Female Guppy's Tail Turning Red, Having Trouble Swimming

[fry_forever!]

Hey guys. Last week, a lady brought in a bunch of guppies into the store that I volunteer at that she bred herself. I brought a couple home, but I noticed they weren't super active. I had a male in with them. I got a little suspicious, so I tested the water, but it turned out to be fine.
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm
Ph - 7.5

I just thought that maybe they were shy, because my QT tank is close to the ground, and constant foosteps in and out of the room could stress them out. But I was looking at them again today, and to my horror, one of them had a completely red tail! She couldn't move it! The other (and the male) was perfectly fine, but this one female has got me really worried. They are in the 4.5 gallon QT tank right now, along with a couple BN plecs, but I'm wondering if I should take the female with the rotted tail out? She's still eating, and I have started them immediately on some anti-bacterial medicated food. (Which claims to help external bacterial infections, such as fin rot) I've never really had a bacterial problem before, so I am kind of scared to treat with some water-borne meds.

Here are some pics...

(Healthy one is in front, sick one in back)

The sick one's tail. Hopefully you can make it out.... Sorry for the lousy pics, that was the best I could get, the sick fish keeps hiding behind the filter.

Thanks in advance,

-f_f!

 

[WILDER]

It sounds like septicemia. hard to cure once it advances.
Done the right thing feeding medicated food.
Any red streaking or red edging to the tail.
Once guppys tail start to rot and lose half of the tail, the guppy rarely makes it.


What the body weight like on the guppys, do they look bloated or thin.

Septicemia



Symptoms:

Fish may have reddening at fin bases, blood streaks throughout the fins and body, small hemorrhages around the eyes. Dull listless behavior and lack of appetite may also be present.



Cause:

Systemic bacterial infection caused by various bacteria, including Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Vibrio. The illness is often brought on by poor water quality or as a result of parasitic infestations or other infections. These bacteria enter the blood stream and circulate through the tissues causing inflammation and damage. Inflamed blood vessels in the skin and at fin bases stand out. Blood vessel and heart tissue damage cause hemorrhaging and consequently leakage of body fluids into the abdomen, which may lead to Dropsy.



Treatment:

Water conditions must be improved for all fish in the tank, regardless of how many fish are infected. Check your water�s Treat with Kanacyn or Tetracycline as well as with a medicated food if the fish will eat. If parasites are suspected, all the fish in the tank should be treated with antiparasitic medication. Using salt to help restore osmotic balance might be helpful.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

It sounds like septicemia. hard to cure once it advances.
Done the right thing feeding medicated food.
Any red streaking or red edging to the tail.
Once guppys tail start to rot and lose half of the tail, the guppy rarely makes it.


What the body weight like on the guppys, do they look bloated or thin.

Septicemia



Symptoms:

Fish may have reddening at fin bases, blood streaks throughout the fins and body, small hemorrhages around the eyes. Dull listless behavior and lack of appetite may also be present.



Cause:

Systemic bacterial infection caused by various bacteria, including Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Vibrio. The illness is often brought on by poor water quality or as a result of parasitic infestations or other infections. These bacteria enter the blood stream and circulate through the tissues causing inflammation and damage. Inflamed blood vessels in the skin and at fin bases stand out. Blood vessel and heart tissue damage cause hemorrhaging and consequently leakage of body fluids into the abdomen, which may lead to Dropsy.



Treatment:

Water conditions must be improved for all fish in the tank, regardless of how many fish are infected. Check your water�s Treat with Kanacyn or Tetracycline as well as with a medicated food if the fish will eat. If parasites are suspected, all the fish in the tank should be treated with antiparasitic medication. Using salt to help restore osmotic balance might be helpful.

I often find this bloody fin streaking in my goldfish and also found that it (normally) happens in tanks where I've (knowingly) been overfeeding for a while.... which of course fits in perfectly with what Wilder is saying..... Bacteriological infection... (in my case) due to overfeeding.... Just check on the amounts you are feeding as well.

 

[fry_forever!]

Thanks guys. Your description, Wilder, sounds exactly right. And it makes sense, too. I know the store I got her from was not the best for water quality & fish health. The tank they are in right now is a 4.5 gallon QT tank, and the water stats are as follows:
0ppm ammonia
0ppm nitrite
10ppm nitrate
7.5 ph

They are still eating. The female that I took the pics of just dropped a load of fry, around 30. It looks like her fins are turning kind of white...?

Thanks,

-f_f!

 

[WILDER]

Keep feeding the medicated food.

Can you issolate the fry if there in the tank with the medicated food.

 

[fry_forever!]

The female's not really eating anymore. She's deteriorating. The rest of the fish are eating though.

I have the fry in a 10 gallon tank, I can supplement some medicated food into their diet. Will the fry have contracted the infection from their mother? They seem okay, so far....

The mother's fins are turning all white now, as well as her body.... Her tail fin also has a couple small red specks on it. I don't think she'll last much longer.... I just hope she doesn't give it to the other fish or her fry.

Thanks,

-f_f!

Poor girl already looks like she's dead.

The fry.


I also treated with some parasite meds, because I noticed them flashing and clamping their fins.

 

[WILDER]

I wouldn't medicate the fry if there nothing wrong with them. Plus fry should only be treated with meds at half dosw, due to only being babys.

It's best to issolate fish with septicemia, as the bacteria from the fish can enter the tank.
Keep doing water changes.

If she really in a bad way and suffering, it would be kinder to end her misery.

 

[fry_forever!]

Unfortunately, she didn't make it. I isolated her into a small tank, treated with some anti-bacterial meds, she died within a couple minutes. I guess the move was too stressful for her.

I'm worried that the fry are going to catch it or something.... They definitely caught the parasites from their mom, because they are flashing from time to time.... Should I treat this at a half dose? They are still eating and everything... And I don't see any marks on their bodies or anything.

Thanks for the help,

f_f!

 

[WILDER]

Not sure if you can use the full dose with fry.
Contact member laurafrog, she treated fry for internal parasites.

 

[fry_forever!]

I treated with a half dose, and they are doing better now, at least a little. They had fairly clamped fins before - now they aren't as clamped if at all. The other female dumped a load of fry, now I have 60+.

Thanks kindly for all the help,

-f_f!

 

[WILDER]

Keep an eye on water stats as that's alot of fry.
How many gallons is the tank the fry are in.

 

[fry_forever!]

The tank is only 10 gallons, but I have another two 10 gallon tanks if need be. A couple of the fry died already - not sure why, but they rest are still eating and everything.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Keep an eye on water stats as that alot of fry for a 10 gal.

 

[fry_forever!]

Yes, will do. I also do almost daily 10% water changes. The tank has been established for 2 years.

 

[WILDER]

Ok. That's fine.
Good luck with the fry.