Guppies Losing Weight: What's Wrong?

why are my guppies getting skinny

Guppies are a common choice for home aquariums, but they can be prone to various diseases and parasites if kept in poor water conditions. One of the most common issues is guppies becoming skinny, which can have several causes, including internal parasites, old age, sickness, underfeeding, and low-quality food. If you notice your guppies getting thinner, it is important to take action to prevent further health issues or death.

Characteristics Values
Primary Reason Internal Parasites
Other Reasons Underfeeding, Old Age, Sickness, Low-Grade Food
Food High-Quality Nutritional Food
Water Conditions Good
Water Parameters Adequate
Treatment Antihelminthic Medication
Treatment Time 24 Hours
Behavioural Signs Floating at the Top of the Tank, Sitting at the Bottom, Struggling to Maintain Buoyancy, Showing Strange Swimming Patterns, Hiding, Struggling to Breathe, Rubbing Against Plants, Rocks, and Glass
Physical Signs White Spots on Fins and Body, Red Gills, Losing Colour and Getting Pale, Black or Red Dots Around the Body

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Internal parasites

Guppies are hardy fish that can survive a wide range of conditions. However, they can get prone to various diseases and parasites if kept in bad water conditions. One of the primary reasons for guppies getting skinny is internal parasites.

Another common internal parasite is Hexamitiasis, which is caused by a protozoan parasite called Hexamita. Guppies infected with Hexamitiasis produce white, stringy faeces and their colours become pale. The infected guppy will lose its appetite and eventually refuse to eat.

Protozoan is a tiny parasite that mainly affects guppies. It attaches to the fish's skin and slowly enters the fish's body through the muscle until it reaches the bloodstream. This parasite usually develops in unheated tanks with bad water quality.

Guppy disease (or protozoan) is caused by an ectoparasite (ciliate protozoan Ichthyophthirius multifiliis) and is very easy to detect. The fish start rubbing their skin against rocks, plant leaves, decoration, or the sides of the aquarium. They may also lose their appetite. You will notice small white spots on their skin and fins.

To treat internal parasites in guppies, you can use antihelminthic medications such as Levamisole, Fenbendazole, and Parcide X or D. It is also recommended to clean the substrate of the guppy's aquarium after 24 hours of treating the aquarium with medication to remove all the dead worms.

You can also add aquarium salt to the water, as it will help kill any bad bacteria and parasites. It will also help calm and de-stress the guppies and promote a healthy guppy system. Additionally, perform regular water changes and clean the tank frequently to prevent internal parasites.

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Poor water conditions

Guppies require a water temperature of 72-82 °F (22-28 °C), a water hardness (dGH) of 8-12, and 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrites, and a maximum of 10 ppm nitrates. Guppies prefer harder water, and in most areas, the tap water has a pH of 7.6, which is perfect for keeping guppies.

Tap water usually contains chlorine and chloramine, which in low quantities is not harmful to humans but can cause significant damage to fish or even death. Therefore, it is important to use a water conditioner to remove heavy metals and chlorine or let tap water sit in an open container for 24 hours to evaporate the chlorine.

To keep guppies healthy, it is recommended to perform a 30-35% weekly water change to keep the water clean and free from excessive waste. For a low-stock aquarium, a 30% water change once a week is recommended, while for an overstocked aquarium, bigger water changes should be performed more frequently.

In addition to water changes, a good filtration system with bio media is essential to keep the water clean and safe from harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite. Live aquatic plants also help keep the water clean and oxygenated.

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Old age

Guppies are typically hardy fish that can survive in a wide range of water conditions. However, they can become prone to various diseases and parasites if kept in poor water conditions.

In addition to old age, internal parasites are the primary reason guppies get skinny. Camallanus worms are difficult to detect, but in the advanced stages of infection, you may notice red, thread-like worms attached to the anus of your guppies. Other symptoms of camallanus worms include intestinal bloating, refusal to eat, and the presence of waste and leftovers in the aquarium. If you observe these symptoms, antihelminthic medications are essential for treatment.

Other reasons for guppies getting skinny include sickness, underfeeding, and feeding low-grade food. Sickness can be caused by stress, poor water conditions, bacteria, parasites, and feeding on expired food. A sick guppy will not eat much, leading to weight loss. Underfeeding your guppy or feeding it low-quality food will also cause it to become skinny and weak.

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Underfeeding

To ensure that you are not underfeeding your guppies, provide them with food in a quantity that they can finish eating in one to two minutes. If your guppies are eating the food in seconds, you are underfeeding them, and the quantity should be increased.

Guppies require various meat and plant matter foods to meet their ideal dietary requirements. They should be fed high-quality nutritional food such as flake food, veggie pellets, daphnia, and other live foods. They should also be fed blanched vegetables like zucchini and cucumber to fulfil their plant-based nutritional requirements.

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Low-grade food

Guppies are hardy fish that can live in a wide range of water conditions. However, they can become prone to various diseases and parasites if kept in poor water conditions.

To prevent this, feed your guppies high-quality nutritional food such as flake food, veggie pellets, daphnia, and other live foods. You can also feed them blanched vegetables like zucchini and cucumber to fulfil their plant-based nutritional requirements. Ensure that you are feeding them a quantity that they can finish eating in one to two minutes. If your guppies are eating the food in seconds, you are underfeeding them.

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Frequently asked questions

The main reasons are internal parasites, old age, sickness, underfeeding, and feeding low-grade food.

In the advanced stages of infection, you may notice red, thread-like worms attached to the anus of your guppies. Other symptoms include intestinal bloating, refusing to eat, and the presence of waste and leftovers in the aquarium.

Some behavioural signs to look out for are floating at the top of the tank, sitting at the bottom, struggling to maintain buoyancy, showing strange swimming patterns, hiding most of the time, struggling to breathe, and rubbing against plants, rocks, and glass.

Physical signs include white spots on fins and body, red gills, losing colour and getting pale, black or red dots around the body, and of course, appearing skinny.

To prevent your guppies from getting skinny, ensure they have high-quality nutritional food, are not underfed, have good water conditions, and adequate water parameters. It is also important to treat any issues at the early stages and isolate new fish before adding them to your aquarium.

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