
Male guppies are prone to dying for a variety of reasons. Firstly, poor water quality, including high levels of pollution from fish waste, lack of oxygen, and the presence of chlorine in tap water, can be detrimental to male guppies. Additionally, factors such as raising ammonia levels due to uneaten food or dirty filters, overcrowded tanks, and suboptimal water temperatures can lead to male guppy deaths. Poor genetics and diseases like ich or velvet may also play a role in their demise.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Poor water quality | Lack of oxygen in the water, too cold or too warm water, chlorine in tap water |
Raising ammonia level | Uneaten food, dead fish, dirty filter, dirty substrate |
Overcrowded fish tank | Guppies reproduce at a faster pace |
Water temperature | Guppies are tropical fish, cannot survive in cold water |
Poor guppy genetics | Guppies from big pet stores might have bad genetics |
Diseases & parasites | Ick, velvet, fin rot, flukes, tuberculosis |
What You'll Learn
Poor water quality
The lack of oxygen in the water can also cause guppies to die. Putting too cold or too warm water in your aquarium will cause death. Tap water contains chlorine, which is deadly to guppy fish. Though using tap water for your fish tank is fine, it needs to be treated before adding it to your aquarium.
Before you add fish to your aquarium, you have to cycle it first. The cycling process will take 1-2 weeks, depending on the size of your tank.
Ammonia levels in the fish tank should always be at 0 ppm. That said, there should be no ammonia present in your aquarium. The nitrifying bacteria should turn ammonia right away into nitrites and then into nitrates. This is the nitrogen cycle.
Ammonia can be caused by multiple factors:
- Uneaten fish food will decompose and will turn into ammonia
- Dead fish which is not removed from the tank will decay and will increase ammonia levels
- A dirty filter can also be a huge source of ammonia
- Dirty substrate can also cause ammonia problems
High ammonia levels usually result in instant fish death. If the fish do not die instantly, and you are able to fix the ammonia problem, they will still get ammonia burns, which will also result in death, but at a much slower rate.
Regular water changes are also key when it comes to keeping your guppy fish healthy. By changing the water in your tank, you will remove the toxins that are harmful to your guppy fish.
It is recommended to change 20-30% of the water once a week.
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Raising ammonia levels
To prevent ammonia from building up, regular water changes are necessary. It is recommended to change 20-30% of the water in the tank once a week. Additionally, it is important to vacuum the substrate at least once a month to remove debris that can contribute to ammonia levels.
Ammonia test kits are available to monitor the levels in the tank. If ammonia is detected, immediate action should be taken to reduce the levels to zero through water changes.
It is crucial to maintain proper water quality and perform regular tank maintenance to ensure the health and longevity of guppies.
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Overcrowded fish tank
Overcrowding is a common issue in fish tanks, and it can have several negative effects on guppies. Firstly, it can lead to reduced oxygen levels in the water, which is fatal for guppies. Guppies have a high metabolic rate and require ample oxygen to thrive. In an overcrowded tank, the oxygen levels can drop to dangerous levels, leaving guppies prone to diseases and suffocation.
Secondly, overcrowding increases waste production. Guppies produce waste, and the more guppies there are, the more waste accumulates in the water. This waste includes ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, which are all toxic to guppies and can damage their gills, skin, and organs. Overcrowding can also lead to an increase in competition for food and space, resulting in malnutrition, stunted growth, aggression, and predation.
To avoid these issues, it is essential to control the guppy population. This can be done by separating males and females or introducing only male guppies to the tank. Regular water changes, filtration, and aeration are also crucial to maintaining good water quality and oxygen levels in an overcrowded tank.
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Poor guppy genetics
Guppies are generally hardy fish, but they are often inbred to bring out specific appearance characteristics, which can also lead to health issues. Guppies bought from big pet stores tend to have a short lifespan of around 6 months, whereas those from guppy breeders can live up to 2-3 years.
Guppies purchased from pet stores may have poor genetics, which can lead to early death. Inbreeding can cause genetic anomalies such as bent spines, and males may be more susceptible to dying from the stress of breeding. Guppies from big pet stores are usually the lowest quality and, although colourful, might have bad genetics, which can lead to early death.
Guppies from trusted sources and breeders tend to have better genetics and live longer. Some breeds to opt for include swordtails, Moscow, cobra, and grass guppies.
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Diseases and parasites
Guppies are susceptible to a wide range of diseases and parasites. Here is a list of the most common diseases and parasites that affect male guppies:
Protozoan (Guppy Disease)
Guppy disease is caused by a parasite that attaches to the fish and enters its body through the muscle until it reaches the bloodstream. This parasite usually develops in unheated tanks with poor water quality.
Columnaris and Mouth Fungus
Columnaris and mouth fungus is caused by bacteria that form a colony on the fish's mouth or middle area of the body. The sick fish will have trouble swimming and will lose their appetite. This disease is highly contagious and can wipe out an entire fish colony.
Swollen Gills and Gasping
Swollen gills are usually caused by ammonia or carbonate poisoning. Ammonia is a highly dangerous toxin resulting from decomposing fish food, organic matter, and fish waste. Carbonate can be found in rocks and substrate.
Red Blood Spot
Red blood spots on guppies are usually caused by ammonia or nitrite poisoning. This often occurs in new aquariums that are not yet cycled.
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS)
VHS is caused by a virus in the bloodstream. The first signs are lesions on the body, followed by sores, ulcers, and rotting fins. The fish will eventually stop eating and become darker in colour.
Swim Bladder Disorder
Swim bladder disorder is rare in guppies but is usually caused by stress. It can also be caused by poor water conditions and high ammonia levels.
Swim Bladder Inflammation
Swim bladder inflammation is caused by a virus and has no known treatment. Fish with this condition should be removed from the tank immediately.
Gill Flukes, Gill Worms
Gill flukes are small worms that invade a guppy's gills and live there, causing bleeding and difficulty breathing. They are usually introduced to the aquarium by outside fish and plants.
Camallanus Internal Worm
Camallanus internal worm is a common parasite in guppies that can reach up to 0.8 inches in length. It is visible sticking out from the fish's anus and is brown or orange in colour.
Hexamitiasis-Hole in the Head or Body
Hexamitiasis is caused by a protozoan parasite and results in white, stringy faeces and pale colours in the infected guppy. The parasite will eventually refuse to eat.
Bent Spine (Scoliosis)
Bent spine is caused by genetics or environmental factors and is not uncommon in guppies. It can affect their swimming ability and make them more susceptible to bullying by other fish. There is no treatment for this condition.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis in guppies is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium. The first sign is a lack of appetite, followed by ulcers, fin and tail rot, and discolouration. The disease can be passed on to other fish and, in rare cases, humans.
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Frequently asked questions
Male guppies are more delicate than females and can die for a variety of reasons, including:
- Poor water quality
- Lack of oxygen in the water
- Chlorine in tap water
- Ammonia poisoning
- Overcrowding
- Poor genetics
- Diseases and parasites
- Stress
- Water temperature
To prevent male guppies from dying, it is important to maintain good water quality, provide adequate oxygen, use treated tap water or de-chlorinated water, regularly clean the tank and filter, control the population, source guppies from trusted breeders, quarantine new fish, and maintain a stable water temperature.
Some signs that male guppies may be dying include loss of colour, tail shrinkage, and abnormal behaviour such as staying in one spot or swimming erratically.
If your male guppies are already sick or injured, it is important to act quickly. Move them to a quarantine or hospital tank, treat with aquarium salt, and provide a well-planted tank with hiding places. Seek advice from experienced aquarists or professionals.