Emergency: My guppy is fading!

[Foliuma]

My guppy has been losing color over the past few days, and now it's almost transparent. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Tank is a 10 gallon with a sponge filter, kept at 78F. It's planted with Java fern and Anubias. What could be causing this?

[angelica]

Sounds like stress or possibly internal parasites. Have you noticed any changes in its behavior, like rubbing against objects or erratic swimming? Also, how often do you do water changes, and what's your feeding routine like?

[craggy]

My guppy has been losing color over the past few days, and now it's almost transparent. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Tank is a 10 gallon with a sponge filter, kept at 78F. It's planted with Java fern and Anubias. What could be causing this?

I've seen this before with guppies. It's often due to poor diet or stress from tankmates. What are you feeding, and who else is in the tank?

[brookflow]

Dang, that's rough. I had a guppy do the same thing once, turned out it was just old age. How long have you had this little dude? Also, what kinda substrate you got in there?

[carina]

I'd check for parasites first. Try treating with Metroplex if you can. Also, make sure the tank isn't too crowded. Guppies need space to chill, or they get stressed easy. What's the stocking like?

[Astralix]

The transparency suggests a possible bacterial infection or severe stress. Test your water hardness and pH as well. Guppies prefer harder water, and sudden changes can cause fading. What's your pH and GH?

[Seabuddy]

Yo, my guppy did this once after I moved the tank. Freaked me out! Turned out it was just the light being too bright. You mess with the lighting lately? Maybe dim it a bit and see if that helps.

[Kalevo]

I agree with checking the diet. Maybe try some live food like brine shrimp. My guppies love that stuff. Also, how often do you clean the filter? A dirty filter can mess with the water quality even if the params look good.

[Foliuma]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try treating for parasites and adjusting the lighting. I feed them flakes and occasional bloodworms, and the tank has sand substrate. There are 5 other guppies and a few shrimp in there.

[angelica]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try treating for parasites and adjusting the lighting. I feed them flakes and occasional bloodworms, and the tank has sand substrate. There are 5 other guppies and a few shrimp in there.

That sounds like a good plan. Also, consider adding some Indian almond leaves. They release tannins that can help reduce stress and boost immunity.