Last Updated on 11 months by admin

Why are my guppies dying? How can I stop them?

How can Guppies Die? Guppies are often a cause of sudden death. Poor water quality, lack of oxygen and disease. Another major cause for death of the guppies is high temperatures in water when heaters fail. I have been fostering guppies since I first started about 30. I don’t believe there is one single day that I’ve not had a guppie aquarium in the room. Sometimes your gypsies are so ill they are so miserable they are dying without cause. You did nothing different.

Guppies keep dying: 6 easy steps to keep guppies alive

Disclosure: When I link to other affiliate sites I may earn commissions. Amazon Associates receives money from qualifying purchases. I recall the frustration I had when my puppies died. During my time at home I have found some tricks for keeping gypsies alive. I decided to put the whole thing together to save some confusion for others trying to understand. Guppies often die when they are not cycling properly because the tank lacks the nutrients required. These can lead to spikes in ammonia and nicotryls causing damage to fishes health.

Check Guppies water temperature

Guppies are hardy fish that can survive at a range between 77 to 90 degrees F with varying temperatures. If guppies were kept under colder or warmer water it could cause disease and deteriorate. The biggest culprit for heat leakage in tanks is heater failures. Whenever the heat is not heating then the water’s temperature is going to decrease. Occasionally the heat source gets locked in the ‘on-position’, which slows cooking pigeons at the aquarium. Sometimes expensive heating systems are prone to failures of some sort. It is able to test whether the tank heaters work correctly using an accurate digital thermometer.

Preventing Diseases

In fact, it is much easier to prevent bacteria in your aquarium from spreading into them. Disease is generally introduced through two main ways: 1. Introduce fresh fish, or 2. Feed poor-quality living food. This problem is simplest to solve if you know your way around it. If you want fish introduced you need them to be quarantined. Usually it takes between two and three weeks. By quarantinating a fish you can detect that it has developed disease or harbors pests. You can even prevent worms through prevention. During the lifecycle you need to provide fish food and water to your puppies from reliable sources.

Diseases

Disease is a major cause in aquariums. A disease could result when introducing new animals, plants, or a new food to your guppies. It’s important to identify the causes and how they can be affected by the disease. The detection and diagnosis of illnesses can be incredibly difficult. Take note of what symptoms appear and contact your local fish store. If you explain what the problem is your guppies will have the opportunity to recommend the right products for them. Please visit my blog, Why Do Guppy White Patches Happen? Tell me the reason for the Guppy swelling?

Aquarium Overstocking

Generally speaking guppies become overfilled in aquariums: The average guppie has four females and produces 50 newborns a month. We need plans to feed babies when we live with our animals as guppies. Introducing a guppy tank for new borns is a good way, avoiding aggressive tankmate such as an angelfish who can eat some of the smaller babies.

You go to a fish store where you buy a few fishes and leave with ten new fish.

Test Your Guppies Water Quality

Poor water quality probably causes more guppy death cases. Guppies are now living on waterways where water is constantly flowing. In aquarium, guppies have water that is provided by the aquarium. The aquarium will have poor water conditions without proper maintenance if the fish eats and pooped the rest of the time. The most obvious cause of guppy aquarium water degradation is that aquarium filters can not clean the water easily. The bacteria that feed on the food eat the food then remove them. Guppies trash can be contaminated with ammonia so the fish will have toxins.

Oxygen levels

While it is a sea animal, it still requires oxygen. Their difference is that oxygen must be pulled through the water. If oxygen levels in aquariums go down, fish will gasp beneath them. Factors affecting oxygen levels include overstocking, water quality, and water temperature. When your pup is gasping, perform water changes of 25% – 50%. Secondly, make sure the water is warm. If it is hot, make sure the heater is in a non-stop position. Finally consider adding air pump to aquariums with air stones on them.

Poor genetics

Known as one of the world’s best pet fishes, easy to breed guppies have been bred by thousands of people annually. Unfortunately, most guppies were of inferior breeds. These people have genetic weaknesses. Buy puppies online from the trusted stores. If you visit the store you can spend some time watching the tank. Check the fish is alive and not lying in an aquarium. Never try and save a poor looking fish. Ideally, a guppie breed will increase its size so that only the strongest fish can breed.

Overfeeding

Overfeeding may cause serious health issues in guppy tanks. Fish that are begging to get a few fish. Feeding a tank can be a very pleasant part. When you put a lot of food into the tank, uncooked food will sink into the tank and cause it to rot causing an increase in ammonia levels inside the aquarium. A third problem involving the feeding problem is when the fish gets contaminated by food. Unless they’re not fishers, I have the most certainty they’ll have plenty of food for them.

Feeding A Balanced Diet

The Guppie is an omnivorous species. The kids eat everything we put into our aquarium. The only reason they’d eat nothing would not necessarily make sense. You can also offer them various types including tropical fish flakes, food pellets and certain live or frozen foods. A balanced diet will provide guppies with the necessary nutrients needed to be healthy.

Stress

Stress can kill guppies massively. Guppies have many reasons. A heat pump failure can kill a goose. The other common cause guffpies die is a male sexually harassing of women. When there are three or four male partners in a girl the males would kill them. External factors can cause stress to creep through your pet’s body and destroy them.

Aquarium Cycling Issues

Aquariums must be cleaned before bringing the fish in. Aquarium cycling has become an increasingly important theme in aquarium keeping. The subject might be too complex to cover on this website so I have included an introductory video by KG Tropicals that explains how to ride an aquarium.

How do you know if a guppy is dying?

Dying guppies typically display characteristic symptoms including hunger loss, lethargy, and rapid breathing. Other guppies can be pale and swim in erratical fashion. Usually this is an emergency sign and should be taken care of soon after. A guppy could be buried I’m afraid.

Loss of appetite

That’s an initial step. Sick stressed guppies can no longer eat. Secondly, it should be noted that the animals are unable to react to what they’ve added to the tank. Secondly, you’ll notice more empty tanks and guppies have no appetite for eating. Fish will survive on the diet of humans. Eventually, the guppy may die unless the food is stopped.

Color change

The Guppie colours are wonderful! If the puppy loses color it shouldn’t be worried too. Sick guppies appear dull. [7] This is usually seen on men who typically have bright colors that attract females.

Lethargic swimming

Guppies who are dead can’t move. When it moves, it moves slowly. Occasionally some guppies may prefer to stay in their tanks as described above.

Why is my guppy dying?

When putting guppies in tanks it is important to take into account some important factors to ensure the safety of fish for their future generations. Use these items as health checks if your puppy has health conditions that may impact them negatively.

Acclimation issues

Your guppies can die in acclimations. When the bag is sunk 30 seconds after the initial release the water will prevent temperature issues and it’s a great opportunity to examine how it’s pH in the water tank and bag. If the difference is more than 2.2 you’ll need to add the hose from your tank to your bag quickly until they have a tank water content that equals 75% or 25%. At this stage they are moving into their new tank.

Be sure to maintain proper aquarium heater from 25 to 28 degrees C for tropical fish tank.

Low pH levels

Guppies can have pHs between 7.8 and 78 and anything under 7 makes the water too acid for their health. Try avoiding anything less than seven to 7.8 to achieve the best results and consider using crushed Corals in the tanks. It’ s the safest way for managing pH, especially when it requires quick fixes.

Tank Mate Aggression

One of the best ways to find out why your guppy died is to check on your tankmate. As an general rule all fish having long feces can perceive guppies like rivals, they will attack them. Gourami and betta are prime examples.

Females may be Stressed

The male and female guppies ratio must be two to 1. If there’s a small number of females then males that’ve gotten pregnant may chase it to exhaustion. By achieving 2 to 1 balance, females will be given an easier escape path rather than spending the entire night fleeing males.

Temperatures

The guppies are tropical fish, so they suit temperatures between 72 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the fish will survive at lower and higher temperatures, but the cumulative effect is detrimental to their health. Keep it cool to keep them happy and healthy.

‘Bleeding’ Gills

The gill of my guppy is bleeding and indicates a gill fluke. Affected guppies can also look like they have difficulty breathing thus this can easily be identified. You’ll be required to contact your provider to order praziquantel for immediate treatment.

Spots

White spots in your body mean you may be having IH. Ich means IchthicPHthirius multifilis. This is a parasitic parasite that is quite contagious. In order to treat this infection fish must be immediately isolated, and the fish must receive medication.

Swollen Body

If you notice a little swelling in your guppies, take them a closer look. You could have dropped, which means bacteria kill fish. While it is not contaminating, switch it up and you’ll be in a good place to isolate and cure it as soon as possible.

Discoloration

Your Guppie is colour coded for health. If the normal bright guppies are losing their brightness or starting to appear dull then maybe the guppies are in your tank. Discolouration usually signals illness and stress, which you should be aware of.

Lack of appetite

One sign that things are not going as planned is hunger. It is advisable to feed the guinea pigs twice a day with some fish and sometimes some vegetable. It can be an indicator of my guppies having illness or maybe they’re overfeeding.

Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate levels

Guppies react very quickly when they are exposed to high levels of nitrogen and nitride. Make sure your water shows a minus of 40 psm if it contains nitrites. If not, make a 25% water change for a quick equilibrium.

How do I know if my guppy is dying?

It takes a bit of practice to identify an ill guppy. In this context the GIPPs are a good indicator that you should keep an eye out for. Tell me the symptoms that are evident from guppy infection.

Regular water changes

What secrets do you have about the water changing in your guppy aquarium? If you change nitrates at least twice every week it can reduce fish hormones and remove accumulated detritus from the aquarium.

How can I stop my guppy from dying?

If your guppies have been harmed you need to follow a few ‘best practices’ to keep the loss at least minimal. Below is a list of helpful tips for cultivating healthy guppy conditions.

Proper Nitrogen Cycle water before introduction to tanks

Start cleaning the tank before adding new fish. Although the process is slow (prompt cycling takes around 3 weeks), this is crucial as to allow beneficial bacteria introduction, as guppies are remarkably sensitive for changes on Ammonia, Nitride and Nitrating levels. Plan your guppies in advance so that they’re placed in safe, new environments for a chance at an improved future.

Consider their diet

Guppies need varied meals, so eating fish isn’t an ideal choice. Make sure your puppies regularly consume food, like steamed shrimp, with fresh vegetables in them. Add vegetables like chopped peas and lettuce can be good for their wellbeing so ensure their children get the right nutrition.

Regular monitoring and changing of water

You should regularly measure your water’s pH, ammonia, nitrogen, or nitrates to check its optimal concentrations. A good way to get into it also includes changing 25 % water weekly. So toxins can be reduced and water quality will improve for the fish.

Avoid overcrowding Your Tank

A standard guppie rule is two gallons per guppy. It is possible for guppies to choke on food and drink if their stomachs lack oxygen. Keep a maximum of five guppies at home in 10 gallons or there might even be some fatalities.

Proper maintenance of the aquarium

Regular aquarium cleaning can keep your guppie healthy and happy. The cleaning of aquarium dirt and the removal of dead and dying plants can also be helpful.

How can I keep my guppies healthy?

I will examine some of those things that could cause your guppies to die unexpectedly. Let us examine what it takes to keep the guppies well.

Ammonia Spike

In addition to a high ammonium level, guppie waste is processed easily through the filter in your fish tank. Ammonia can kill fish.

There are three main causes of ammonia spikes in the guppy aquarium

Using ammonia spikes you can reduce it from 25% to 50% by lowering water pressure. Drain the water and put it on a new water tin (dechlorinate if necessary). Test your water once in a while to see if you have any ammonia in it. If they have not been lowered for a long time, increase them by 50%. Repeat this until your ammonia level reaches zero.

Tell me the best way to keep guppies alive?

Guppies die when their tank has not been maintained properly. Taking action soon will allow you to save the guppies.

Bladder disease

If your guppies are not swimming, they may be suffering from swim bladder disease. Symptoms of this disorder include decreased buoyancy, a bulging belly, difficulty maintaining balance in the tank, and a bent spine. Some affected guppies also exhibit loss of appetite, or they may stay at the bottom of the aquarium. It is best to seek medical attention as soon as you notice symptoms.

If you’re worried that your guppies have this problem, you can do some simple tests. First, see if your guppies are moving around as much as possible. If they are resting or sleeping, they may be suffering from swim bladder disease. Another sign is if your guppies stop moving around during the day. If this happens frequently, your guppies may have an infection.

Another sign of guppie bladder disease is an abnormal whitish coating on their bodies. These fish may also have hazy eyes or broken fins. To treat this disease, you must isolate your guppies and place them in a container containing copper sulfate.

The best way to prevent this condition is to increase the oxygen level in the water. Guppies can’t survive without oxygen. You should also make sure that there’s enough air in the tank. You can do this by turning on your aquarium’s air pump. As temperatures rise, the oxygen in the water decreases. During the night, plants don’t produce oxygen.

Gyrodactylosis

Gyrodactylosis, a parasitic disease, has become a serious concern for pet owners, and in a recent study, researchers discovered that a ginger extract could effectively combat the parasite. Using ethanolic ginger extract, the disease was significantly reduced in both prevalence and severity. Interestingly, the extract exhibited the same efficacy as Praziquantel, a commonly prescribed chemical treatment for guppies. However, using 10% ginger powder to supplement the guppies was found to be ineffective in reducing parasite loads. To make ginger extract an effective alternative treatment, immersion of the guppies in an ethanolic ginger extract was used.

The treatment was found to have a significant effect on larval development in infected guppies. By week 26, the treated guppies produced more juveniles than the controls, and they had a significantly greater estimated biomass in the test tank. Additionally, the females that had been treated with the drug had larger brood sizes and bred earlier than the controls. By termination, the control tank fish had caught up with the treated guppies. The results have remained puzzling, despite attempts to use bioinformatics to explain these results.

If your guppies have developed white spots on their bodies, they likely have Ich. This is a parasitic infection caused by Ichthyicphthirius Multifilis. The infection is contagious and requires careful isolation to treat. Treatment also requires medication that can be purchased from a supplier.

Overfeeding

One of the most common reasons why guppies die is overfeeding. This causes your fish to become weak and prone to diseases. They also produce more waste, which can pollute the water and make them sick. You should also watch out for ammonia poisoning, which is harmful to fish. Ammonia is produced when the waste of your fish breaks down, and too much of it in the water can cause it to die. You should do weekly water changes and vacuum gravel regularly to keep the tank free from ammonia.

To reduce the effects of overfeeding, try adding a bottom feeding fish to the tank. Bottom-feeding fish are important to keep the water clean and will help clear up any uneaten food. You should also provide regular water changes and use a de-chlorinator to keep your guppies’ water clean. Overfeeding is a common killer of fish, and prevention is better than cure.

Overfeeding can also cause fin rot and columnaris, bacterial infections that affect the gills. In addition, overfeeding can cause swim bladder disease, which makes it difficult for your guppies to swim. This will eventually kill them.

Changing water and adjusting guppy diet can be the first step to cure your guppies. Make sure you change water regularly, but be aware that your guppies may not be able to communicate with you. If they can’t communicate with you, the only thing you can do is keep an eye on them.

Lack of oxygen

One of the main reasons your guppies may be dying is lack of oxygen. Guppies need more oxygen than most other types of fish. The oxygen content of the water will decrease as the temperature increases. To keep the oxygen level at a good level, you should change the water frequently. If you are running low on oxygen in your tank, you may need to consider keeping fewer guppies.

Another reason your guppies are dying is lack of nitrites and ammonia in the water. These chemicals are toxic for guppies. If they are exposed to a high level of ammonia, nitrite, or nitrates, their lifespan will be short. Therefore, it is very important to keep the water as clean as possible.

If your guppies are showing signs of droppings, they may be suffering from dropsy. Dropsy is an infection of the fish and is not contagious. However, it is important to isolate the affected guppies from the others to prevent bacterial growth.

You can find a variety of fish medications for this problem. Some of them are effective for guppies and are suitable for freshwater aquariums.

Parasites

If you’ve noticed that your guppies are acting sluggish and are losing their appetite, you’re probably seeing the symptoms of parasites. They may also have ragged breath and look discolored. Infections caused by parasites can be difficult to detect, but you can prevent or cure them by maintaining a good water quality and regular water changes.

The first step in treating your guppies is to examine your tank. If you notice any symptoms of illness, remove the affected fish from the tank. You can also take your fish to a vet for further diagnosis. Having the right medication is also important. Using the wrong medication can make your fish more sick.

If your guppies are showing symptoms of parasites, you should treat them with Levamisole for five days. If the problem persists, there are other treatments available. In addition, you should thoroughly clean your tank, including the filter and substrate. It is also important to change water at least 70 percent of the tank’s water.

Symptoms of parasites include swollen abdomens, skinny bodies, and discolored poop. Your fish should also gain weight before being treated with other medications. You can also feed your fish a diet of fiber and roughage. This will help them pass the dead worms. You can also use Repashy Soilent Green to treat your fish. You should use this treatment for five days to eliminate most parasites. You can use it again in a couple of weeks if needed.

Genetic weaknesses

There are several reasons that your guppies are dying. One of them is that they don’t get enough oxygen. Keeping their population low can prevent this from happening. Another reason is that they tend to compete with each other for space and food. If you want your Guppies to be healthy and thrive, you should consider culling. This method involves removing any fish that is showing signs of illness and figuring out what to do with them.

One way to fix this problem is to start breeding a new colony of the same Guppy strain. The process of breeding usually takes a year or more. You can try keeping males and females in separate tanks. This is easier than keeping multiple tanks. But, you must be careful not to move females from one tank to another. This could introduce a weaker genetic strain in your new Guppy.

Genetic weaknesses can also be caused by tap water. It contains chloramine and chlorine, both of which are toxic to fish. If you’re worried about your fish’s health, you can use a de-chlorinator to reduce the amount of chloramine in the water. Also, be sure to only buy guppies that are healthy, and never buy sick or inbred ones. Having healthy guppies increases their odds of survival.

While genetics isn’t everything, it’s a good place to start when it comes to the condition of your guppies. The first step to preventing guppies from dying is to breed new ones. If you keep a colony of new Guppies, make sure they acclimatize to their new tank. This will help prevent the spread of deadly diseases. Also, make sure that you keep guppies in tanks with other fish. If you keep them with other species, choose peaceful ones.

Adjusting the water for guppies

This is a great water parameter to get a gup. Start checking water’s cleanliness…. I personally tested it using API water test kits. Using the bundle you can easily check your nitrates and pH. I like these bundles as they are easily used and work fast. For measuring chlorination and water hardness, the water test kit comes in 16-packs of one. This information may tell you if any other toxic materials are in the tank. Check your water filter for signs of water stagnation. During the operation of the computer, purchase a better filter. The old machine has certainly been incapable of effectively agitating water.

Cycling The Tank For Guppies

Several species of nitrifying bacteria are required in fishing tanks as these bacteria prevent nitrifications in the water. If your tanks are old then there may be no bacteria inside them. Therefore your guppies die frequently. Typically cycling happens naturally over weeks. In this time nitrification bacteria grow mostly within the media. But you could easily refuel your car with an instantaneous cycle. It doesn’t take much time. You could easily get this done using the API Quick Start Nitrishing Bacterie. It works equally well for adding fish to existing aquariums.

Picking the right tank

I generally advise that the guppies be kept within a large tank. It’s a lot of fun being confined to a tank of 10gallons. Avoid excessive overcrowding by getting larger tanks or removing fish from them. The tank I picked for my fish was the 20 gallon Tetra Aquarium tank kit (link from amazon). The Deluxe Aquarium also includes a scratchproof glass filter, an exceptionally soft LED visor and a heating system for cooling. In tanks with too small air pressure oxygen levels can cause problems as well. Choosing guppies for a new tank is an affordable choice.

Picking the right guppies upfront

If possible, shop nearby. When the guppies come from overseas it is very easy to get a guppy with an inclination towards the salty waters they drink. It’s easy to find guppies in your local supermarket. Keep a look at the feedback of the past customers. It is fairly simple nowadays to know a retailer’s reputation by examining the feedback of previous customers. Find alternative stores with superior reputations if they sell guppies that have died shortly after entering their home tanks.

Treating sick guppies

If it looks like their guppies have been sick, put into quarantine tank. This is meant so that they can not spread disease to others. Next, in an ambulance, you can get seachem paraguars in a hospital container. Use five mL of paraguard per 40L (10gallons). You can take it every day if your fish does not exhibit any signs or symptoms. Eventually your symptoms resolve. I have created a very interesting Youtube video explaining many common Guppy illnesses.

Feeding your guppies properly

Guppies are an omnivore and will eat any fish you see on the market. This includes powders, grains, fish, blood worms, and others. Give them the final two minutes. [4] If given too much, this could lead to spikes in ammonium or constipation. Using automatic feeding systems reduces the chance that a fish is overloaded by consuming too much food. This gives them enough food. You can have your honeymoon assured that guppies won’t die.

What to do if your guppies are dying?

The absence in oxygen in the water may even kill guppies. Too cold water in aquariums is fatal for Guppy Fish. In some tapwater there is chlorine. Although you may use tap water in your aquarium, it must get diluted before it can be added to your aquarium.

How do I keep my guppies alive?

Guppies depend on daylight for growth at night, but constant daylight could kill them incredibly quickly. Place a tanklight in timer to go out nightly and allow your guppies a little time to rest and recharge. Offers hideouts that relieve tension. The fish should feel safe.

Can guppy die from overfeed?

Guppies eat food that is eaten by animals as soon as the aquarium is empty. Often this desire to eschew food will make guppies get over weighed and eventually die.