Guppies keep dying-help!

[Purple Tam]

Hi all,

I'm new to this fish keeping lark. We got a tank and added 6 endlers guppies a few days after getting it, as suggested by the pet shop. The fish died within 20 hours. The water tests showed raised nitrate only. We left it for a week before checking the levels again and adding another 6 endlers. A week later they are doing great, so added in another 6 mixed guppies. Day 7 one has died, day 8 a second one has died. We've checked and the levels are fine.
Any ideas? We have 2 real plants in there and did a 20% water change on the 4th day of adding the latest ones. It's a 25litrr tank.
Thanks!

 

[tlindsey]

Hi all,

I'm new to this fish keeping lark. We got a tank and added 6 endlers guppies a few days after getting it, as suggested by the pet shop. The fish died within 20 hours. The water tests showed raised nitrate only. We left it for a week before checking the levels again and adding another 6 endlers. A week later they are doing great, so added in another 6 mixed guppies. Day 7 one has died, day 8 a second one has died. We've checked and the levels are fine.
Any ideas? We have 2 real plants in there and did a 20% water change on the 4th day of adding the latest ones. It's a 25litrr tank.
Thanks!

Welcome aboard

Please test all parameters and list them.
Also what type of filter do you have in there?
Possible ammonia or nitrite killed them due to not properly being cycled.
Suggest not adding anything else until this is resolved.

 

[Purple Tam]

Not got the values to hand as just got into bed, but all were reading low except hard water.
Tank has been running with the endlers alive for 2 weeks.
Filter is the one that came with the tank.

 

[kno4te]

Just a uncycled tank likely. Would test daily and get some biomedia with beneficial bacteria from a fellow hobbyist to add to the tank to keep the water from going. If not able to get them need to add some bacteria in a bottle, available at most chain lfs, and do water changes till it cycles which will take a while. Keep testing. Make sure to get a dechlorinator. Agree with tlindsey .

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Probably and wasn't properly cycled, beneficial bacteria need time to build up properly, in the meantime I'd do 25% water changes every other day for a few weeks

 

[wynnyelle]

25 litres is a 6.6 gallon tank! That's not big enough to contain 6 adult guppies much less 12. MAYBE if you had plants in there and an oversize filter and it was fully matured. Even then it's not something I'd risk. I keep 8 adult guppies in a planted 10 gallon with a huge oversize HOB and still have to clear out babies and stuff every now and then or it overloads.