Why are my guppies hiding and my shrimp dying in the tank?

unfortunately it is really common that fish are sold when they are already sick. I would be concerned the one hiding has a respiratory infection or possible fungal disease like fin rot. You can try and medicate the water with over the counter anti fungals. However I would recommend trying to take them to a fish specialist to get better medications due to having to treat both of them. If one continues to get sicker I would recommend placing it in its own tank.

Check the water chemistry and water temperature. If it is a new tank, it may not be properly cycled and could be undergoing and ammonia or nitrite spike. Either can drive fish to the surface or to one area of the tank. Submit a water sample for testing or use a liquid master test kit at home. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 40 ppm or less. Water temp should be in the mid 70s F. Perform a partial water change (30%) if necessary to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched o prevent stress or shock. Survey the area around the tank to rule out negative stimuli such as bright/direct light or loud noises/vibrations. These can also stress fish and cause them to move as far away as possible. Make sure the tank is large enough to support 8 guppies. Overcrowding can cause stress and aggression. Lastly, provide plenty of cover in the form of live or artificial plants. Guppies prefer cover and guppy fry (babies) need it or they will get eaten.

Thanks for your question about your fish, and congratulations on your new family members! I didn't see how recently the tank was set up, but there are a couple of things that could be going on. I would start by checking your water quality - any abnormalities in water quality can make fish have abnormal behaviors, and the water looks a bit murky in the photos you provided. There may be parameters that need to be addressed depending on what you find. If you do not have a water quality kit, they can be purchased at the pet store or an aquarium store, or you can take a sample of your water in for evaluation to these places as well. Some will charge a small fee for this service, just so you are prepared. Also, with recent tank set ups, it can be stressful for fish as they are in a new habitat. I would recommend keeping the light on for only a few hours per day to start, as the bright lights can be shocking for them (since fish don't have eyelids). Gradually you can increase the length of time that the lights are on so that you reach a cycle of 10-12 hours of light and 12-14 hours of darkness for them. I hope this gives you a place to start, and I wish you and your mom the best with the new pets!

Thanks for reaching out about Gilger. Sorry for your loss. My thoughts are that Gilger was weak and ill, and became stuck under the rock. Causes of this range from water quality problems to viral infections, but water testing and a necropsy are the only ways to come to a conclusion. Test the water quality for pH, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Good luck.

It may be fin rot. This can develop due to poor water quality or infection. Use a home test kit to test chemistry. You can also submit a water sample for testing. Most pet stores or aquarists will do this for free or for a nominal fee. Correct any imbalances via partial water changes and/or chemical treatment. Adjust water flow to decrease current strength to aid in healing. A broad spectrum antibiotic, such as minocycline or erythromycin, can be used to treat infection. You can buy one at most pet stores. Follow label directions.

Loss of color in fish can be a sign of severe stress. Stress can be brought on by disease, poor water quality, over cleaning the tank (too frequent or too large water changes), over aggressive fish, poor or inadequate nutrition, being moved, over crowding, and a host of other situations. I recommend that you start by reviewing your water quality and tank environment. How are your water parameters? Review how often you do water changes and how much water you change at one time. How much are feeding? Could you be over or under feeding your fish? Is there a bully fish in your tank - a fish that chases or aggresses against other fish. Are the number of fish in your tank suitable for the size of the tank? Look for signs of disease. Fish can suffer from bacterial, viral, fungal, protozoal, and parasitic infections, but not all species of fish suffer from the same illnesses. You can find charts of fish diseases in books or on the web to help you narrow down what illnesses might be affecting your fish. Treatment of disease will be based on determining what type of organism is making your fish ill. To prevent illness in fish, maintain high water quality, avoid over crowding your tank, and quarantine new fish before introducting them to your tank.

Thanks for reaching out about your aquarium and including photos. Did you test your water quality prior to the water change? Continue to test for pH, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Pristine water quality is needed for health. Are any of the fish new, that could have introduced parasites? Itching/flashing can be due to water quality, external parasites, bacterial or viral infections and other causes. The white lesions on the photo could be fungal infections. A skin scrape and examination under the microscope (at a veterinarian's office) is needed for an attempt to determine a cause. Fungal infections are often secondary problems, so check water quality first. Good luck.