# Keep losing guppies



## Rougesnake (May 18, 2017)

Hello everyone I have a lightly stocked 20 gal with two cories and 6 neons and a revolving door of guppies. No matter what I try the guppies don't last more than a week whereas all the other fish have been fine since I put them in. I have used the equilibrium I use for my shrimps in, tried a bit of salt (not too much cause that would harm my cories), turned off the heater and let it run at room temperature, everything I could think of to make these guys happy. Just lost my almost ready to burst with babies female so I am quite upset and close to giving up on guppies and trying an easier "starter fish". Any ideas how I can keep my one remaining female guppy happy or what fish I should try and swap to?


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## arash53 (Aug 13, 2011)

Add equilibrium from Seachem , I kept loosing mines untill I have added that.


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## Rougesnake (May 18, 2017)

I have, they perked up a bit but still lost my boys after


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## arash53 (Aug 13, 2011)

what's you PH level, from my experinace they are only sensetive to PH and water hardness


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## Rougesnake (May 18, 2017)

Its just slightly alkaline


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## Jousters (Jan 16, 2014)

Where did you buy the guppies?


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

Guppies aren't always as easy as people sometimes say, especially in our soft water. If you got all of them from one source, maybe try again with fish from someone else.


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

Harder and more alkaline water


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## Rougesnake (May 18, 2017)

I got them from two different locations because I thought one just had bad ones but apperently it's not them it's me. I still had my girl last night just waiting for the light to turn on to see if she's around still. Must have blown 50$ on guppies by now


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Are you using anything for buffers? Perhaps your pH is fluctuating. Equilibrium is fine for hardness, but does nothing for KH. Depending on my tank, I add either Seachem Alkaline or Tanganyika buffer or baking soda to raise KH to keep pH stable.


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## aprilsaquarium (Aug 22, 2016)

I add a bit of Epsom salt with equilibrium. 
Also some
Wholesalers use salt then if they go into lower hardness and ph they crash. Also some guppies are bred in freshwater and some not. So they go up,down, up, down . And then they crash. Going up is ok going down they get ph shock


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Rougesnake (May 18, 2017)

Is there a way to change ph without adding chemicals or?


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## TerryCAT (Jun 3, 2017)

May be a dumb question but is your tank cycled?


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Rougesnake said:


> Is there a way to change ph without adding chemicals or?


Some people use crushed coral, but it never really worked for me. If you don't want to go the additive route, aragonite gravel/sand in a filter media bag in your filter will add some KH and increase pH. Seachem Florida Crushed Coral (actually it's aragonite) is the best product I've used for this. Trial and error as to how much to use for your tank volume. But I find baking soda so much easier to use and control, for example I want carbonate hardness of 5d KH for my goldfish, 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a 40g 100% water change will get me there. pH is rock solid, it doesn't move. With aragonite sand, new water coming into your tank will still need time to be filtered through your aragonite sand before it slowly buffers to the level it should be. That may or may not be too much of an adjustment period for some fish. YMMV


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## Rougesnake (May 18, 2017)

yes it is cycled


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