Sick guppy or old guppy?

Hello everyone! My lovely little female guppy Moana who I’ve had for 8 months, is taking a turn for the worse.

Within a month, her gravid spot vanished pretty completely, her back is dipping down a lot, and she’s looking a bit more grey. Her gills and her gills alone were looking a little irritated yesterday so I did a water change and the irritation went back down. And her tummy is looking a bit caved in, when she’s always been a plump lady. She’s in a 20 gallon with a bunch of her own female kids. She’s given birth a LOT so I couldn’t be shocked if she finally pulled something that’s causing her sudden decline. In fact I couldn’t be shocked if that red poop hanging out of her is an organ from the sheer stress of all those births.

But still, thought I’d check, because she’s a lovely lady and the only adult lady bought from a store who didn’t die after only a couple births. She’s really stuck around and just keeps giving.

All her children and tankmates look perfectly fine so I really don’t think it’s a water issue.

Just one of those things. Fish should live out their allotted 2-4 years, eat well, bear many offspring and give you hours of viewing pleasure but sometimes they don't. Don't agonize over it.

Back in the fold said:

Just one of those things. Fish should live out their allotted 2-4 years, eat well, bear many offspring and give you hours of viewing pleasure but sometimes they don't. Don't agonize over it.

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Alright, that’s what I’d figured. I know guppies bought from a pet store don’t often live too terribly long for various reasons, and I don’t know how old she was when I bought her. but she’s given me lots of very healthy baby guppies who will probably stick around their entire intended lifespan. I’ll just enjoy her while I have her and burry her in my flower garden when her time is up.

biofish said:

Alright, that’s what I’d figured. I know guppies bought from a pet store don’t often live too terribly long for various reasons, and I don’t know how old she was when I bought her. but she’s given me lots of very healthy baby guppies who will probably stick around their entire intended lifespan. I’ll just enjoy her while I have her and burry her in my flower garden when her time is up.

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You came out good since she gave you young. Being born in your tank they will thrive. Not all of them but enough to make up for her. A sad fact of life is that a pretty good number of pet shop fish don't make it or they aren't the best specimens and wither away too soon. By the way, the pictures of your tank look like you know what you're doing so you'll be fine .