# Is it just me or are Guppies the most disease prone fish ever?!



## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

I am so frustrated with Guppies! Arrrrrr.

Over the last 2 months I have purchased 6 guppies from 4 different LFS. Since then...

2 died of mysterious internal parasites. (shop 1).

1 I discovered had callamanus worms days after I got him (shop 2). Dead.
1 Jumped out of a covered tank and dried itself (shop 2). Dead.

1 I got today and immediately after I released him into the quarantine tank I notice he has a red worm hanging out of his anus! (shop 4). Currently alive...only time will tell.

1 lone disease free survivor (shop 3).

What is going on? 4 out of 6 guppies with parasites! Are these stores all getting their guppies from the same infected farms? I can't believe my bad luck with this species. I am assuming fancy guppies due to inbreeding and mass production have weakened immune systems. 

My tanks have been disease free up until this point. I know for a fact that the 4 guppies each arrived with diseases and did not contract them from each other in my tank because I noticed something wrong with each of them almost right out of the bag or a day later. They all appeared healthy in the shops. I had just treated my quarantine tank for callamanus worms and now it looks like I just introduced it back into the tank.

Frustrated. Just needed to vent.


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## PeteAce (Oct 23, 2010)

Ha, I had the same frustration when I started with Guppies. I finally gave up and switched to cichlids and plecos, no problems with sickness and disease ever since!!!


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## Sliver (Apr 19, 2011)

i've never had any problems with the guppies i bought from shelldweller, they are all healthy and breed like...well... guppies. if you really want to have guppies you might want to drop him a line. in general i think you are always better off buying livestock from members here than from your LFS since they are observed daily by folks who actually care about their survival.


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## Shell Dweller (Jul 11, 2010)

You have a PM.


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## Sliver (Apr 19, 2011)

hahaha serendipity?


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## Shell Dweller (Jul 11, 2010)

Hey Sliver; I just PMED the fellow. Didnt see your comment until after. LOL


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Right on! Members helping members


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks members. Unfortunately I am taking a break from guppies right now. I have to deal with the 2 I have left before I try again...if ever.

Cheers.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Atom,
Guppies can be a pain yes, however we had a lot of issues in the past due to the low hardness. Guppies are prone to Columnaris but internal worms are not very common IMO. We keep our Guppies in a GH/KH of over 8 with Alkaline Buffer and salt. What are your hardness levels?


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

Rastapus said:


> Atom,
> Guppies can be a pain yes, however we had a lot of issues in the past due to the low hardness. Guppies are prone to Columnaris but internal worms are not very common IMO. We keep our Guppies in a GH/KH of over 8 with Alkaline Buffer and salt. What are your hardness levels?


could you perhaps write that parameter on your guppy tanks? for the longest time i thought they were only at 5 degrees like most of your tanks


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

could it be your tank as well. Once you have call. worm in your tank, you should treat your tank, your whole tank. Taking the fish out and just treating it in a QT tank will help the individual fish, but not the fish is/will be in the main tank.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

neven said:


> could you perhaps write that parameter on your guppy tanks? for the longest time i thought they were only at 5 degrees like most of your tanks


The hardness will vary, it is not always that high. I would say the minimum is 5-6.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

Add salt and epsom salt as rasputus said high hardness. Also slot of time if they were kept in hard water at
A store and you pit them in regular tap water hardness they get weak and Ill from stress due to an instant drop in hardness and ph.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Either Aquarium salt or Epsom Salt, I would not add both IMO. There is plenty of Magnesium in Aquarium salt, as well as other minor trace elements making it a better GH source.


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## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

Guppies !!
They either seem to thrive without incident & breed better than rabbits - or, it seems, the least little thing that is out of whack in your tank, whether that be hardness, pH, temp, a little too much CO2 from your system or dosing - you name it, and they disappear very quickly.
I know the frustration - sometimes seems like a no win situation - you just have to keep at it. LOL


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

charles said:


> could it be your tank as well. Once you have call. worm in your tank, you should treat your tank, your whole tank. Taking the fish out and just treating it in a QT tank will help the individual fish, but not the fish is/will be in the main tank.


I didn't have callamanus or parasites until the guppies were introduced  I am certain that the fish were sick at the shops before arriving in my home. Callamanus is very hard to spot in a fish in a shop especially when it's a crowded tank. Very bad luck on my part to pick out the sick ones.

I have treated the main tank and quarantine tank since the deaths. Luckily I spotted the latest new victim in the quarantine tank today when I released him from his bag. Wonder if this store will take him back? I have already started treatment.

Rastapus,I don't generally check GH/KH readings, but I do add aquarium salt to my tanks. I will check my readings soon. Thanks.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Count me in as a frustrated guppy-keeper. Ours have had a couple of incidents, although we still have WAY more than we started out with due to them breeding faster than they kick off.

I'm having a weird guppy die-off as well right now, although I suspect we've been overfeeding the little pigs. 4 dead ones this morning with bloated bellies, so I'm doing a water change and re-testing the params. I use salt and Equilibrium in the tank to keep a GH of around 8.

They are also going on a diet...fed only every other day to see if that helps. If only I can resist their sad little pouty faces...


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## Death's Sting (Apr 21, 2010)

Guppies are one the most hardest fish out there. However, they are one of the most mistreated and poorly bred fish out there as well. I too have had a hard time with guppies from the LFS, every single one of them dies within 1-2 months. Where other fish with the same needs in the same system flourish. If you want some healthy guppies speak to Pat at Canadian Aquatics.


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## josephl (Apr 21, 2010)

I gave up on fancy guppies awhile back as I can keep most exotic fish alive but guppies, no way, they can be in the same tank as spawning discus and go belly up 

I've now gone with the most indestructible guppies of all, I have a 72 gallon that has now been taken over by feeder guppies that I got from IPU a long time ago and a small what was supposed to be shrimp tank that is now overrun with Endlers.

I highly recommend either one and the colors you can get on feeder guppies when you do regular water changes and feed proper food is unreal and even better, the price is awesome. I think they were $4.99 for 25 so about 20 cents each


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Honestly our Guppies hold up really well but if you don't harden your water, you are done for. Before buffering all our systems a few years ago, Guppies were a nightmare for us, now, well they are just as hardy as Tetras.
Our feeder guppies are strong as well but there is really no difference in hardiness between them and the select ones. At the moment we are keeping the feeder guppies in our ponds and in the past that would have been a nightmare, now, no problem. Lots of hardness buffer and lots of salt. If they become listless, or hanging around at the top then suspect a bacterial infection, common in all livebearers from shipping stress. Remember people, these guppies got the size they did somehow, if it was weak strains, there would be a supply issue, there is not.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

I don't know I don't get losses with buffering I do tell owners they need harder water. 
I'd say too many changes in parameters between transhippers and wholesalers, onto stores then onto the new owners tAnk. 
Some are shipped to la from Asia, they get their bag wTer changed then onto a wholesaler then onto a store all within about 48 hours . Then bought, haven't eaten, different water params , weak. Also some have become genetically weAk with breeding for fancy colored and tails etc. 
Of course cammularis worms are not good . 
I feed mine high protein food like golden
Pearls or decap brine eggs to get them strong and fat.


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## Atom (Apr 21, 2010)

Question, once the guppy has passed the callamanus worm(s) are they generally considered not contagious anymore? Can they still harbour eggs inside? I'm just wondering how long the quarantine period should be and if it should be longer than usual?

Thanks.


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

I currently have two guppies and they seem to be doing just fine. Although they seem to be quite the little jerks! They killed off two of my leopard danios and keep pestering my other two. I've been told it's possibly because there aren't any females in the tank, so I'm planning to add some as of this weekend and see if that helps. My poor danios must be so tired from all the chasing


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