Why is My Guppy Sitting On Bottom Of Tank?

You may be worried to see the guppy fish sitting at the bottom of the fish tank. There can be many reasons behind this. But they mostly sit at the bottom due to pregnancy or aquarium issues.

Female guppies often seem to move at the bottom during their pregnancy, and they do not want any disturbance while giving birth to the fry.

They may also feel stressed due to improper maintenance of the tank, noisy environments, poor quality of water, or being disturbed by other aggressive fishes, which make them settle at the bottom of the tank.

Article Contents

4 Reasons Why New Guppy Sitting On Bottom Of Tank

There can be many reasons behind the new guppy fish fitting at the bottom of the fish tank. Let us look at all the reasons that might make them settle down in the tank:

Pregnancy and labor are two big reasons behind the new guppy sitting at the tank’s bottom. When she is more likely to give birth to a guppy fry, she would usually settle below the tank to avoid any disturbance. The probability of pregnancy is high when you keep female and male guppies together. It is essential to separate the fry from the adult guppies, as the adults may get eaten.
Another reason behind this behavior is stress. When your guppy fish get disturbed by noises in the environment or feel threatened and disturbed by other fish, they may attempt to go to the bottom of the tank.
Poor water quality can also make them settle down, making them lazy and prone to illness. Hence it is essential to cycle the tank first and then place all the fish.
Poor compatibility is also a big reason why guppies can be seen sitting at the bottom of the tank.

5 Reasons Why Male Guppy Sitting On Bottom Of Tank

Though there can be many reasons why your male guppy is found sitting at the bottom of the tank, let us discuss all the possible causes and the respective solutions:

One of the common reasons behind your male guppies seated at the bottom is the poor quality of water. The ammonia levels in the water can be toxic to the guppies and cause serious health issues. It is recommended to keep the ammonia levels below 0.30 ppm. Acidic water can cause various skin problems in them. Nitrate levels harm their immune system and make them prone to many diseases.
Unsuitable and unstable temperatures can also increase the stress levels in guppies. They usually prefer living in temperatures ranging from 73 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lack of oxygen often makes them breathe heavily and may make them settle at the bottom of the tank in search of oxygen. Tanks lacking proper aeration often lead to lower oxygen levels.
Noisy and disturbing tank environments often make them go at the bottom. Aggressive fishes often pose a threat to their survival and may also cause damage to their fins. Also, they settle at the bottom when they have nowhere to hide.
Many infectious diseases (like the swim bladder diseases) can cause difficulty in swimming and may pay at the bottom of the fish tank.

How Can You Tell If A Guppy Is Stressed?

Many factors can lead to increased stress levels in your guppies. If you can see your puppy sitting at the bottom of the fish tank, it is likely to be stressed. First of all, poor water quality can make them stressed and invite many other ailments. Secondly, putting them in the wrong and unstable temperature conditions can make them highly stressed.

Insufficient oxygen supply may make them go down in search of oxygenated areas. Also, guppies may want to settle down at a calmer place due to other aggressive species, which makes them sit at the bottom of the tank.

Is It Normal For Guppies To Sit At Bottom Of The Tank?

No, guppies do not lay at the bottom of the tank unless they are stressed or feeling unwell. Most female guppies can settle at the base during their pregnancy as they do not want any disturbance while giving birth to guppy fry. They also settle down when they feel stressed.

Some of the factors that cause stress in these guppies include unfavorable and noisy tank environments or the presence of too many fishes in the tank. They may also feel stressed when threatened by large and aggressive fish species.

Poor water quality may also lead to increased stress levels in these guppies, making them settle at the bottom. Another reason why your guppy may go at the bottom is that they are ill and can not breathe or swim properly.

What To Do When Guppy Sitting On Bottom Of Tank?

When you find your guppy laying at the bottom of the tank, you should first look at the factors and symptoms that may make them settle down and then take the following steps to resolve this issue:

If you notice a female guppy with an expanded belly, understand that they want to give birth to a fry that made them settle at the bottom of the tank. This is not a big issue, and the only thing you can do here is separate the fry from other fishes so that they do not get eaten by the adults.
Noisy tank environments can also make them settle down. You should avoid overstocking fish in the tank (as that may lower the oxygen levels) and ensure that other aggressive species are not chasing them.
Poor quality of water can also make them go down at the bottom. It is important to cycle your tank before putting the fish in the aquarium. Adding some live plants to the aquarium also helps improve water quality. You may also need a filter to clear out the waste and a heater to maintain a stable temperature.
It would be best to choose fishes that can be compatible with guppies. Aggressive species may cause serious injury to your guppies and may make them settle at the bottom of the tank.

5 Reasons Why Pregnant Guppy Sitting On Bottom Of Tank

There can be many reasons why pregnant guppies may be sitting at the bottom of the tank. Some of these reasons are:

Pregnant guppies look for a comfortable place to give birth to the guppy fry. They often find the bottom of the tank suitable for giving birth and can be seen there to avoid disturbances of all kinds.
The female guppy might also get provoked by the male guppies, which makes them settle at the bottom of the fish tank. Also, they might get intimidated by other aggressive species causing them to settle down.
Pregnant guppies may also be stressed due to many factors like poor quality of water, noisy environments, overstocking the fish, lousy tank mates, and insufficient oxygen supply, which make them search for a peaceful place to give birth to the guppy fry.
The pregnant guppy might also be feeling sick, which makes them lethargic and unable to swim.
Another reason why the pregnant guppy might be settling at the bottom is due to ammonia poisoning. This happens when the ammonia levels in the tank get considerably high ( mainly because the ammonia levels are not checked, and water is not changed regularly).

How Do You Know When A Guppy Is Going To Give Birth?

It can be pretty easy to determine when a female guppy is about to give birth. You can notice an expanded belly with an angular shape in the female guppies, which often indicates that they will give birth.

Also, when you notice the female guppies hiding behind the plants or settling at the corner or bottom of the fish tank, this indicates that they are about to give birth. You will mostly see them separate from other fishes when giving birth. It is also essential to separate the female guppies and keep them in a breeding box to protect the fry from being eaten.

Summary

Whenever you notice the guppies sitting at the bottom of the fish tank, note that this is not normal behavior, and it indicates that there is something wrong. Female guppies often settle down during pregnancy as they do not want to get disturbed while giving birth. Also, the male guppies may upset them and cause them to settle at the bottom.

Stress can be another reason why the guppy can be seen moving at the bottom of the tank. Several factors that may cause stress in the guppies are:

Poor tank environments.
Poor water quality.
Aggressive tank mates.
A disease.
Lack of oxygen supply in the tank.

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