Hi Guys. Advice about a female guppy

That must of been awful Colin. With your incredible knowledge on fish keeping, you should try again. Yes getting someone to look after your guys when you are unable to yourself is a problem.

Quick update. All the other females are doing fine, eating well acting normal. All except the one that had the white sting on Friday. There’s been no more string, she is swimming around. I’m not gonna euthanasia her while she looks happy. I was thinking, the other females would hwve already got it from her by now, so no point in taking her out now to protect the others.

If she starts to show signs like the female that died, I will put her out of her Misery, probably by using the cold water way.

Dropping a tropical fish into ice cold water isn't a nice way. Clove oil and freezing is the easiest. You can buy clove oil from chemist, health food shop and even some supermarkets. You put the fish in a small amount of water, about 1 litre, then add clove oil 1 drop at a time, stir it up and wait a moment then add another drop. When there is enough clove oil in the water the fish will stop swimming and usually roll onto their side. They are not dead at this stage, just unconscious. Then you put the container of water with clove oil and fish into the freezer and leave until frozen solid. Then bury or burn the body.

It is the least messy way to dispose of pet fish and they are unconscious when it happens so is easier on them and you because your not making a mess with them.

Thanks Colin, that is now what I will do if this is necessary. It sounds a lot better than any other way I’ve read.

I am hoping it will not be needed, they are all swimming around lovely ATM. So let’s see what happens.

How long would I have to wait till I can say the females are okay, or add anymore, or put some new plants etc in their tank?

This on the other one that had the white string. She seems very happy atm.

Does she have white edging to the tail and are her dorsal (top) and anal (bottom) fins sticking out when she moves, or close to the body like in the pictures?

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You can add plants anytime because they won't be affected by TB or protozoan infections. However, if you ever move plants out of that tank, you should disinfect them or at least rinse them before putting in another tank. Plants and water can transmit diseases from one tank to another.

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I would wait at least a month after everyone is acting & eating normally before adding more fish. And any fish you do add could become infected as well if it is TB. You have to be aware that if it is TB, it will always be in the tank and any new fish you add could contract it. TB is not a disease like whitespot where you treat it and it's gone. This stuff stays until the tank and everything in it is disinfected.

But if no more fish die, and the sick one recovers completely, then it is most likely a protozoan infection. But you still need to wait at least a month after they are all back to normal.

When she swims they are close in.

They all swimming and eating and no more white strings.

Here is the one that had white strings on Friday. She is all normal now, eating and swimming.

I woke up this morning and to my disbelief I found 3 Fry! I didn’t think any were even pregnant. I was thinking last week that this one might be, this morning she slimmer, so it must of been her.

I have put the other four in a breeding net, cos I was trying to catch the Fry, the orange one in this pic chased one but it got away, I’ve got three and I know there’s one more, but I can’t find it.

I’ve left the mother and the one that had the white string swimming around. I just hope I find this last one before they do.

I got the Fry using this. Excellent thing to use if anyone out there is expecting Fry, just suck them up, put them in your breeding pot. Much better than trapping the mother.

I never thought with all the problems in my female tank I’d see Fry, now what do I do, I can’t ever put these in my big tank, cos the Fry could be affected.

My other Fry are going to need to be split soon, they will be four weeks on Sunday, last thing I want is them breeding.

Dose anyone know how long a Fry can hide, in gravel! It was chased, I can’t keep the four females locked up all day.

don't keep the females locked up in a small enclosure, it stresses them out. And if one is sick with TB or protozoans it won't help the fish. Just let the baby be, if there are hiding places and the adults are well fed, the young should be fine.

I got the last one and let the females out ten minutes after my last post. They seemed okay in there, all four together. I didn’t put the mother in there, or the one that done the white poo. In fact you are right, cos both them that didn’t get put a way swam past the one Fry I couldn’t catch, they didn’t go for it.

I’ve put loads of hiding places in there again now, if she has anymore now, I’ll leave the fry to it.

I have four in the breeding box, they are all eating. Just my luck to have them last night, there was nothing in there for them to hide, cos I wanted to keep my eye on the other six females! The fry were by the heater. She’s only little guppy, but I’m sure she had more, maybe eaten. I’ll never know.

So all the females are swimming around, they are eating and no more white poos! How long would this have to go on before I can consider that tank safe?