# Guppy Stillbirths; Help a Beginner Out!



## Ryan M (Feb 24, 2012)

I did some reading in other topics, but I need some help with my specific situation. I'm going to post my scenario so that hopefully, you can help me with my future endeavors, as I am trying to get better at this.

I'm a beginner at keeping an aquarium. I have a 20 gallon with a few guppies and about 5 Corydoras. 

I bought a pregnant guppy from a local fish store (not a chain) and waited patiently for weeks to her to give birth. When she started getting huge and showing signs of giving birth soon, I moved her into a 5 gallon tank away from the other fish. This tank has a stringy plant and a place for the fry to hide covered in a mesh net.

Last night I came home and she had given birth. However, the fry were dead on the bottom of the tank. Some of them looked as if there were 3 or 4 of them connected together in a spiral... very strange. Some of them were black colored, some of them pinkish red and one of them was the usual translucent white.

I also find it strange that she still has a smaller red gravid spot. I'd like to know what's going on with that, can they get double pregnant?

Nitrate and Nitrite levels were very low.

Ammonia levels were medium to low.

PH was high.

This was fairly sad and disappointing for me, but I'm coping with it by posting here and improving my skills for the future. When I do produce healthy fry, it will be all the more satisfying! But I need your help.


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

Sometimes this happens. not usually like that. keep the parameters of the water in order and add a little aquarium salt. add plants to the main tank and dont try to move the momma around. this can cause stress also. after the mother gives birth the gravid area turns pinkish as it is still swollen but now empty. after a couple weeks you may be able to see it start to fill up again and turn darkish. dont give up and maybe select another nice female. if you have only one now.


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## Ryan M (Feb 24, 2012)

I guess I'm just having trouble maintaining water quality. While my Ammonia levels are lower because of water changes, the PH is alkaline and I have no idea why! 

Also, I'm worried about keeping the mother in the same tank while she's pregnant. She will get bothered by the other males in the tank and the babies have a much higher likelihood of getting eaten by ghost shrimp, corydoras, and other guppies.


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

Cories and shrimp shouldnt bother the babies too much. yes the parents will try to eat them. Just plant lots of java moss in one corner top to bottom. there is lots of little goodies for the fry to snack on in there. once the babies are juvies the parents will be used to having fry in the tank and the next drop will be much safer. soon you will need more tanks. or you will want to advance to rarer guppies. albino guppies eat the young far worse than grey or blonde guppies. the fry grow much stronger and much faster if left in the main tank. i actually just bought some guppy grass when i bred them and filled half the tank with that. like a jungle wall of plants. plus when they sleep sometimes they rest on the leaves. very cute. Make sure you feed a varied diet to the parents and babies. blood worms, brine shrimp, some algae pellets, even deshelled peas mashed up or mashed up egg yolk. they love it.


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## Ryan M (Feb 24, 2012)

Wow mashed up egg yolk sounds like an easy, accessible way to vary their diet.

If the population gets out of control, I plan on getting an Angel fish, hoping that it will eat the fry. (And that I will be skilled enough at that point to take care of one!!!)

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it. 

Do you have any suggestions as to why my PH levels may be high? 
I have some regular brown gravel, the gang seems to gobble up all of the food that I put in there, I have a big floating stringy plant, some aquarium "furniature" and some plastic plants. Also a ceramic vessel that I use to provide shelter.


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

You never really said what your ph was just that it was high. i think 7.2- 7.4 is good. out of the tap water is very high ph usually. if its a newer tank it may take awhile to settle down. good luck


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## EnigmaticGuppy92 (Jan 31, 2012)

if the mother is moved arouind or exposed to drastic changes in the living conditions then she will abort the young as a survival strategy as stated above do not move the female just have many plants in the tank. do not use a breeder trap as they stress out the mother. good luck


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

It seems that your tank isn't properly cycled - ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank will stress out the mother and the babies.


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## Polarshrey (Nov 15, 2011)

yes you would have stressed the mother also, like wendygo said the tank is not cycled there should not be any ammonia and nitrites. But since this is your first time you might have losses but a couple batches later you would most probably raise the whole gang without any lose.


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## Ryan M (Feb 24, 2012)

Like I have said, the Ammonia and Nitrite levels are low. Nothing to worry about.

It's the PH levels that I am concerned about and don't know how to fix.


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## EnigmaticGuppy92 (Jan 31, 2012)

no treatments to the water added??? peat and commercial products can be used to lower the ph


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

What do you consider to be a high ph? guppies dont seem to mind a high ph. are the cories doing okay? they might not like it as much.


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## Ryan M (Feb 24, 2012)

The Corydoras seem fine. I have not had one die.

I've had about 3 guppies die though. By high PH, I mean it's the highest color that my test strip has.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

Ryan M said:


> Like I have said, the Ammonia and Nitrite levels are low. Nothing to worry about.
> 
> It's the PH levels that I am concerned about and don't know how to fix.


You have it backwards, you should not worry about pH but def. worry about the ammonia and nitrite. Anything other than zero is a problem, especially at higher pH.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

Any ammonia or nitrite reading is something to worry about, and you said your ammonia levels were "medium to low". I still think that ammonia could have caused stress on the fish and caused her to lose the fry.


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## Ryan M (Feb 24, 2012)

Ok, thanks for the replies. I'll just keep doing my weekly water changes and let the cycle work it out.


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## wendyjo (Feb 20, 2009)

Also, about the Ph - if you are using a drop test kit there should be you sets of drops and cards - if your test is reading off the chart of the lower card then try testing it with the upper level drops and card. The test results card should have numbers on it - what is the number that you're getting?


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## Psionic (Dec 22, 2011)

If you keep a section of floating plants in your tank, they'll be ok. If you want to transfer them out of there afterwards, get a large net and scoop up the whole section, plants included. You'll get almost all of them since they'll stay close to there for a few days.


-Val


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Ryan M said:


> I guess I'm just having trouble maintaining water quality. While my Ammonia levels are lower because of water changes, the PH is alkaline and I have no idea why!
> 
> Also, I'm worried about keeping the mother in the same tank while she's pregnant. She will get bothered by the other males in the tank and the babies have a much higher likelihood of getting eaten by ghost shrimp, corydoras, and other guppies.


Guppies prefer alkaline water with ph range of 7.4 to 8.0 and do poorly in soft,acidic conditions.
Would not worry bout the pH but would stive to keep ammonia and nitrites at zero.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Ryan M said:


> Like I have said, the Ammonia and Nitrite levels are low. Nothing to worry about.
> 
> It's the PH levels that I am concerned about and don't know how to fix.


Ammonia and nitrites must be zero for healthy fishes.
Are no safe levels of either of these toxins.


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