Not so well looking fish

communityfluvalroma · May 9, 2020

Hi,

I need some help with my guppies and nitrate levels.

I have finished a silent cycle recently (readings on Friday were 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 10 nitrate). I carried out a 25% water change on Saturday and introduced 6 guppies to the tank on the same day.

One of my Male guppies is looking like he’s seen better days. He rests above my filter outlets, his back looks crooked (he was like this when we bought him) and his tail condition isn’t looking so great today.

Water readings as of right now are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 40 nitrate. I assume it’s the high levels of nitrate that are causing the issues. If so, how can I improve the water quality? My tap water has high levels of nitrate as well.

seangee · May 9, 2020

That fish is deformed, most likely genetically. You could let it live out its life or take it back and ask for a refund. Best do the latter if you have, or are planning to have females in the tank as the deformity could carry through. I always take some time watching the fish in the shop before buying and select which ones I want.

Retired Viking · May 9, 2020

I do the same as @seangee and spend several minutes watching the fish before I decide which ones I want. I point out each fish to the employee, if you leave it up to the employee you never know what you may end up with.

Metalhead88 · May 9, 2020

I agree that the problem seems to be with the fish and not the water.

While 40ppm nitrate is a little on the high side and should be lowered by water change and plants, it would only do damage over a long period of time.

What are nitrates coming out of the tap?

You should add floating plants to help with nitrates like water sprite or anacharis.

The condition of that guppy does not appear to be something that you can control.

Colin_T · May 9, 2020

It looks like something/ someone has been biting his tail. One of the other males could be bullying him and he is hiding near the surface to avoid the attacks.

Adding more plants should help.

----------------
If guppies every get sick or look off colour, do the following:
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Add 2 heaped tablespoons of rock salt, sea salt, or swimming pool salt for every 20 litres (5 gallons) of tank water. Keep the salt in the tank for 2 weeks.

Metalhead88 · May 9, 2020

Maybe he is being bullied. I didn't notice that before.

Have you noticed him being picked on?

communityfluvalroma · May 9, 2020

Metalhead88 said:
I agree that the problem seems to be with the fish and not the water.

While 40ppm nitrate is a little on the high side and should be lowered by water change and plants, it would only do damage over a long period of time.

What are nitrates coming out of the tap?

You should add floating plants to help with nitrates like water sprite or anacharis.

The condition of that guppy does not appear to be something that you can control.

Nitrates out of the tap is 40ppm also.

I have both anacharis and water sprite in the tank, so hopefully that’ll help reduce the nitrate.

communityfluvalroma · May 9, 2020

Colin_T said:
It looks like something/ someone has been biting his tail. One of the other males could be bullying him and he is hiding near the surface to avoid the attacks.

Adding more plants should help.

----------------
If guppies every get sick or look off colour, do the following:
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Add 2 heaped tablespoons of rock salt, sea salt, or swimming pool salt for every 20 litres (5 gallons) of tank water. Keep the salt in the tank for 2 weeks.

He is the only Male in the tank. Unless it’s possible that females could do and would bully him, I’m not sure.

communityfluvalroma · May 9, 2020

He’s certainly improved, I think I was probably being dramatic and a bit over protective because they’re my first fish in my one and only tank.

I have a Fluval 306 external filter on the tank. The water flow is set quite high to help with oxygen levels. I wonder if the water flow is too high and he swam behind the flow itself to escape it? Is that possible? Should I lower the flow?

communityfluvalroma · May 9, 2020

seangee said:
That fish is deformed, most likely genetically. You could let it live out its life or take it back and ask for a refund. Best do the latter if you have, or are planning to have females in the tank as the deformity could carry through. I always take some time watching the fish in the shop before buying and select which ones I want.

I did pick him out personally. I didn’t notice the crookedness in the shop haha. Probably down to my crooked eyesight making him look straight!!

Tez_20 · May 9, 2020

communityfluvalroma said:
He is the only Male in the tank. Unless it’s possible that females could do and would bully him, I’m not sure.

Do a water change as it will help lower the nitrate and both my hot and cold taps hold nitrate but not high, as you need to get that nitrate down and he is deformed but as long as he seems fine in body otherwise to me he's doing no harm unless your going to breed, then it's a totally different matter plus keep a check on his tail because sometimes nipping of the tail can lead to fin rot. If your able to add extra oxygen that would help till your nitrate drops.

communityfluvalroma · May 9, 2020

Tez_20 said:
Do a water change as it will help lower the nitrate and both my hot and cold taps hold nitrate but not high, as you need to get that nitrate down and he is deformed but as long as he seems fine in body otherwise to me he's doing no harm unless your going to breed, then it's a totally different matter plus keep a check on his tail because sometimes nipping of the tail can lead to fin rot. If your able to add extra oxygen that would help till your nitrate drops.

Even if the nitrate in my tap water is 40ppm? Which is identical to the tank at the moment. I’ve turned up the water flow from the filter to increase the oxygen. I will keep an eye on him. I do think I overreacted, he’s been fine all evening, eating fine and swimming around the tank with the rest of the fish.

Appreciate the responses as always.

Tez_20 · May 10, 2020

communityfluvalroma said:
Even if the nitrate in my tap water is 40ppm? Which is identical to the tank at the moment. I’ve turned up the water flow from the filter to increase the oxygen. I will keep an eye on him. I do think I overreacted, he’s been fine all evening, eating fine and swimming around the tank with the rest of the fish.

Appreciate the responses as always.

As long as you have a dechlorinator for you water then i wouldn't worry to much as sometimes just over feeding can rise it. Nice to hear he's swimming around fine :good:

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