Giving People Guppies

[Guppy_Gal88]

I gave my friend a set of 2 females and to 2 male Guppies for her birthday two weeks ago. I went to her house this last week and I see that they have clamped fins and swimming oddly. Her family doesn't belive in buying any sort of chemcials for the fish and its just sad for my guppies to go through that state She has a 50 gal. tank in her living room that they haven't changed water in it for 9 years. That just makes me even more sad. I wish they could do something about it because every time I try to tell them what to do for the fish, they don't belive me. My guppies that she got from me even had 3 babies that she put in a jar with nylon over the top and is in the 5 gal. tank with the guppies, but I see that they are getting clamped fins also.

This is just sad for me people. I put all my time into raising those guppies that are just going to die? I'm so confused First of all should I even worry about it?

 

[Whiskerz]

Hi Guppy_Gal88

I've had the same thing happen to me. I gave my friend most of my Swordtail fry and everytime I went to her house there always seemed to be more missing each time, the last time I went to her house she only had 2 out of 10 swordtails left She doesn't look after her tank, she never even used de-chlor until I told her she should. She kept asking me why her fish keep dying and I told her possibly cuz she didn't use dechlor and her tank was way over-stocked and she never cleaned the aquarium, she just kept adding water. Sadly, she still doesn't look after her tank, I think she uses de-chlor now, but she still doesn't clean it and over-stocks it like crazy I also have another friend who keeps a male betta in a 1/2 gallon tank and she never cleans that out, when I go over I always clean it for her. It's been 3 weeks since I've been there and she called me up on the phone about a week ago asking me if I wanted to go over because she needs her betta tank cleaned! can you believe that?? When she asked me that, it really made me mad, I bet she still hasn't cleaned it yet! she shouldn't own fish at all. Anyone that doesnt clean their tanks or look after their fish should not own fish! I feel bad for your guppies.


Maybe if you showed your friend this forum, she might believe you and she might start looking after her fish

Sorry for the long post ) but people like that really make me mad

 

[laboul]

You have every right to be mad. That's crazy.

I'm currently dealing with my mom, who thinks I'm nuts when I talk to her about water changes, stocking levels, and cycling. She has two 1.5 inch goldfish AND an oto (hello!? tropical!!) in a 5 gallon. They just went on vacation, and I bet the oto will be dead when they return. And my sis who just "tops off" her water without doing changes.

I just started fishkeeping a month ago and have learned a lot. Most of it was through some fish dying and realizing I had been an idiot. I didn't even know about fishless cycling and killed 2 mollies and a snail... various causes. So, my point is that there's hope for your friend. I just hope your guppies don't have to die for her to find out. Obviously she knows the state of your tanks and how healthy they are? So once she sees that her fish are dying, it may start to sink in. If it doesn't, you know that she's not a further candidate for being an adoptive parent....

I also think people don't get as attached to their fish as we do. But that's no excuse.

 

[handsomeboy]

a 50 gal and the fish is still getting cramped fins? that takes some kind of ignorance...

 

[laboul]

PS. I know what it's like to have non-receptive friend and family members. Try to educate them gently, using phrases like "Maybe you should..." or "I wonder if..." I don't know, just a suggestion. My family is really reactive when I come on too strong. It suggests they are abusing their animals. They are, but I think sometimes they know I'm right, they just don't want to admit it.

 

[Germyzero]

Wow i couldn't believe those people are so insensitive to their pets. Fish have feeling too you know.

 

[laboul]

PS. Yes, another PS. I just remembered it's not 2 goldfish my mom has in a 5 gallon with the oto, it's 3.... can anyone guess where they get their fish? Yep.. Walmart, the people at Walmart told them this is A-OK.....

 

[Guppy_Gal88]

Yeah, the people at wal-mart have no idea what the heck their doing

 

[Germyzero]

Yup i agree they are totally brainless aliens . It is like they are taking drugs when they are picking out the fish and giving advice. I have always believed this theory, if you buy fish at wal-mart they will die almost immediately.

 

[laboul]

THe problem is my parents have had only 1 fish die in over a year.... while I have had 3 die within a month of starting . Granted, I keep tropicals, they're harder to keep. But the fact that I have not been as successful in keeping fish alive gives them some satisfaction in thinking they are going something right while I must be doing something wrong. Well, eventually, they'll see.

 

[GuppyBoy]

I've had a similar thing happen to me, too. I helped a relative of mine set-up a community tank in their home. A nice, little 30 incher, which fitted into a space that was provided. I went with them to choose the fish they wanted, etc. and even gave them a few of my spare Guppies, and got everything looking lovely. I explained to them how to look after the fish, (having bought them a book on the basics), and to maintain the tank so that it would keep looking good. Plus, if they had any problems at all, to get in touch with me.

Granted, on a few occasions, after, they did ask my advice and I was able to help. But after a few months, I heard nothing from them. I was quite busy at the time, and couldn't always get to their home to check up on how things were, but felt reassured that because I'd not heard anything from them, that everything was ok. Eventually, though, I got the opportunity to visit and got a bit of a shock. The tank obviously hadn't been cleaned for some time. The water was obviously tainted yellow with all the impurities in it, and the glass was looking quite dirty from not having been given much maintenance. And the fish? There was 1 Neon Tetra out of 12; 1 Bronze Corydoras out of 3; and.... a mass explosion of Guppies! Somewhere in the region of 40-50!

I guessed that they just didn't have the time, (or inclination), to want to look after them properly. But, it did look a mess. needless to say, I helped by removing all except a few of the nicer looking Guppies and offered to replenish the tank with some other fish. But, I got the distinct impression that they'd, somehow, lost a lot of the interest which they initially had in wanting to keep fish. So, that was that, really..

Oh well, I guess it's not for everyone.

 

[Germyzero]

Thats very sad

 

[littlefishie]

Her family doesn't belive in buying any sort of chemcials for the fish and its just sad for my guppies to go through that state She has a 50 gal. tank in her living room that they haven't changed water in it for 9 years.

So no dechlor and no water changes [just top-ups, I'm assuming] for 9 years.
Serious?

Lack of dechlor would kill any bacteria helping with keeping ammonia levels down, not to mention no water changes to lower said ammonia..

What is in that tank, that constantly survives that?

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Just tell them about the forum, and if they still refuse to listen just sit back till their fish all die, and then just say, 'hey, I tried to help, don't come crying to me now.' Of course, if you had ninja skills, you could sorta whisk a couple of fish away in secret and take them back home, they'll just think they died...