# Guppies Help



## deedeedee (Apr 2, 2008)

Hi 

I added 5 new guppies to my established tank a couple of weeks ago- the problem lies with just one of them. 4 of them are males for definate as they have gorgeous big colourfull fins but the 5th has a pointy tale and no top fin. It just looks weird, kind of deformed. 

It has been struggling today so I think it has been picked on? It is now in a floating tank inside the big tank as it is on its side/upside down. 

I dont think I can save the poor fish but does anyone know of anything I can do.


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## viseversa (Oct 10, 2008)

Your choices are, leave it and hope it gets better, leave it and it dies or flick it on its head and put it out of her misery  its not the nicest thing to do but it is humane


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## LittleMissSunshine (Aug 31, 2008)

I can't keep guppies, I have a very well established tank and have tried on several occaisons to intruduce guppies of both sex and they all got picked on, I was told it was my angels causing the problems but I watched them like a hawk and I'm not convinced!! I think that their fins and tails look like flake food and therefore get nipped at!
x


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## deedeedee (Apr 2, 2008)

Hi
Came back from work and it had died the others are all darting around like loonies so I think it must have been picked on as it was lacking the top fin. 

I havent got many fish in the tank, just 2 neons and the 4 male guppies, dont think neons attack? do they? maybe they do? think it more likely to be the other guppies?

D x


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## viseversa (Oct 10, 2008)

More than likely, espicaly with a ratio like that, try adding more females than males or they will keep on pestering her for naughties :biggrin: i would guess 1 male to every 5 females would be fine


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## deedeedee (Apr 2, 2008)

I thought I had got all males, looks like the PS slipped a female in - 

Will the boys fight even if there are no females? they swim round together at the moment like buddies.


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## viseversa (Oct 10, 2008)

No they shouldnt fight, the only time when you will get problems is if there isnt enough females to go around, they will either end up fighting between themselfs and/or pestering the female, a tank full of all females or males will be fine a good raito will also be fine but as you have found out 1 female to a bunch of males isnt


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## Jammy (Sep 15, 2008)

I have Guppies and never had a problem but i allways have at least 2 females to every male, but be warned they are prolific breeders !!


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## deedeedee (Apr 2, 2008)

Lol - I havent any females now. I used to have mollies and they were forever having babies (they ate most of them)

I like these little guppies, very pretty

Do you find the guppies eat all their babies too?


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## guineapigqueen (Jan 12, 2008)

If the fry dont have anywhere to hide or housed in a seprate tank they will be eatten. I used to put a type of floating moss in my tank and make sure they could get into it and not be eatten.

Why do you think they breed so much? As there usually is a great loss.

I used to find with my Guppies and Platys that they would go a bent shape after a while and some one told me this is due to age and inbreeding.

Emma x


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## deedeedee (Apr 2, 2008)

We used to catch as many as we could - (if we were around at the time) and put them in a floating tank, could never get any to survive past 3 months or so of age


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## guineapigqueen (Jan 12, 2008)

I know I used got a platy half way size, then he got fin rot and died and that was the only one I ever had survive.

Emma x


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

i always have had male guppies. i think theyr much prettier than female ones, plus im not interested inbreeding them
we had guppies when i was wee my mums bf knew about fish.. one day he told me to come look and there were 100s of wee ones! lol. from wat i remember we gave loads away for free so he must hav done sumthin rite. lol


a pet shop once (before i knew much about fish) sold me a japanese fightin fish, to go eith my guppies!! he the them all. so i got a refund and some free tetras and guppies, cos i told him someone told me he was wrong 

when i worked in a pet shop it was the weaker fish who got picked on. survival of the fittest. lol


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