# Help! Guppies are losing colours!



## guppyfish29 (Feb 6, 2017)

Hello everyone, I m here to ask for some advise. I had recently got a new 10gallon tank to replace my old 2 gallon one, but ever since I put my 3 guppies in they had been looking sick and sad which led to my only pregnant one dying. I thought it was because she was stressed and the two males kept chasing her around, so it was natural for her to die of stress eventually. However, my other two males seem to be losing their colour! Help I don't want them to die too..


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## aussieJJDude (Jun 9, 2012)

Does it have a filter?
Did you add conditioner?
Did you move the filter from the old tank to the new one?
Did you wash everything before adding it to the system?
Temperature of the tank?


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## guppyfish29 (Feb 6, 2017)

I did wash the decor, tank and plants before putting my fish in. However I did not condition the water before putting fish in oh no is this all because of chlorine in the water? Thanks for all help aussie


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

Could be chlorine but most of that will go away after 24 hours or so.

To me the two biggest causes for fish to low color are stress and temperature. If the water is in the mid 70s it should be fine failing that I would assume it is the cycle issue.


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## guppyfish29 (Feb 6, 2017)

Thank you for all help guys my guppies are looking way better after I changed the water for a few days. All tips to take care of fish is appreciated since I m quite new.


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## aussieJJDude (Jun 9, 2012)

It could be things like heavy metals and chloramine, which is far more damaging to fish than chlorine as they don't break down (as readily). I'd suggest getting a dechlorinator that removes all chlorine, chloramine and heavy metals from your water making it safe for your fish.


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## frankx101 (Feb 17, 2017)

If you use water conditioners it will help, but remember to remove the carbon from your filter before you do so. Otherwise you will filter out the conditioners. Try to match the water temperature next time also.


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## aussieJJDude (Jun 9, 2012)

I've never heard of carbon "filtering out" the conditioners out of the water... May I ask, where exactly have you heard this?


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Yes I've never heard such a claim before either, and I've heard allllllllll sorts of claims made about carbon. I have never seen such a warning on the conditioner bottles I've used. If yours says to remove the carbon, you should change conditioners....

Just so you know frank, the activated carbon does not adsorb everything in the water - only things with a strong affinity for the carbons receptor sites.


Stress and temperature were mentioned and are good things to go to for lack of color, but I've also found fishs colors change throughout the day. Of course the thing we don't want it to be is a pathological cause....


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