Guppies continue to get dropsy and die

[hywaydave]

I have a 53 gallon tank with a fluval 307. I keep my tank at 79.5 degrees. Ammonia and Nitrites are 0ppm. Nitrates are never above 20ppm. I breed a pair of guppies in a 5 gallon tank, take the babies out and put them in a 10 gallon grow out tank, when they get larger the babies go into a 53 gallon tank. I also have a pair of platies in a separate 5 gallon and do the same with their babies. The 53 gallon tank used to be more of a community tank, but over time it's now just a home to the guppies and platies, two female pearl gouramis that I've had for a couple years, and a pair of bristlenose plecos that I've had for over year and they just had some baby plecos a couple weeks ago.

It seems that every week or two, a guppy will develop dropsy rather quickly, stop eating, and they die in a couple days. It seems to happen to more of the males than females, and its right when they become fully mature and full of their colors. A few months ago I treated my tank with two separate doses of Expel-P, then followed that up with two separate doses of Paracleanse just to be sure I got rid of any parasites. However, I'm still dealing with dropsy.

I'm going to start doing weekly water changes in my 53 gallon to see if that helps, but I'm looking for any other advise as to why I continue to see this with the guppies once they reach adult age and size. I have not experienced this in my 5 gallons or the 10 gallon grow out tank.

Thanks.

 

[Ichthys]

Hard water or soft? What’s the GH?

 

[Colin_T]

Are the adult fish ok?

It could be Fish Tuberculosis but that would affect the adults before it affects the young. It's possibly another type of bacteria that is in the big tank and the fish are picking it up and dying shortly after.

If the aquarium with the adult fish in doesn't have this problem, I would flush the big tank out and start it again and see if it continues. If it does continue, take a few of the fish to a fish vet and have them necropsy the fish and grow cultures to find out what is going on.

 

[hywaydave]

Hard water or soft? What’s the GH?

Sorry, been a busy weekend. Water is hard. I used Tetra Easy Strips to get the parameters for KH and GH. API Master Test Kit for PH.
KH is 120, GH is 150, PH is 8.0

 

[hywaydave]

Are the adult fish ok?

It could be Fish Tuberculosis but that would affect the adults before it affects the young. It's possibly another type of bacteria that is in the big tank and the fish are picking it up and dying shortly after.

If the aquarium with the adult fish in doesn't have this problem, I would flush the big tank out and start it again and see if it continues. If it does continue, take a few of the fish to a fish vet and have them necropsy the fish and grow cultures to find out what is going on.

This is only happening to adult guppies in the 53 gallon after they have been removed as babies from the 5 gallon, then moved to grow out 10 gallon tank. Original parents in the 5 gallon are not affected. I've also never lost a juvenile guppy in the 10 gallon grow out tank and they probably spend 3-4 months in there before moved to the 53 gallon. I also only seem to lose one guppy at a time to dropsy and it's mostly males that it happens to. This doesn't seem to affect my gouramis or plecos.

 

[emeraldking]

Dropsy is contagious. Be aware of that. Saw this thread also on another forum where I've replied. But if you're dealing with some weaker fish (could be weaker genetics), those will be more sensitive to an illness like this.

 

[Ichthys]

Dropsy is contagious.

Dropsy isn’t a disease, it’s a symptom, with several possible causes, some of which are not contagious.

 

[emeraldking]

Dropsy isn’t a disease, it’s a symptom, with several possible causes, some of which are not contagious.

Actually, it's a condition that shows symptoms...

 

[Ichthys]

Sorry, been a busy weekend. Water is hard. I used Tetra Easy Strips to get the parameters for KH and GH. API Master Test Kit for PH.
KH is 120, GH is 150, PH is 8.0

Is it the same in all of the tanks?

 

[Ichthys]

Actually, it's a condition that shows symptoms...

Dropsy is simply bloating that causes the scales to stick out... in other words, severe bloating. Several conditions can cause it, including bacterial or viral infection, and osmoregulatory problems (eg hard water fish kept in soft water).

 

[emeraldking]

Dropsy is simply bloating that causes the scales to stick out... in other words, severe bloating. Several conditions can cause it, including bacterial or viral infection, and osmoregulatory problems (eg hard water fish kept in soft water).

There are several causes that can cause this condition. But dropsy is a condition itself that shows symptoms.

 

[emeraldking]

Dropsy isn’t a disease

You're right on this one. I used the wrong word. My mistake.

 

[Essjay]

GH is 150

150 ppm (8.4 dH) isn't hard, it's the upper end of soft. Emeraldking will be able to tell you if it's OK for guppies.

 

[emeraldking]

150 ppm (8.4 dH) isn't hard, it's the upper end of soft. Emeraldking will be able to tell you if it's OK for guppies.

THis hardness is okay for guppies by all means...

 

[hywaydave]

Is it the same in all of the tanks?

I'll check tomorrow.