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Distressed/Stressed Guppy

Discussion in 'Fish Diseases & Cures' started by Anonymous, Feb 20, 2009.

  1. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Hi all,

    I introduced myself here
    <a class="postlink" href="http://theexoticfish.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1483" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://theexoticfish.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1483</a>

    First, thank you to all of you who helped me with the set up.
    Second, thank you to the rest of you who are gonna be helping me in future. Yeah, I'll definitely need help.

    Anyways, I got 8 guppies yesternite. 3 males and 5 females. They were all okay when introduced into the water. However, 3 hours or so later, I saw that one female was staying away from the group. Again in the morning I saw the same thing happen. This time I noticed that her fin on the right was missing (i think) and she was kinda swimming in circles. An hour later she laid on the gravel near a rock. I did notice that she was flapping her left fins and saw her breathing. I called Big Als, the store where I bought her and asked what to do. I told them I suspected a nipped fin and that she is laying down. They told me it would be a good idea to move her to another small tank and that she might be pregnant. The thing is...she seems like the smallest of all the females. What should I do? Shoot me with ideas.

    Also, out of the 3 males, there is one that is too active. He seems to be chasing around all the females all the time...and sometimes even chases males. I think he might have caused the nipping and am planning to separate him too. Do yo all think it is a good idea? Lemme know.

    I'll post some pictures of my tank tonight. It looks so great that I wish I could dive in and take a dip :D

    Cheers
     
  2. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    Also, can someone tell me how often I should make water changes to the main tank and how much quantity. Thanks.
     
  3. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    What are your water parameters ? Mainly pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate ?
     
  4. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    I didn't check pH but I did check the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels before introducing the fish and they were perfect. The rest of the fishes are doing great though.
     
  5. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    You must test the water while the fish are in there. Your tank is likely cycling (unless you used old media) so ammonia and nitrite are likely to be in the water causing harm to your fish. You must do DAILY water changes to keep the levels down.

    Edit: A clamped fin can mean it was nipped/injured but it can at times be a sign of illness.
     
  6. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    I don't have the name of the thing I used but will let you know when I get home. I used a chemical kind of a thing that would speed up the cycling process. I poured about 240 ml of it ( a whole bottle of it ) and let the tank alone for a week. I then tested all the levels and found them to be perfect. Only then did I get the fishes.

    Okay, I plan to change 1/3rd of the tanks water everyday. Is that okay? and for how long should I do this everyday thing?

    If the levels are bad, how is it that the rest of the fishes are doing good?
     
  7. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    Perfect also is not a number.... Other than that I second Anthony 100%
     
  8. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    When you tested before introducing the fish, did you have a nitrAte reading ?

    That should be fine. You'll want to continue to do it until you have no ammonia and nitrite reading and you begin to show nitrate.

    Look at my edit in my previous post.
     
  9. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    It could also be acclimation stress.... Sometimes takes a day or 2 for the tank to level out (socially)
     
  10. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    The nitrAte reading I believe was 25. It was in the safe zone mentioned in the kit (I have noted it down in a book and will post the readings for sure when I get home)

    I will test for all again when I get home in a couple of hours.

    Also, would it be a good idea to separate that female guppy? She is not being attacked by any and was just lying down when I left home. Should I leave er in the tank to get acclimated or should I quarantine her just in case she doesn't spread any illness..?

    Thanks.
     
  11. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    Also, is there a way to treat nipped fins? how long do they take to grow back?
     
  12. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    Treating nipped fins: Keep the water quality high and wait... as long as they are not nipped to nothing, they should grow back
     
  13. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    Okies. Ty so much!
     
  14. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    I recently had a female Endler completely lose her tail fin somehow. I treated the tank with MelaFix a few times and to my surprise it's growing back.
     
  15. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    Yeah, MelaFix and Fu-Ba Fix would do it, honestly though that would be for a severe case. I figured this particular case it probably would not need anything (why med fish if you dont have to?)
     
  16. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    Also, you should add more females to prevent them from being stressed by the males (especially the more hyper one). I'd suggest 3 females to each male..or even more! That or do an all male tank especially since they are the ones with all the color.
     
  17. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    I agree. If I remember correctly I had 1 male to 5 females when I kept Guppies.
     
  18. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    2 dead!

    It was initially 3 males to 5 females, but now its down to 3 males to 3 females!!!! 2 gals died!

    By the time I came home, the fish I had mentioned previously in this post had died. I then changed the water and fed them. I checked for ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. All the readings were normal and as mentioned in the guide test booklet.

    Before heading to bed, I checked the reading at about 1 am just in case and following were the results:
    Ammonia NH3 = 0PPM
    Nitrite NO2 = 0PPM
    Nitrate NO3 = BETWEEN 0 TO 1 PPM
    PH = approximately 7.3

    The temperature when I fell asleep was 75.9 F and the temperature in the morning was 75.1 F.

    When I was scanning the tank in the morning, I found one missing. I then looked all over the tank for about 15 mins when I found a female dead on the gravel.

    Please tell me what to do. I have lost 2 fishes in 2 days. Both them being females is kinda fishy. When I picked her up from the tank, I saw that her body was kinda black! Is that a sign for something???
    Please do help!
     
  19. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Re: 2 dead!

    I also didn't notice any sign of distress. They were all happily swimming when I hit the sack yesternite.
     
  20. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Re: Guppy in distress!

    Ah, now knowing knowing/remember they were guppies (sorry about the brain fart)...Were the bellies predom. black in color/ distended in appearance?
    They may have just been over pregnant if their were no signs of tail being jagged, white specks like grains of salt on the body, eyes being clouded, cotton appearing on the body/mouth area.
    Guppies are sensitive to stress too...it could even be from a over zealous male chasing to mate.
    Make sure to ALWAYS keep your male to female ratio low. YOU should have at least 2-3 females per male at minimum.
    Also, temp I use for mine is about 76-77F