dying guppies

Question
tank set up for 10months. 60litres. have 6 neons, 1 dwarf plecy, 2 rosey tetras 3 platy's and 2 male guppies. fluval 2 filter. no amnonia or nitrite very low nitrate ph 7.5. am unable to keep guppies they just keep dying look fine one day eating well dead the next. on examination look perfect. none of the other fish affected. as a rule only tend to last about a month except for 1 guppy that i've had for six months. driving me nuts, help!

Answer
Hi Syd;

There may be some of your fish that don't like them, or the guppies in your area are just weak. I've had batches upon batches of guppies that would come in from wholesalers and just die one by one. Usually it was from hot weather, but sometimes just unexplained like it was from genetic weakness or something.

It could also be the temperature of your tank. Guppies like water a bit in the cool side. Or, it might just be that something in the water chemistry doesn't suit them. I had tanks in the store that wouldn't support certain species of fish. Even though the same dilligent care was taken in all the tanks, and the water changes from the same source, certain tanks wouldn't support livebearers, or tetras or whatever.... It happens sometimes.

You might get another tank and set it up with no heater and just keep guppies in there. Make sure you have at least 2 females per male. Males want to breed all the time and will kill females by wearing them out. Put in lots of live plants for babies and they should feel right at home. Worth a try anyway.

Followups welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

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