Guppy Overfeeding

[awd79]

Hello All,

 

first post here. Looks like a great forum. 
 

I have kept aquariums for 20 years on and off. Saltwater, fresh, planted, crystal and pinto shrimp, etc. However, I am new to guppies. 
 

I bought some breeders a trio. Both females and male have died. Lots of fry from two successful births are alive and growing well in grow out tanks. The trio died at different times. Water parameters are all zero. Sometimes nitrates are 5-10 but many times zero as I have lots of plants.
 

I believe I might be overfeeding because in every instance the fish look like they have a swim bladder issue and die hours later. The last one was the male. I fed the tank kinda heavy. Left for the gym came back and he was swimming upside down. I put him in methylene blue and he died within the hour. All others died in similar fashion.  
 

Thoughts?

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

First welcome to the forum! 

Sorry to hear about your guppies. From whom did you purchase them? Big box? Online? This will help give some clues. 

Guppies are not what they were when I got into the hobby 36 years ago. They’re more inbred and if they come from farms they’re often raised in salt water ponds - huge advantages in terms of infections and the minerality of the water is great for their skeletal development. However this puts you the hobbyist at a huge disadvantage when receiving the fish. I’m glad you have fry born in your water. They’re going to do really well for you. I don’t think you did anything wrong. 

Now when you get a new pair or trio I’d add a tablespoon of aquarium or reef salt to the tank and I bet they’ll do better. This applies to all livebearers except Goodied or home bred fish. Crushed coral is also a livebearer nerds friend. All Corys early videos his substrate was crushed coral. 

[Guppysnail]

Welcome to the forum. My original purchase guppies never make it past 4-6 months no matter where I get them. I think it is the way they were raised, treated, shipping etc. the fry on the other hand are great, second gen fry better, third gen in my tanks are almost indestructible and live to a ripe old age without birthing complications. 
 

Best of luck. Cut back to less food so you can eliminate that variable. Less more often is how I go. Adults get a little twice a day, young juvenile a little 3x/day. Fry a tiny bit 3-4x/day but I watch bellies. If fry look full belly I do not feed until the full look goes down. Again welcome to the forum. If it is an established tank guppies find tons to eat on their own. 

[awd79]

thanks for the warm welcome. 

Thank you this is all very helpful and encouraging.  I feel better knowing it might not be me and I will watch the feeding to eliminate that issue.  I really don’t believe it was disease or parasite related.  I use Cory quarantine method.

They were purchased on eBay from here in the states.  Oregon I believe.  They could of course have been imports to begin with, but who knows.

I do use aquarium salt. This brings up a question. I love panda Corys and learned recently while reading up on guppies, which as I said are new to me, that while guppies like salt Cory’s do not. Everyone seems very happy, am I overthinking this.

im looking forward to learning more and expanding my tanks. Thanks again for responses.  

[awd79]

Meant to also ask about crushed coral. My water is relatively soft. I add kH because  the substrate I use currently is left over from shrimp tanks and softens water so I’m always fighting that.  I’ve seen guppy breeders use floss and coral in a corner filter. 

I am starting new tanks with pH neutral substrate. So where and how would I use crushed coral if not as a substrate?

[Torrey]

On 5/14/2022 at 3:31 PM, awd79 said:

Meant to also ask about crushed coral. My water is relatively soft. I add kH because  the substrate I use currently is left over from shrimp tanks and softens water so I’m always fighting that.  I’ve seen guppy breeders use floss and coral in a corner filter. 

I am starting new tanks with pH neutral substrate. So where and how would I use crushed coral if not as a substrate?

You can throw a bag of it in the tank near a sponge filter, you can throw a bag of it in HOB and canister filters, and you can throw a bag in a water reservoir you keep on hand to speed up water changes. Neos really like having access to crushed coral