[Tryingtolearn]

Through much trial and error I managed to set up at 5 gallon tank with three guppies. I have had them there for over a year. I decided to upgrade to a 20 gallon tank. A friend gave me their filter Aqua-Tech 20-40. I set up the new tank, added gravel from my other tank and even moved one of my older filters from the older tank into the new one. I let that run for three days. Then I did a water change and added some of the water from my guppy tank into the new tank (about 2 gallons). I waited another 24 hours and did a water test. Everything looked fine. I moved my guppies in yesterday. This morning one was dead when I woke up and the other didn't last too much longer. The third one looked great and was swimming all around the tank, but now he too is just at the top of the tank not really swimming. I did another ammonia test and it is at 0. Anything else that I can do? I'd like to add zebra danios to the tank, but need to figure out what happened to the guppies first! Silly me thought the guppies would be fine in the new tank considering all of the measures I have taken (I also added quick start to the tank as well as I have done with my guppy tank in the past) and I emptied the guppy tank, so I can't move him back now. . . .

 

[1077]

Through much trial and error I managed to set up at 5 gallon tank with three guppies. I have had them there for over a year. I decided to upgrade to a 20 gallon tank. A friend gave me their filter Aqua-Tech 20-40. I set up the new tank, added gravel from my other tank and even moved one of my older filters from the older tank into the new one. I let that run for three days. Then I did a water change and added some of the water from my guppy tank into the new tank (about 2 gallons). I waited another 24 hours and did a water test. Everything looked fine. I moved my guppies in yesterday. This morning one was dead when I woke up and the other didn't last too much longer. The third one looked great and was swimming all around the tank, but now he too is just at the top of the tank not really swimming. I did another ammonia test and it is at 0. Anything else that I can do? I'd like to add zebra danios to the tank, but need to figure out what happened to the guppies first! Silly me thought the guppies would be fine in the new tank considering all of the measures I have taken (I also added quick start to the tank as well as I have done with my guppy tank in the past) and I emptied the guppy tank, so I can't move him back now. . . .

I would not expect three guppies in 20 gallon's to cause rise in ammonia level's with,or without the borrowed media,filter,from old tank unless....they were seriously over fed .
Could you have forgotten to add dechlorinator after water change? Could you have introduced something to the tank that may have been on your hand's,or from bucket's maybe used for something other than fish tank?
What was temp in old tank? what is temp in 20 gal?(sudden changes in temp,pH,can have negative effect)
Were it me,, I would perform maybe 50% water change with dechlorinator such as PRIME and just observe the lone guppy (hope he makes it).
If after a week ,,the fish is still alive,,then maybe consider setting up the 5 gal for quarantine tank and stocking the 20 gal slowly with a few fish at a time after two week's quarantine.

 

[Tryingtolearn]

I did use API Tap Water Conditioner, which is what I had used with the previous five gallon tank. The temperature is pretty much the same - 76 in the 5 gallon and now 78 in this one. Could those two degrees cause such a difference? I did a 50% water change just now. He doesn't look so well. I didn't feed them until today (they have been in this tank less than 24 hours!) and this last little guy ate. Fed less than I normally did in their 5 gallon. I'm wondering if this filter is causing too much of a current in the tank and they are just getting tired? With the last one that died he kept getting sucked to the intake and would them swim away, it happened about three times. This one hasn't been stuck to it, but I noticed that last night they didn't "rest" on the bottom like the normally did, instead they swam all night. At least that's my guess for now. I had a small air stone in the 5 gallon and I moved it to this tank, but ended up turning it off because it seemed like there were always fighting the current. How can I reduce the filter flow?

 

[henningc]

What kind of filter are you using, make and modle? I know you said no ammo in water, and chlorine or chloriamine are threats, but have you tested the nitrates and nitrites? This may be the issue. When you tranfered your filter media, was it allowed to go without water / air flow for more than 30 min? If high levels of bacteria are in the media and it doesn't get oxygen then that could cause issues. When bacteria die in mass they leave behind some nasty substances.

 

[moghedan]

Even without a filter, I doubt 3 guppies could turn the water in a 20 gallon toxic in a month, much less overnight.

Aquariums are amazingly stable environments, temperature wise. Fish routinely experience swings of up to 10 degree F in the fish without ill effects simply because it started raining... much less other environmental factors.

A lot of current can be trouble with guppies, especially males, as they have so much extra fin baggage. However, they do not die from swimming overnight. Some air pumps and HOB filters have flow controls; some do not. An easy way to fix a current issue is to place something in the path of the return near the water line. For some, this is a large rock or decoration. For others, a quick trip to the petstore can acquire a "turtle leaf", a plastic decoration designed to stick to the wall of an aquarium (or have an adjustable boom" that allows semi aquatic animals a place to rest above the water line. You can use it to break up water flow. Finally, those with a little bit of arts and crafts can take a small piece of plastic divider and wrap it around the top of the filter and through the flow. The water then flows to either side at the waterline, breaking up the current.





Your most likely cause for trouble is that a contaminant was in the new tank, something you put in the new tank, your hands, the water, or the vessel used to transport the water to the tank. Continue with water changes. If the problem persists, the source of contamination is still inside the tank.