Lost my female guppy :-(

Pet store/farm bred guppy, I've had her for maybe six months or so, not sure. She hasn't been the healthiest fish, her first batch of fry only two survived, and she had some swim bladder problems just before dropping that first batch, seemed like the fry were pressing on her swim bladder a bit, but it was only minor and she was back to normal after dropping the fry.

Then there was a battle with worms in July/August and she was very sickly, came close to losing her then, but she bounced back after medicating the tanks.

She dropped her second batch of fry on Friday, 38 fry counted, maybe a few more, and she has seemed okay since then. Other fish and shrimp seem fine too. I've been doing large daily water changes on this tank for the last two weeks and counting though, since it seems the ferts I added have pushed the nitrite levels high every day. Removed a bunch of those ferts a couple of days ago, still getting nitrite readings and doing daily changes, but nitrite levels are dropping, not getting as high between daily water changes, and fish and shrimp are still behaving normally - no gasping, fin clamping or staying near the top or the bottom.

Found her dead when I turned the lights on today. Have tested the water and zero ammonia, nitrites 0.25ppm. Not what I want, but lower than they have been at times recently. Could this be a result of the nitrites accumulating inside her, even if she didn't show symptoms of nitrite poisoning? She seems to have bled internally.
WARNING: Gross photo of dead fish below:

I am sorry for your loss, that is a big bleed out behind her gill. I can't help you. Her babies are doing well I presume.

itiwhetu said:

I am sorry for your loss, that is a big bleed out behind her gill. I can't help you. Her babies are doing well I presume.

Click to expand...

Yep, the two older fry that were in the same tank and the latest batch that are in a grow out tank are all well. Farm bred guppies are just weak now, I don't expect them to live that long anymore. I've had more success keeping otocinclus alive than store bought guppies. Although I suspect the ongoing battle with high nitrites in this case.

Still, it's strengthened my resolve to stop keeping guppies now, so this will be the last batch of fry I raise. Just have to resist the temptation to keep any of this batch. Have some males that I'll keep in a male only tank for as long as they last, then I'll probably get psuedomuglis.

Sorry to hear

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

Yep, the two older fry that were in the same tank and the latest batch that are in a grow out tank are all well. Farm bred guppies are just weak now, I don't expect them to live that long anymore. I've had more success keeping otocinclus alive than store bought guppies. Although I suspect the ongoing battle with high nitrites in this case.

Still, it's strengthened my resolve to stop keeping guppies now, so this will be the last batch of fry I raise. Just have to resist the temptation to keep any of this batch. Have some males that I'll keep in a male only tank for as long as they last, then I'll probably get psuedomuglis.

Click to expand...

I found that the first and second generations were much stronger, so keep them breeding. In breeding is not a problem till third or forth generation and you can solve that problem with just introducing a male from time to time.

Sorry for your loss.. that looks like a nasty way to go out..

itiwhetu said:

I found that the first and second generations were much stronger, so keep them breeding. In breeding is not a problem till third or forth generation and you can solve that problem with just introducing a male from time to time.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I had more luck with fish I'd bred before, I just bought her because I hadn't seen a female with such a yellow body before, not often sold around here. But I've been talking about winding down the guppy breeding anyway, so going to send the young females I still have to the store rather than keep them.

So sorry you've been a great provider for her & done your best. The tanks you have are well planted & lovely homes for the fish. Sorry you lost her.

Im sorry for your loss. May she rest in peace.

bye fishy

This is always the case for livebearer, there are only low qualities livebearer nowadays especially the inbred one.

Sorry for your lost

I'm sorry to hear.

The bleeding like that is a classic sign of nitrite poisoning in fish. Sounds like it was just too much for her. But 6 months for a petstore guppy is still good

Ah, sorry to hear of this, sad but its a reality of these types of species when so much breeding has occurred due their popularity as they are very colourful and easy to care for species.

Sorry for your loss.

But at least she left a legacy in her offsprings so thats a silver lining if you like.

And I do agree that this looks like a classic case of nitrite poisoning damage am afraid but at least you have remedied this and all parameters are good now for your other livestock.

So sorry about your guppy, having fry may have also weaken her, over the years I have noticed the stress of being pregnant and giving birth is a factor in the deaths of several of my fish. I also agree with @Ch4rlie and @NCaquatics

Sorry for your loss. It’s strange how we become more attached to one fish more than others isn’t it? She’d obviously got her fins into you. Don’t let it put you off keeping her kids though.
Me and Mrs Lurch had six store bought guppies three months ago and our favourite was the first to die. The bully of the bunch has moved three doors up the street into a 5’ livebearers tank where he’s apparently mended his ways surrounded by much bigger Platys, mollies, guppies n swords.
We’re down to four now and we were thinking along the same lines as you.....but...but....there’s a tank of beautiful white bodied, red finned n faced males at a LFS........plus totally red all over good looking bounders at another......
We’re popping in to both tomorrow. Just for a look. That’s all. Honest.
You’ll do the same some time.....they’re in your blood.