Swordtails and guppies - Fish for the Planted Aquarium

The old man · 05-17-2008, 06:48 AM

About three weeks ago I began losing one by one some of my swordtails and guppies.
Details: 12 gallon planted tank with 5 swordtails and 4 corys. Down to two swordtails and 4 corys.
3 gallon planted tank with 4 guppies and 1 cory. Down to 1 guppy and 1 cory.

All seem healthy till one at a time begins gasping, closed fins, no marks..then die within 24 hours. This seems to only effect one at a time. I then do about 25 to 35 percent water changes. All seem fine then another begins the process. I tried quick cure during one week, but no results. It seems to effect them worse with a water change. The only marks I have noticed is a slight greyish tinge on the swoirds as they decline and the guppy this morning that died overnight seemed thinner and was quite pale in color.

Here are some things I was doing before before it started.
1. added some plant ties to some nubias to hold them down. Think they a soft metal, but say they are safe for aquariums.
2. Began dosing with Excel (stopped, but no effect)

Has had no effect on my corys or my bigger tank with angels and barbs.

Afyounie · 05-17-2008, 06:15 PM

I had problems with guppies and swordtails a while back. They did the same thing as yours. It turned out that the tank was getting too warm, but I couldn't do anything since it was next to a window during the summer.

The old man · 05-18-2008, 04:23 AM

I think you might be right. The tank temp hovers about 80 during the day when the lights are on and the water quality tests fine. I did cut the a/c off in the room a few weeks ago and now that it is warming up a bit outside I'll cut it back on. I have a fry tank with no light or heater and all ten babies are just fine and it stays about 74. I think the enclosed hood and lights are warming them up to much.

Tedb · 05-20-2008, 03:41 PM

Same here, the cories can take the consistant high temps better than the livebearers. Cool the tank down somehow. I had a tank that the heater got turned up to 84, lost 1-2 guppies per day until I figured it out. The rams in the tank loved it though.

You can reverse the light schedule to come on at night instead of during the day or add a little fan to move the water some, should bring it down a few degrees although swordtails will make a fast escape with an open top.