Guppys Missing Tails Due To Nasty Fish!

Hi all! 
 
 
I have two beautiful guppys (I believe they're males; they have huge tails!) which I've had for about a month now, (my first fish) along with two sunset platys, a tiny pleco and a yoyo loach. I recently (stupidly..) added a Betta.. Let me explain..
I had heard all about the bad idea of mixing guppys and fighters together due to the tails, but I went into a solid fish store (not a commercial one like Pets at Home, who tend to sell you anything!) and whilst buying the Loach (for snail infestation) I enquired about the Fighter.. I said what I had heard and read and I was told, by this manager it seemed, that they should get along fine as they tend to keep themselves to themselves. So happy days right? Literally two days later, I wake up and everyone is fine, get home from work and my poor fish have had their tails chopped. (Pictures included). Its heartbreaking
 
After all that rambling my question is.. will they recover? and can I help at all? They're currently swimming at the top of the tank, with the platys, which is what they did when I first added them into the tank (so I think it's stress related - I can add some StressZyme if necessary..). I have fed them, and they're eating so that's a good sign?
 
The picture I've included is for the worse fish of the two, the other one has only been slightly attacked. 
 
Just so you all know, I have returned the Betta fish as soon as I noticed this issue. 
 
Also, my Loach is hiding behind my main tank.. I have a built in filter system and there's a small hole between the back board of my tank and where the pump sits (which is where the pump shoots out the air to move the water around).. the Loach has got himself in their and hasn't bothered coming back out.. whereas my Guppys go in and out freely.. is this anything to worry about? Should I move him back myself or leave him to make his own way out? 
 
Sorry for the rambling

Thanks in advance! 
 
Jenny. 

How big is your tank & what loach did you get? Most loaches are social fish & should be kept in groups, I would also not recommend getting any fish to solve a snail problem especially if you can't house them properly once the snails are down to a manageable level.

Lillefishy said:

What loach did you get? Most loaches are social fish & should be kept in groups, I would also not recommend getting any fish to solve a snail problem especially if you can't house them properly once the snails are down to a manageable level.

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Yoyo Loach? He's black and white.  I did ask if I needed more than one and was told (albeit by the same person who said yes to a betta..) that one would be fine on it's own.. 
 
 
My tank is only 22L.. and yes, I told this to the manager also.. He said Clown Loaches are best but would grow too big so a Yoyo Loach is better as they grow half the size. 

Your tank is far too small for yoyo loach, it may only grow to half the size of a clown loach but that's still a potentially 5-6" fish.
I would return it to the Lfs if I were you they gave you bad advice.
The guppy tails should grow back if it was only the fin that was torn, keep the water pristine & watch for any signs of infection

Lillefishy said:

Your tank is far too small for yoyo loach, it may only grow to half the size of a clown loach but that's still a potentially 5-6" fish.
I would return it to the Lfs if I were you they gave you bad advice.
The guppy tails should grow back if it was only the fin that was torn, keep the water pristine & watch for any signs of infection

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Okay, I'll call them in the morning and see if that's a possibility; I'm sure if the advice they gave me about the Betta was that obvious the idea for the Loach was just as simple! Idiots! 
 
In regards to the Loach hanging out the back of the tank, should I just leave him be for now? If I can return him I'll be doing that tomorrow though.

If you have a snail problem in a 22ltr tank the best option for you may be Assassin Snails. I have some in both my 25ltr tanks and they have done an amazing job

Paradise3 said:

If you have a snail problem in a 22ltr tank the best option for you may be Assassin Snails. I have some in both my 25ltr tanks and they have done an amazing job

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I did consider this, but I'm not sure anywhere near me stocks them! 

You can buy assassin snails on ebay and have them posted to you

Difficult as it may be, resist future impulse purchases.  Write down the names of any fish suggested, then return home and ask on here, and check the fish profile on seriouslyfish.com

Freedom said:

Difficult as it may be, resist future impulse purchases.  Write down the names of any fish suggested, then return home and ask on here, and check the fish profile on seriouslyfish.com

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I needed a fish for my snails, I did research on it and the Loach did come up so it wasn't impluse as such.. the Betta definately was an impluse after he said it'd be okay; I should have gone with my head over my heart though! 

I hate to be negative but along with returning the loach I would return your pleco and the platies as the tank is not large enough for them.
What type of pleco is it? if you don't know you can post a pic and someone should be able to ID it for you.

Ninjouzata said:

I hate to be negative but along with returning the loach I would return your pleco and the platies as the tank is not large enough for them.
What type of pleco is it? if you don't know you can post a pic and someone should be able to ID it for you.

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Pics below. He's brown with tiny white spots; about an inch long; I am aware they grow big, my other half has agreed to rehome him into his 200L tank when he gets bigger. They're not very good pictures; the first one is when I first got him, about 2 weeks ago, he hasn't grown since, and the second is where he currently is.. along with the Loach; this is back of the tank. 
 
I've also posted pictures of my Platys; I got them along with the Guppies; and I looked into it; all the info about smaller tanks such as a 22L that I've found online say Platys should be fine? At this rate, It'll be a guppy only tank! Or I'll be getting a bigger tank!! 
 
In the third pic you can see the hole they get through to the back of the tank.. any ideas on how to "block" this?
 
 
 
 

 

 
 

Sorry I'm not quite seeing where the hole is! My only thought at the moment is craft mesh for blocking it.
 
From what I've read and heard from people who keep them, platies need a 15g (56l?) tank. HERE is more info on that. It's up to you what to do ofcourse.
I personally would get a bigger tank, I'm sure the guppies would like the extra room too.
 
Can you get a picture of the top of the pleco? I am just trying to see if it's a BN or a common or what.
I imagine some with more experience could tell from the belly pic but I can't I wouldn't keep it for long in that size tank, maybe a week until your friend can take him.
 
That plant with the white on it looks like a draecana which is not aquatic so you might want to remove it before it starts to rot. I don't understand why LFS sell them
 
Sorry again for being negative, I'd just rather you have this info now rather than later.

Ninjouzata said:

Sorry I'm not quite seeing where the hole is! My only thought at the moment is craft mesh for blocking it.
 
From what I've read and heard from people who keep them, platies need a 15g (56l?) tank. HERE is more info on that. It's up to you what to do ofcourse.
I personally would get a bigger tank, I'm sure the guppies would like the extra room too.
 
Can you get a picture of the top of the pleco? I am just trying to see if it's a BN or a common or what.
I imagine some with more experience could tell from the belly pic but I can't I wouldn't keep it for long in that size tank, maybe a week until your friend can take him.
 
That plant with the white on it looks like a draecana which is not aquatic so you might want to remove it before it starts to rot. I don't understand why LFS sell them
 
Sorry again for being negative, I'd just rather you have this info now rather than later.

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Thanks for the information. I'm looking into getting a bigger tank. But that will have to wait until the guppies are stronger.

Bare with me while I try to upload a photo of the pleco, I'm on my phone and apparently pictures are too big.

Bad news though: the guppy who hadn't been attacked as much has lost some of his tail over the last 24hrs. Where he pretty much had a full tail with the top missing its now very frayed all over. His top fin is too. Is it possible he has an infection or maybe stress related? They're both eating well and swimming about more than they were when it this all happened.
Picture

Is it similar to the other guppies tails? It would be good to check the water parameters (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) if you havn't already.
A picture would be good as well but I know you're having trouble. Have you tried uploading to photobucket and then linking the pictures here?