Guppy issues? Pictures inc.

[Flushable Pets]

If you do have babies in that tank (and sooner or later you will, you will end up with a lot more fish than you can cope with. Personally, having been in that position I would only keep males. Females can store sperm for up to (I think - I'd have to check) four months, so even if you get some that aren't obviously pregnant, you can get a delightful surprise one day . . .

Are your plants plastic? I would put some real ones in.

That sounds like an excuse to start a predatory/carnivorous fish tank to me. Cichlids, bettas, etc.

 

[LostBear]

Hi,

I've done the tank change has said above.

Tank size: 40L
pH: 7.5
ammonia: (Waiting for test kit to come)
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
kH: 120
gH: 180
tank temp: 25c
Don't think the test are that accurate tbh.

Fish:
3x Guppy
8 X Please look at photo, can't remember the name. View attachment 112156View attachment 112157

All the stuff in picture below was put in tank on first day, gravel was cleaned and log was left in a bucket for few days.
View attachment 112158

Aqua-flow 200
Betta Thermal Compact Submersible Heater

Today was first water change.

The guy at shop didn't show me water test, he just said to add up to 10 and then after two weeks can bring some water too test and then after that can add more. They also said you can have has many fish in a tank as I want, along has water change is done more often.... Completely different from what I've heard on here.

He has told you completely the wrong thing!

NEVER do a "fish-in" cycle (which is what he has effectively told you) it is at least stressful, and often downright cruel - and also this "put as many in as you like" is just rubbish! You need the tank to have enough room not only to support the fish if there is a power cut and your oxygenator and filters fail, but also from them to have room to swim freely and go about their little fishy lives comfortably.

I'm so glad you are sorting this out for them. Don't buy from this charlatan again - he either doesn't know or doesn't care about the fish.

 

[LostBear]

I'm not trying to argue I promise! I'm quite happy to accept when I'm wrong But I don't believe I am this time. Did you look at the later photos provided? I'm sure that all three are males, have very developed gonapodiums

Guppy issues? Pictures inc.

Hi, I'm new to keeping tropical fish, mine have always been cold water fish, so appologise if the following questions sound stupid. So, my first question is about this Guppy. It was always swimming around, however in the last couple of days it will just stay in a corner, like it is here next...

www.fishforums.net

I have to admit that I haven't worked my way through the later pictures - I hit a wall of red rage at the "put as many in as you like" phrase form the pet shop owner!

Plus my computer for some reason, doesn't always show me the entire thread. When i replied there were only two posts (original and yours), and then the others just flashed up along with four pages of posts when I pressed "send". It does this a lot- it gets on my wick! It also means that sometimes I give advice that has already been given - I try to avoid that (though will say "I agree with what X has said" etc) I hate technology!

I'll work my way through

 

[LostBear]

That sounds like an excuse to start a predatory/carnivorous fish tank to me. Cichlids, bettas, etc.

You are a monster, Flushable.

A MONSTER!

 

[Flushable Pets]

You are a monster, Flushable.

A MONSTER!

Told y'all I was ugly on the inside...

 

[LostBear]

Just looked at the later pictures, but none of the three look like the one hiding behind the filter. Agree that there three in the pictures are males, so if the filter one is one of them, Adorabelle is right!. (Curse you and your sex identification skills Adorabelle! . Of course, one of them may identify as a female . . . )

Sure there isn't a fourth guppy?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I have to admit that I haven't worked my way through the later pictures - I hit a wall of red rage at the "put as many in as you like" phrase form the pet shop owner!

Oh I agree, have been two threads this week with terrible, terrible fish store owners giving awful advice, and the mind boggles. It's like they're trying to ruin a beginners tank and drive them out of the hobby, how does it make any sense to give them such bad advice? That's only going to make them go elsewhere to shop when they find out, or they think they're terrible fishkeepers and leave the hobby. I don't understand that kind of crap from LFS owners at all, it's crazy

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Oh I agree, have been two threads this week with terrible, terrible fish store owners giving awful advice, and the mind boggles. It's like they're trying to ruin a beginners tank and drive them out of the hobby, how does it make any sense to give them such bad advice? That's only going to make them go elsewhere to shop when they find out, or they think they're terrible fishkeepers and leave the hobby. I don't understand that kind of crap from LFS owners at all, it's crazy

Specifically from Pets At Home - that place is horrible. Some one one here said that they recommend 12 fish in a 22ish liter tank, and they could add 4 more if they wanted. Why on earth would they think that is ok? I just don’t get why their information is so twisted...

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Specifically from Pets At Home - that place is horrible. Some one one here said that they recommend 12 fish in a 22ish liter tank, and they could add 4 more if they wanted. Why on earth would they think that is ok? I just don’t get why their information is so twisted...

To be honest, I expect that sorta thing from the big box chain stores. Those employees might not even keep fish, and they have to follow the scripts and "care guides" the company tells them to. The company that is trying to make a profit, not worry about animal welfare any more than the law makes them.

But local, privately owned fish stores tend to be owned and run by a hobbyist, people who really do know better. On the whole, those sorts of places (what we in the hobby tend to mean we say LFS) tend to be better and give real advice. But there are bad ones out there too though, for sure, and this one and the guy in @AilyNC 's thread gave awful advice. Like they had taken a bet to give the worst advice possible, somehow.

Just looked at the later pictures, but none of the three look like the one hiding behind the filter. Agree that there three in the pictures are males, so if the filter one is one of them, Adorabelle is right!. (Curse you and your sex identification skills Adorabelle! . Of course, one of them may identify as a female . . . )

Sure there isn't a fourth guppy?

I don't wanna say that I'm always right since I'm very often not. But when it comes to livebearer sexing... I'm fantastic! Wait, that sounds so wrong...

 

[PheonixKingZ]

1( They follow the “guidelines” (as you said) and 2( It’s just a job to then, and each fish is just money. They don’t care if it dies as soon as they leave the store, or 2 years later. It’s sad because they could be taking care of them much better, and yet they are not.

Have you seen the “care sheets” for fish at Pet Smart? They are terribly wrong. The only thing I buy from Pet Smart is tanks (when the $ per gallon sale is around) and occasionally medication. Other than that, I don’t support them. (For those very reasons.)

 

[letssetup]

Just looked at the later pictures, but none of the three look like the one hiding behind the filter. Agree that there three in the pictures are males, so if the filter one is one of them, Adorabelle is right!. (Curse you and your sex identification skills Adorabelle! . Of course, one of them may identify as a female . . . )

Sure there isn't a fourth guppy?

They is no 4th unless he/she can go inviserbile

 

[letssetup]

Side note: did you kill the power to your heater? Never run them without water.

Yes I did cut power first

 

[letssetup]

When should I next test the water people? Should I leave it a few days then test now that I've changed about 75%?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Yes I did cut power first

You can push the heater down lower, makes life easier when you have to do big water changes. @Flushable Pets is right that you have to be careful with heaters, like if it's left on when out of water, it'll just keep heating and heating, get very hot, then when cooler water touches it, the glass explodes. Scary, messy, expensive, and potentially very dangerous.

Having it at an angle or horizontally rather than vertically is good for dispersing the heat though, so that's good. Mine is maybe an inch above the gravel line, and my filter inputs are low down too, so I don't have to worry about turning them off to do water changes. I'm forgetful, so if I didn't have them low, I just know it would only be a matter of time before I forgot to turn them off before changing the water.

When should I next test the water people? Should I leave it a few days then test now that I've changed about 75%?

Test it daily for now, since you're still cycling, and you have fish in there. Ammonia and nitrites can build up fast, and ammonia burns the fishes gills, so better to check more often at the moment, and keep up with frequent water changes while it's getting balanced. Make sure not to over feed the tank too. Once it's finished cycling, weekly tests and water changes is usually enough for most tanks, but varies according to your stocking/filtration/tank size/method.

 

[Flushable Pets]

To add to AdoraBelle's post regarding heater placement. I placed my heaters next to the intake of my filters so they warm water gets circulated by them. And it helps hide them.