Stress is not something that is limited to us humans. Fish get stressed too. In fact, stress is one of the main reasons why fish die prematurely in home aquariums. So, it is important to know how to identify if your guppy fish is stressed and what you can do to help them.
You can identify stressed guppy fish if you pay attention to their behavior and physical appearance. Some common signs of stress in guppy fish are gasping at the surface, disease, lack of color, loss of appetite, erratic swimming, lethargy, glass surfing, etc.
Many factors can cause stress in guppy fish, and the most common ones are poor water conditions, temperature fluctuation, low-quality food, hunger, aggressive tankmates, etc.
In this blog post, we will discuss the signs of stress in your guppy fish, what makes them stressed, and how you can help them relax and feel comfortable again. Thanks for reading!
Do Guppy Fish Get Stress?
Guppy fish is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish for beginners and experienced aquarists. They are relatively easy to care for, and they come in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
Guppy fish are very hardy, which means they can tolerate a wide range of water conditions. However, they are not indestructible, and they can get stressed.
When guppy fish are stressed, they are more susceptible to diseases and infections. You can also identify stressed guppy fish by looking at behavioral changes, such as aggression or lethargy.
How To Identify If My Guppy Fish Is Stressed?
It is necessary to identify when your guppy fish is stressed so that you can take steps to correct the situation and reduce stress.
So, how do you know if your guppy fish is stressed? Here are some common signs that will help you identify stressed guppy fish:
Gasping At The Surface
Yeah, it seems like a no-brainer that fish need oxygen to live. However, when guppy fish are stressed, they swim to the surface more often to take in more oxygen. So if you notice your guppy fish gasping at the water’s surface, it is your sign to change things in the tank.
Disease
When guppy fish are stressed, their immune system is weakened, making them more susceptible to diseases and infections.
Common diseases affecting guppy fish include fin rot, white spot disease, and velvet disease. In addition, if you notice your guppy fish scratching themselves on rocks or decorations, it could signify a skin infection.
Lack Of Color
Guppy fish are famous for their vibrant colors. So, if you see your guppy fish losing color, it is a sign of stress. The loss of color is due to several reasons, such as poor water conditions, temperature fluctuation, low-quality food, hunger, and aggressive tankmates.
If you see your guppy fish losing color, the first thing you should do is check the water parameters. If there is something wrong with water quality or living conditions, their colors will fade. Therefore, a loss of color signifies stress in guppy fish.
Loss Of Appetite
Another sign that your guppy fish is stressed is when they stop eating. If you notice that your guppy fish is no longer interested in food, it’s a sign that something is wrong.
Several reasons your guppy fish might lose their appetite include poor water conditions, illness, or stress. If you notice that your guppy fish isn’t eating, try to identify the cause and address it immediately.
Once you’ve determined the cause of the loss of appetite, there are several things you can do to help your guppy fish start eating again.
Erratic Swimming
If you notice that your guppy fish is swimming erratically, it’s a sign of a problem. Guppy fish have graceful swimming, so if you notice them darting around the tank or bumping into things, it’s a clear sign to notify you to change something in the tank pronto.
Lethargy
Lethargy is when your guppy fish stops being active and floats around the tank. Guppy fish are usually very active creatures, so something is wrong if all activities stop almost immediately.
Glass Surfing
Another sign of stress in guppy fish is glass surfing. Guppy fish will swim to the top of the tank and float there as if trying to escape it. If you notice your guppy fish doing this, it’s a sign that you need to change something in their environment.
Excessive Hiding
Guppy fish usually like exploring their tank and being out in the open. So if you notice your guppy fish hiding more than usual, think again about the things that are going south in the tank. Guppy fish will hide if they’re feeling threatened or if they’re not comfortable in their environment.
Constantly Chasing Other Fish
Guppy fish are usually very peaceful creatures, but if they’re constantly chasing other fish around the tank, it’s a sign that something is wrong. This behavior is usually a result of stress or aggression.
Fin Deterioration
If you notice that your guppy fish’s fins are starting to deteriorate, it’s a sign that they’re stressed. Fin deterioration is usually a result of poor water conditions or aggression from other fish.
Rubbing Against Gravel Or Decorations
This is usually a sign that they are not happy with their current environment and are trying to find a way to escape. If you notice this behavior, it’s important to try and figure out what’s causing it.
If you notice your guppy fish rubbing against the gravel or decorations in the tank, do something immediately.
This behavior is usually a result of poor water conditions or an imbalance in the water, so it is not rocket science to figure out what you need to do..
What Makes Guppy Fish Stressed?
Well, what doesn’t make guppy fish stressed? In all seriousness, several things can stress out your guppy fish.
I will talk about some of the most common causes of stress in guppy fish with a proper explanation.
Poor Water Condition
One of the main reasons your guppy fish is stressed is due to poor water conditions. Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are poisonous to fish and can cause stress. Make sure you test your water regularly and keep it clean by doing regular water changes.
Temperature Fluctuation
One of the main things that can stress out your guppy fish is temperature fluctuations. Your guppy fish are tropical animals and prefer a water temperature between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the temperature in their tank gets too low, they will become sluggish and may even stop eating. On the other hand, a sudden drop in temperature can also cause them to go into shock and die.
If the temperature in their tank gets too high, they will become overheated and may also start eating more than they should. They may also start gasping for air at the surface of the water. Overheating can also cause them to die.
Low-Quality Food
Another thing that can stress out your guppy fish is low-quality food. If you are not feeding them a good quality diet, they may not be getting all the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
This can lead to them being more susceptible to disease and stress. Therefore, it is important to feed guppies a good quality diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
Hunger
You guppies cannot live more than two weeks without food, so if they are not getting enough to eat, they will start to stress out. Symptoms of hunger include a loss of appetite, lethargy, and a decrease in color. If you think they are hungry, you should feed guppies a small amount of food several times a day.
Aggressive Tankmates
Another thing that can stress out your guppy fish is aggressive tankmates. If you have other fish in your tank picking on them or chasing them, it can be very stressful.
This can lead to them losing their appetite, becoming more lethargic, and a loss of color. If you have aggressive tankmates, you should remove them from the tank or get a larger tank so your guppies can have more space.
New Tank Environment
It can get very stressful for them if they just got your guppy fish and are in a new environment. It is important to give them time to adjust to their new home and ensure they have everything they need.
You should provide them with a good quality diet, a comfortable water temperature, and compatible tankmates.
Overcrowding
If your guppy fish are overcrowded, they do not have enough space to swim or get the food they need; thus the lingering stress.
Overcrowding can also lead to aggressive behavior from other fish. If your guppy fish are overcrowded, you should either get a larger tank or remove some of the fish.
Overfeeding
If you are overfeeding your guppy fish, it can be very stressful for them. This is because they may not be able to get the food they need, and they may start to fight with each other.
If you are overfeeding your guppy fish, you should reduce the food you give them or feed them more often.
Improper Tank Placement
If your guppy fish tank is not in a good location, it can get very stressful for them. This is because they might face direct sunlight (harmful and toxic) and deal with the water getting too hot and too cold along with the circadian cycle.
If you think your guppy fish tank is not in a good location, you should move it to a better location or get a larger tank.
Illness
Okay, tell me, who doesn’t get stressed when sick? Your guppy fish are no different. If they are sick, it can be very stressful for them. This is because they cannot get the food they need, and they may start to fight with each other. If you think your guppy fish is sick, you should take them to the vet and have them checked out.
Low Oxygen Level
If you notice your guppy gasping at the water’s surface, it’s a sign that they’re not getting enough oxygen. To help them, you can do a water change and add an air stone to increase the oxygen level in their tank.
How To Help Your Stressed Guppy Fish?
If only we had the magic wand or a genie in a bottle to help us with our stressed guppy fish, but we don’t. So what do we do? We can start by trying to understand what makes them stressed in the first place. Once we know that, we can try to fix the problem and help our little fish friend feel better.
There are many things that you can do to destress a guppy fish. Let’s discuss the solutions one by one:
Maintain Optimum Water Parameters
This is the most important thing you can do to help your guppy fish. Ensure the water temperature is between 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit, the pH is between six and eight, and the nitrates are below 20ppm. You can use a water testing kit to check these parameters.
Get A Heater
If the water in your tank is too cold, it can stress out your guppy fish. A heater will help maintain a constant temperature in the tank and make your fish happy. And please remember to check its condition from time to time and never leave it unattended.
Get A Filter
A filter will help keep the water clean and free of toxins that can stress your guppy fish. However, it is also important to regularly clean the filter so that it can continue to do its job properly.
You need to install a proper filtration system and keep it clean so your guppy fish has a stress-free environment.
A filter will also help keep the water temperature stable, another important factor in keeping your guppy fish healthy and happy.
Perform Water Change
It is important to do a water change at least once a week to remove any toxins that may have built up in the water. This will help to keep your guppy fish healthy and stress-free. You should also vacuum the gravel and clean the decorations in the tank so that there is no build-up of toxins.
Choose Compatible Tankmates And Remove Incompatible Ones
One of the main reasons that guppy fish become stressed is because of aggression from other tank mates. Choosing compatible tank mates is important so your guppy fish can live in peace.
If you notice that another fish is harassing your guppy fish, removing the aggressor from the tank is important so that your guppy fish can have a stress-free environment.
Rather than adding some aggressive, territorial fish, get some snails for guppies if you really want to add another aquatic being to the tank.
Some of the best tank mates for guppies are other peaceful fish such as mollies, platies, and swordtails. Also, you can keep shrimp in the guppy tank as they are not aggressive and will not stress out your guppy fish.
Or, just go with a group of guppies! But maintain the male to female ratio, as it is also an aggressor.
Add Plants And Decorations
Adding plants and decorations to the tank will help to create a more natural environment for your guppy fish. In addition, this will help reduce your guppy fish’s stress levels as they will have hiding places and plenty of places to explore.
It is also important to ensure that the plants and decorations are safe for your guppy fish and will not cause any harm.
Feed Them Good Food
One of the main reasons that guppy fish become stressed is because they are not getting enough food. Therefore, it is important to feed them good quality food so that they can get all of the nutrients that they need.
Maintaining a proper feeding schedule is also important, so your guppy fish are not over or underfed. You should also avoid feeding them food high in ammonia, which can cause stress.
Guppies are omnivores that will happily munch on anything you give them. But a diet rich in plant matter is essential to their health.
A healthy guppy diet consists of:
- Live food such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, and daphnia.
- Frozen food such as Mysis shrimp, krill, and glass worms.
- Vegetables such as zucchini, spinach, and peas.
You can also give them pellets and flakes, but ensure they are high quality and do not contain any fillers or chemicals.
Maintain A Proper Feeding Schedule
Maintaining a proper feeding schedule is important, so you don’t over or under-feed your guppy fish. For example, it would help if you fed them small meals twice a day to get all the nutrients they need.
It is also important to avoid feeding them food high in ammonia as this can cause stress. And only drop a small amount of food that guppies can eat within 2 minutes.
Get A Larger Tank
It is important to get a larger tank because they need more space to swim and explore. A larger tank will also help keep the water parameters stable, which is another important factor in keeping your guppy fish healthy and happy.
It would help if you also considered getting a second filter for your larger tank to maintain the proper water quality.
Maintain Gallon Per Fish Ratio
Maintaining a gallon per fish ratio is important when you have guppy fish. This means you should only have one guppy fish for every two to three gallons of water.
If you have more than one guppy fish, it is important to get a larger tank so that they can have enough space to swim and explore.
Get An Air Pump Or Air Stone
Getting an air pump or air stone for your guppy fish tank is also important. This is because they need oxygenated water to stay healthy and happy.
An air stone will also help keep the water parameters stable, which is another important factor in keeping your guppy fish healthy and happy.
Can Stress Kill Your Guppies?
Yes, stress can kill your guppy fish. This is why it is so important to identify the signs of stress and take action to reduce the stress levels in your guppy fish and should take action to help them.
This includes getting a larger tank, adding plants and decorations, maintaining a proper feeding schedule, and getting an air pump or stone.
By taking these steps, you can help reduce the stress levels in your guppy fish and keep them healthy and happy.
Conclusion
Guppy fish is a very popular type of fish to keep as pets. They are easy to care for, and they are very beautiful to look at. However, guppy fish can become stressed very easily.
It is important to identify the signs of stress in your guppy fish so that you can take action to help them. By taking these steps, you can help reduce the stress levels in your guppy fish and keep them healthy and happy. Thanks for reading! I hope this helped! 🙂
Do you have any questions or comments? Please leave them below! 🙂
Good Luck!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!!
