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charlie1881

I am starting my families first 30 gal tank and we have hets an blood tetras an dwarf frogs with live plants and snails an 2 placost. we added guppies an cant get them to survuve why?

Byron

First, welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping forum. And to this hobby.

Second, I moved your post out of the thread in which you posted it and started its own thread. More members will see it here, and you'll get a better response. If you click the blue button "Add New Post" while in a thread, it will post in that thread. To start a new thread, go to the list of threads in the relevant section of the forum and click the blue "New Thread" button.

Now to your question. Can you give us the water parameters? GH (general hardness) and pH is what we need. The GH you can ascertain from the water supply people, they probably have a website. They may be able to tell you the pH too, if you don't have a pH test kit.

Also, how long has this tank been running? How did you cycle it? Are there live plants? What is the temperature?

Lots of questions, and likely more will follow, but we can't diagnose problems without the data.

Byron.

charlie1881

My tank has all live plants no plastic , well except my guppie grass in the back corner but I leave that there for fry that sometimes pops up lol unexpected from new fish. The temp is very constant it stays a steady 75 - 80 . I also get my water tested at petsmart they said everything looked great . I add salt to my water I try to keep my population in tank very low as to keep my fish comfortable . I updated my prfile and also added info to the aquarium log that might help you help me .. I really want the guppies to make it I have great luck with all others just not them and I really really want to they are some of my favorites .. thanks for responding

Byron

I would prefer having the numbers for the GH and pH. But in your log you say that the substrate is crushed coral, so this is a calcareous substance which would naturally keep the GH and pH on the basic (alkaline) side, so that should suit the mollies and guppies.

By the way, for future reference, whenever you get water tested at the store, always insist they give you the test numbers. "Everything looks great" tells us nothing, since we don't know the standard the store person is using.

You also didn't say how long this tank has been running, or how it was cycled. And how often do you do water changes, and how much of the tank water is changed each time?

Byron.

charlie1881

Hey Byron, Sory I didnt think to ask the rep about the numbers from the water test I have always just took them for granted thst they were right, but you have a point I have had to correct them about info on some species before. I will get a test kit myself tommarow . As for the water the tank has been running for 3 weeks , and when I change water I always change 25 to 30 % of the tank at a time and replace with bottle water with start zyhme and stress coat added . But I really dont change the water often unless I have been medicating it for some reason . I 've always had good luck with all my tanks , its really bothering me that Im killing my guppies I have stopped buying them until I can resolve the problem. Do you think it may be the hets? Im sory I dont know the scientific name they look like tiger barbs but no strips just a blck triangle on back bottom .? Again thank you for your help and advice .

charlie1881

lampchop rasbora thats the "hets" i was trying to describe , I have 4 in the tank could they be hurting the guppies? I have been watching and they arent attackin or nippin at there fins but that doesnt mean they are not when Im away I know . They have always been okay with my other fish but the guppies are alot smaller and fins are longer...
charliie

Byron

It's not the rasbora (lambchop} they are about as peaceful as fish can be. But what are the "blood tetra"??

In three weeks this tank has not likely cycled, so don't add any more fish.

As for water changes, these should be done regularly, once every week, and change 1/3 to 1/2 the tank volume.

Is there some reason you are not using tap water?

charlie1881

I did research I had the names wrong sorry .. Harlaqin rasbora , and cherry barbs . I have 4 of each the rasbora I had confused for lambchops sory for that . I scrolled up and saw the pic and instantly thought "hey thats them " but I checked and Im sure of the names now , sorry again.

charlie1881

As for the water well we just thought it was safer , less chance of having forgein chemicals or unwanted properties.
Charlie

Byron

Shouldn't be a problem from Cherry Barb or Harlequin Rasbora, so we're back to the cycling I suspect.

Unless there is something problematic about your tap water, I would use it. For one thing, it is much cheaper than buying bottled water, and it will be easier to do wsater changes especially if they need to be more frequent as during cycling. Second, there are important minerals in the tap water, depending upon your GH (which we still don't know). Your crushed coral substrate is providing calcium, so that is some benefit with the "pure" bottled water, but other minerals like magnesium are important too. Find out the water data from your supply people, they probably have a website. If you find it and can't figure it out, post the link and I can take a look. This really is rather important.

Do you understand about "cycling" new tanks? How ammonia occurs, is changed into nitrite, and then into nitrate by bacteria?

Byron.