Now ALL of my guppys are acting up!

[freshy]

Maybe I'm still too much of a newbie regarding fish behaviour but for the past weeks one of my female guppys (which just gave birth by the way) seemed to be stressed from the birth. You know, hiding a lot, looking scared all the time. But now I'm a bit worried because the other guppys (1 male, 1 female) seem to have joined her !!

Now all three of them are grouped in the corner of the tank almost all the time. It's like alittle aquatic football gathering or something. They just come out when it's feeding time and they eat voraciusly,
like there's no tomorrow, and then go back to the corner.

It's very strange. At first I thought the male was being super-horny towards the girls but now I have no idea what's going on here Are they stressed out? Are the mating? Are they depressed?

I checked my water params: ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, nitrate 20ish ppm, ph 7.5. My other fish are ok and couldn't be less bothered with the guppys, they never mess with them. Right now I can't afford an extra tank and the maternity box is occupied with the fry.

Has anybody gone through something like this?

 

[WILDER]

Are they gasping or just staying in the corner, are there tummys swollen, are they flicking and rubbing against objects, have there colours faded or darkened, and what does it look like when the fish go to the toilet brown or long white and stringy.

 

[freshy]

Hi thanks for the reply!
1. I don't see the gasping. They're just "there" but the breathing is a little more agitated than usual. especially when they eat they seem quite frantic.
2. Tummys aren't swollen (except for one of the females who I think maybe in baby-making- process)
3. Colors are normal. No faded or darkened
4. As for the poo poo... I'll have to pay closer attention and get back to you

 

[WILDER]

Could be a gill flukes if there breathing is abit for rapid then normal, do they flick and rub on objects and are there gills slightly inflamed and red.

 

[freshy]

hmmm... nope. No red or inflamed gills. They don't flick against objects. One of the females ocassionally swims up and down, up and down, over and over, buit I'm not sure if this counts as flicking. I don't see any spots, marks, patches or streaks of any kind.

What strikes as odd is the male guppy. He used to be the "normal one" and now he's retreating to the corner too. Oh man! This is a brainer.

 

[Germyzero]

Maybe the female is looking at the reflection of the tank and saw herself?

 

[WILDER]

Could be a bacteria infection if they are no signs of illness on the fish, just a thought.