Please Help

[Ebony951]

I was told that Guppies were good starter fish from my LFS and I was told that I could add fish to my tank 1 week after my tank was set up for the first time I'm new to fish keeping and I have always loved fish. I have had my tank for about 2 months now and all I have left is 2 Guppies 1 male and 1 female and a Bristle nose Pleco, But now my female Guppie is behaving odly, I think it is pregnant as there was a black spot near the tail on its underbelly. Now the black spot isn't as dark as it was and She keeps swimming with her tail straight up or upside down in the water. I have used a 5 in 1 Tetratest Kit.

My water conditions are:
NO3 (mg/l): 25
NO2 (mg/l): 0
GH: 16d
KH: 15d
PH: 8.0

I don't know whats wrong with her as I'm not sure if shes diying of trying to give birth any advice would be great.

 

[dzsigmond217]

I would recommend, as a start, to invest in individual liquid test kits. Those 5 in 1 strips are very inaccurate. I'm assuming by what you wrote that you didn't cycle your tank first? You just added fish after a week? Also you didn't mention any ammonia test done. Give us more info so that we can get a better idea about whats going on in your tank. ie: the size of your tank, how often you do water changes, and try to get the liquid test kits for more accurate readings of the levels in your tank. As far as guppy pregnancy..you'll have to wait for a member to come along that knows about it..I have no clue! Keep us posted!

Oh..and welcome to the forum!

 

[Colin_T]

Guppies are weak and should not be used as starter fish. 20 years ago they were fine but not these days.
She definitely looks pregnant but she shouldn't be hanging upside down like that. If she does it all the time then it is not normal.

 

[WILDER]

She dying bless her that how guppies die sometimes head down in plants.

 

[Ebony951]

Thank you for all your advice sadly she was dead when I got home tonight I wont be adding anymore fish to my tank untill I can get a more accurate Test kit and I know that the water conditions are ok. I got the Guppies on the LFS's addvice and they said I could add them while cycling my tank I'll think twice before asking in future. (My LFS said I could use Swordtails instead but both were ok and I liked the Guppies colours) There are many types of fish that I like and I'm not sure what type would be best to start with. My tanks dimensions are 42cm H, 42cm L, and 42cm W, I'm not sure of its capacity.

*I have re-measured my tank with some help insted of on my own this time. My tank is 14" High, 15" Long, and 15" Wide. Thank you again for all your help

 

[littlest]

sorry for your loss ebony

according to the aquarium calcultor your tank is 74 litres which is 16 UK gallons or 20US gallons.

It's a good idea to wait a while before adding anymore fish. make sure you get a liquid test kit and one that tests for ammonia.

I've found that when taking LFS advice its always a good idea to go away and do a little bit of independent research (or ask on here) to confirm whether the advice is accurate or not.

 

[WILDER]

Bless her R.I.P.
I agree I would wait till your tanks cycled before adding anymore fish to your tank.

 

[OldMan47]

Sorry for your loss. The tank may possibly be cycled by now with 2 months of fish history in it. We will be able to help more when you can give us your water parameters but if its not cycled it should be close. If you can't test the water, you can at least give the remaining guppy and the pleco a large, say 50%, partial water change as a stopgap until you can get the testing done. Be sure to use water the same temperature as your tank and treat the new water with dechlorinator before it goes into the tank. If you have any undetected problems that will help until you get a chance to check.

 

[Ebony951]

Sadly my last guppie didn't make it so its just my pleco on its own now. (He seems to be happy to have all the space.)

I have retested the water and My water conditions are:

(Tetratest 5 in 1)
NO3 (mg/l): 25
NO2 (mg/l): 0
GH: 16d
KH: 15d
PH: 8.0

(Tetratest NH3/NH4 Total Ammonia liquid test)
Ammonia: more than 0 but less than the 0.25

My pleco seems ok he's so fast blink and you miss him. Will my tank cycle ok with just him in there as I read on here that my tank will only cycle to the number of fish and not handle adding more fish very well.

 

[waterdrop]

Its good that you got the liquid test kit for ammonia. Anything more than zero on ammonia calls for more water changes until you get it saying zero for sure.

The next test that should probably move from 5-in-1 strip to liquid is the Nitrite (NO2) one. It will be just as important to know that your water changes have lowered that to true zero also. The strip NO2 may not be good enough.