# New guppies died



## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Ok so I just got the 3 guppies 3 days ago along with 2 shrimp. 2 guppies died. 1 last night and the other one yesterday morning when I woke up. At first I thought it was the 1 bullying and moping the other that killed him cause the 1st ones tail was chewed up. But then late last night the 2nd did. The tank wad cycled for about 3 and a half weeks. It was tested 2 times by petsmart and petco sand they said it was fine b4i got the fish. My 2 shrimp are fine. So I figured since they are fine the water is fine since they are more sensitive to the water. I changed the filter today and did about a 20% water change (1 gallon change on a 5 gallon tank) I did notice brown spots on the tank and on me of the gravel. Could that mean I wasn't completely done my cycle? I know I should do the liquid test but my order from walmart was on back order and they just refunded me so I just took water samples to the pet stores. Should I just return the 2 fish and get a riding instead of getting new fish? I will take some water with me there since I have a 14 day guarantee. Any help will people greatly appreciated.*c/p*


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## Justine (Aug 14, 2010)

It seems to me, although I'm no expert that if the shrimps are fine then it is more likely that the guppies were shocked in transit or there was something wrong with them to start with, have you looked at the guppies in the tank they came out of back at the shop? Do they look ok? I would get a liquid test kit tho.


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## Northern Hawk (Sep 1, 2010)

That happened to my dad too.... if the tank isn't 100% guppies although a great start-up fish can be a slightly less hardy one compared to other common start-up fish... get the test for the water and if everything is close to where it should be then odds are it was a transition into the tank...


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

well when i got them i floated the bag for about 30 minutes and then poured a lil of the tank water in there and waited about another 10 minutes b4 putting them in. i stopped by petsmart yesterday and they checked water again. he said everything was fine except the amonnia was a lil high, but he expected that with the died fish. he also told me that he was getting alot of people coming back saying that the guppys have been acting real aggresive. also didnt help that the tank went up to 86 degrees. the guy said that might have triggered them to go into breeding mode and caused them to be more aggressive. he said cause there where all males that they where fighting each other off. which i guess makes sense since it was 3 males.so im waiting a couple days for the ammonia to go down b4 i buy another fish. the one thats left has no nipped fines or anything and he was the one we saw the most beating up on the other ones. thats why my wife calls him bully


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

A couple of things...

1. A fish that died within a few days of the store doesn't mean something was wrong with your tank. In fact, with me it has never been that way.

2. I have never seen male Guppies act aggressive....period! Not to mention if they ever did it would have to be in the presence of females and you already said that you had all males.

3. Your tank has not cycled. Your cycle DOES NOT start until there is a source of ammonia. This is what the fish provide, unless you go about it with ammonia you add and do it fishless. In other words, your tank could sit for years running along and it will never cycle until an ammonia source is in it. I don't think this is why your fish died.

4. Get the liquid test kit. Preferrably the master kit. You need to closely monitor ammonia and nitrites until they both peak and then slowly zero out.

5. Once your cycle starts, don't touch your filter until it has completely finished. Beneficial bacteria will eventually reside there and doing drastic things with it could cause problems.

6. Take it slow and do nothing drastic.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Thanks for the fed back guys. But I think my guppy is part shark or something cause I just went down to check on him and the shrimp and now I'm down to 1 shrimp. And it looks like the other was bite in half. I've never had shrimp so I don't know if it just molted(sp) his shell but I can't find him in there except for half on 1 side of the tank and the other half on the other side


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