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guppies acting strangely after new additions to tank

11K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  tanker 
#1 · (Edited)
My 35-litre tank finally finished its cycle so yesterday I got a honey gourami. Already in the tank were 3 guppies. Yesterday the honey was keeping a low profile but today he seems to be quite settled in and is swimming around looking normal. My guppies, on the other hand, have formed a tight group and are hanging around as a group up the top of the tank next to the glass.

I also put in some java moss yesterday.

I tested the water today and there was no ammonia or nitrites. Nitrates were 5. I did a water change anyway.

Any idea what is up with my guppies? Could it be a territorial issue with the gourami (they are supposed to be non-aggressive but maybe I picked out a bully)? Something to do with the java moss? Are they just adjusting to having a new tankmate? Any ideas?

Thanks

Edited to add: Oh, I also swapped the heater for a new one. I've just checked the temperature and it is lower (ie, not the selected temperature), so I've turned the heater up. Maybe they are cold?
 
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#3 ·
Thanks. The honey isn't interacting with them at all because they are keeping well out of his way. Something might have happened in the night that has convinced them to keep away from him.

How long do you think I should allow to see if they'll adjust? A couple of days?
 
#5 ·
I have been watching them. The gourami just seems to be sitting quietly down the bottom and the guppies are huddled up the top. Nobody seems aggressive because they are at opposite ends of the tank. They aren't going near each other. The guppies ate, so I don't think they are sick, just stressed. The gourami doesn't seem to be doing anything to scare them, he's not chasing them or anything like that. I don't know why they have reacted like that. Hopefully they'll relax a bit tomorrow and resume swimming around.
 
#6 ·
my new platies r very very scared. i cant even get next to the tank without them flying all over the place. so maybe they r just settling in.my guppys r picking on them
 
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#7 ·
Yes, they are obviously finding it something that they need to adjust to. It seems strange that they'd have such a response to one little fish. It's not as if I added a school of piranha or anything:lol:

By way of an update, the honey gourami doesn't look at all well today. I wonder if the guppies were staying away from him because he's sick....:-( I've done another water change, I don't know what else to do.
 
#9 ·
At the time of the previous post, "not well" meant sitting immobile and a bit over to one side, not swimming. I rang the fish shop and the guy suggested putting the gourami in a net (in case it was an aggression "thing") and he sat there for most of the day, but when I let him out he just sunk to the bottom and lay on his side. I've put him back in the net, but he's lying on his side and I'm pretty sure he's not going to make it:-(. When he was in the net, the guppies were acting normally, swimming around, and they ate normally. (The gourami didn't eat.)
 
#11 ·
this may work if your still having problems....compleately change the tank afound...this will simulate a new environment for gourami and guppys also this should make them want to explore there "new" enviroment and this will make them meet !...:):):)
 
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