Once, when I was a beginner, I saw my guppy still in the middle of the tank with no movement whatsoever. I was new to fishkeeping, and this incident made me question many things. And I tried everything to make them move again, but I failed, and when I knew what to do, it was too late. Sadly, I lost my guppy because I couldn’t figure out the problem sooner. Are you facing the same thing? Did your pet stop moving all of a sudden? So, you are probably curious about the cause and problem. So, why is your Guppy Fish not moving?
The reasons why your guppy fish is not moving or staying still are they are new to the tank and still adjusting or that they are under stress. Injuries and attacks from tank mates, improper temperature, sleep schedule, illness, anxiety, shock, etc., are a few other possibilities that can make your fish stay still in the tank. Or your guppy is dead, and you missed the signs and signals of your dying fish.
If your guppy is not moving, it’s important to figure out why and take steps to fix the problem. You can change the water, remove aggressive tank mates, treat their injuries and wounds, have patience, drop food, get a heater, and much more.
In this article, we will discuss eleven potential reasons why your guppy fish is not moving and how to solve the issue.
Have some patience and read this article till the end. Trust me; it will only get helpful and informative after each paragraph.
Is It Normal For Guppy Fish To Stop Moving In The Tank?
No, it’s not normal for guppy fish to stop moving in the tank. Something is wrong if your guppy is floating at the top of the tank or has stopped swimming around.
There are various reasons why your guppy fish might not be moving, so make sure to investigate before you jump to conclusions.
You should also know whether your guppy fish is dead or just not moving. If your guppy is floating upside down or turned white, it’s most likely dead. However, if your guppy is just lying near rocks or drifting to the bottom of the tank, it might just get its beauty sleep.
Why Is My Guppy Fish Not Moving?
It is scary when you notice your guppy fish is not moving around like it normally does. You might think something is wrong with your fish, but there are actually many reasons why a guppy might not be as active as usual.
I will discuss all the reasons below and what you can do to help your fish start moving again.
New Tank
Your guppy might not be moving because it is in a new tank. It takes time for fish to adjust to a new environment, and they usually spend the first few days hiding.
When fish are introduced to a new environment, they often become stressed and stop moving around. If your guppy is in a new tank, give it some time to adjust before you start worrying.
Stress
It is one of the main reasons why your guppy fish may not be moving. When they’re first introduced to a new tank, guppies may be stressed out by the change in environment and hide away.
This is perfectly normal behavior and nothing to worry about – give them some time to adjust, and they’ll start swimming around again soon enough.
If you’ve had your guppy fish for a while and suddenly stop moving, it may be due to stress from other factors such as aggressive guppy tankmates or changes in water conditions.
In these cases, you’ll need to take measures to reduce their stress levels before they start moving again.
Sleeping
Guppy fish sleep up to 6 to 8 hours per day. They usually do this at night when the water is calm, but sleeping guppies just look like your normal guppy but calmer. So if it is not moving and you see your guppy resting on the bottom of the tank or floating near the surface, it’s probably just sleeping.
Injuries
If your guppy fish has been injured, it may not move much to avoid further injury. Common injuries include bites from other fish, scratches on their fins, and damage to their scales.
If you think your guppy has been injured, check for visible wounds and treat them accordingly. You can find more information on how to do this in our article on treating common guppy fish injuries.
Attacks And Ambush From Tankmates
Another reason your guppy fish may not be moving is that it’s being attacked or ambushed by its tankmates. This is most likely to happen if you have larger, more aggressive fish in the same tank.
You’ll need to remove the aggressor fish from the tank to stop this from happening. You can also try adding more hiding places and plants, so your guppy has somewhere to go to escape an attack.
Improper Temperature
If the water in your tank is too cold or too hot, your guppy fish may not be moving because it’s uncomfortable. The ideal temperature for a guppy tank is between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can check the temperature of your tank with a thermometer and adjust it as needed. If the water is too cold, you’ll need a heater to raise the temperature. If it’s too hot, you’ll need to add some ice cubes or a fan to cool it down.
Anxiety Or Shock
Your guppy fish may not be moving because it’s anxious or in shock. This can happen if there’s a sudden change in the tank, like a new piece of furniture being added, or the water quality is poor.
To reduce anxiety and stress, you should keep the tank as stable as possible. Don’t make sudden changes, and keep the water clean and well-filtered.
Pregnancy
Another reason why your guppy fish may not be moving is that it’s pregnant. When a guppy is pregnant, it’s called “gravid.”
Gravid guppies tend to spend more time at the bottom of the tank and may not be as active as usual.
If you think your guppy is pregnant, you should provide it with plenty of hiding places and plants. You should also avoid moving the tank too much, as this can stress the fish out.
Improper Tank Placement
Your guppy fish may not be moving because it’s not comfortable in its tank. This can happen if the tank is too small or in a place with too much light or noise.
To fix this, you should ensure the tank is the right size for your guppy. It would help if you also tried to find a quiet, peaceful place for it to live.
Dead
If your guppy fish is not moving and floating at the top of the tank, it’s probably dead. You can check for sure by looking for signs of life like gills moving or fins flapping. Your guppy is probably dead if you don’t see any signs of life.
How To Tempt Guppy Fish To Move?
Now, if your guppy fish is not moving and you want to know how to get them to start swimming again, there are a few things that you can do.
Change Water
You can first try changing the water in the guppy tank. This means doing a water change of at least 25%. This will usually help because it gives them fresh, clean water to swim in. It also might help if the water is too cold or too hot.
If the water in your tank is dirty, it can also cause your guppy to stop moving. You’ll need to do a water change to remove the dirt and debris from the water. Once the water is clean, your guppy should start moving around again.
Treat Their Injuries And Wounds
If your guppy fish has injuries or wounds, you must treat them immediately. This is because they can get an infection that will make them sick.
You’ll need to treat their injuries and wounds to help them heal. For example, you can use a q-tip dipped in salt water to clean and heal their wounds.
Remove Aggressive Tankmates
If there are any aggressive fish in the tank, it can cause your guppy to stop moving. This is because they might be attacking your guppy fish, which is why they are not moving.
You’ll need to remove the aggressive fish from the tank so your guppy can feel safe again. Once the aggressive fish are gone, your guppy should start moving around again.
Drop Food
If you’re having trouble getting your guppy to move, one thing you can try is dropping food into the tank. Your omnivores guppies love food more than anything you can think of.
You need to read here to know what to drop in the tank: Guppy Fish Diet.
Food will usually get their attention and cause them to start swimming around. You may need to do this a few times before they start moving on their own.
Drop some brine shrimp, bloodworms, or mosquito larvae for your guppies and see the magic of food, turning them into the most active fish.
I will suggest you read these articles before you drop the above-mentioned food in the tank:
Get A Heater
If the water in your tank is too cold, it can cause your guppy to become sluggish and stop moving. You’ll need to get a heater to raise the temperature of the water. Once the water is warm enough, your guppy should start moving around again.
Have Patience
You also need patience because it might take some time for your guppy fish to start swimming again. They might be scared or hiding at first, but eventually, they will start swimming around again.
If you’ve tried all of the above and your guppy still isn’t moving, the best thing you can do is have patience. Sometimes it takes a while for fish to adjust to their new tank. So give them time, and eventually, they should start moving around again.
How To Know If My Guppy Fish Is Dead Or Just Not Moving?
If you are not sure if your guppy fish is dead or just not moving, there are a few things you can do to find out.
The first thing you can do is check for signs of life. This includes checking for their gills to see if they are moving and looking for their eyes to see if they are open.
If you don’t see any signs of life, the best thing you can do is take them out of the tank and put them in a container of water. They are probably dead if they are floating on the surface with no fin or tail movements.
And, if they sink to the bottom, they might still be alive. You’ll need to put them back in the tank and wait to see if they start moving again.
What To Do With Dead Guppy Fish?
If your guppy fish is dead, the best thing you can do is remove them from the tank. But, first, you’ll need to take them out of the water and put them in a container.
Once they are out of the tank, you can dispose of them however you want. For example, you can either bury them or throw them away.
Why Is My Guppy Sitting On The Bottom Of The Tank?
There are a few reasons your guppy might be sitting on the bottom of the tank. They might be sick. If they are sick, they usually stay at the bottom of the tank because they don’t have the energy to swim around.
These guppies will also go down when the water is too cold. However, if the water is too cold, it can make them sluggish, and they won’t want to move around.
Or, your guppy might be sitting on the bottom of the tank because they are pregnant. Pregnant guppies usually stay at the bottom of the tank because it is safer for them and their babies.
Conclusion
If your guppy fish is not moving, you can do a few things to try and get them to move. You can try changing the water, treating their injuries, removing aggressive tankmates, or dropping food into the tank. If you’ve tried all of these things and your guppy still isn’t moving, the best thing you can do is have patience. Sometimes it takes a while for fish to adjust to their new tank. Give them time, and eventually, they should start moving around again.
Drop any comments or questions below! 🙂
Good Luck!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!!