after you have tested the water quality and also depending on the tank size but i would still expect some fry over the coming months even with no males in the tank as female guppys can store sperm in them for up to 7 pregnancys max.