Fish Swimming Tail Down

[SJKS]

Hey guys,
I have a yellow guppy that is swimming with it's tail very low down and seems to sink a lot. It also seems to gave gone a bit paler in colour (it was yellow and pearly and now just very pale). The guppy's tail also seems to be very tatty recently (as does the other yellow guppy, but he seems fine) and I don't think he's eating as much. I have had the tank for 5 months (and this was one of the first fish to go in it back then), I have checked the water quality (GH,PH,KH,NO2&NO3) and all is correct there. The tank has another 9 fish that all seem healthy -4 more guppies, 3 sword tails (I got these when they were 1 week old - now a few months), an algae eater and a clown loach (the newest fish - have had for about a month). 
I'm very sorry for how long the post is, just wanted to be sure I have covered everything! I really would love to know what's wrong with him and if there's anything I can do to help him. Thank you!!

 

[Blondielovesfish]

How big is the tank?

What are the exact readings?

 

[fm1978]

Actually, your post isn't long enough! 

 
We need a bit more info than that to help, I'm afraid... As Blondie says, tank size and exact readings are a must. You haven't mentioned Ammonia (NH3/NH4) so we'd need to know that one as well.
 
Tank size is also vital, especially since you have a clown loach in there, which is a shoaling fish and grows to over a foot long. 
 
In general, when your fish starts to pale it means there's definitely something quite wrong. It could be stress, it could be infection or any number of horrible things. A picture would help a lot, too. It could have been bumped by another fish and have internal injuries...it could be anything. That's why we need a bit more specific detail!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Have to agree with the guys in previous posts. The devil's in the details really.
Answering a few basic questions will help us to help you.

1- tank size
2- ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH readings
3- what test kit do you use? i.e API liquid kit, salifert, strip dip tests etc
4- regular water changes- once a week or more
5- percentage of water changes and do you dechlorinate tap water?
6- do you regularly clean filter media? If so, how and how often.
7- any new additions to tank (you already mention a new loach) how about plants, wood, ornaments?
8- and finally stocking of your tank (you already mention 9 fish) shrimps, snails other inverts?

All of these questions will greatly help if you could answer with much details as possible.

These question are not meant to be patronising or demeaning in any way, shape or form, answers to those are essential to enable us to work out what's happening in your tank.

Edit: you mention an algae eater, what species is it? Chinese Algae Eater? Oto?

 

[SJKS]

 Hi,
My tank is rather small 19 litres - I know much too small for 10 fish, but the clown loach and sword tails will be going to a family friend once too large for the tank.
I use Api 5 in 1 test strips (didn't notice that they didn't do amonia NH3/4 so I'm guessing I will need to buy some of those!) The readings are PH 7.0, NO2 0, NO3 20, KH 120, GH 120.
I usually do a 10-20% change but this week I did about 40% as there was a lot of algae lower down and I needed to be able to reach it to clean it. When adding new water I use Interpet Bioactive Tapsafe. I don't specifically clean the filter, I would usually just swish it around in some of the water I had removed when I did the partial water change to get rid of some of the muck.
I have no other animals in the tank, the clown loach was added to deal with a snail infestation which is solved now. And no new plants (don't know if important but all my plants are real) or ornaments since I first stocked the tank (worried about them bringing more snails in!!)
As for photos I can't figure out how to add one here (maybe someone can tell me for next time) so for now I will post some somewhere else and just link you to them.
This is the guppy pic.twitter.com/HmpioW8EBU and pic.twitter.com/gNtRu0eMO6 as you'll be able to see his tail is really rather tatty.
And I don't know what species the Algae eater is so here are some pics of her too, pic.twitter.com/zDsQVZzrS6 and pic.twitter.com/5v2rYEo5fB and pic.twitter.com/gkXaZQI258
Thank you!!

 

[Ch4rlie]

19 litres & 10 fish 

 
Oh boy!
 
ok, first off, your tank is already way too small for the clown and swords tails, and the Pleco (your algae eater) rehome them now, do not wait any longer.
 
You might be just about ok with 5 guppies but still a bit too small though
 
Here's a link for nano Tanks fish stocking to help you with stocking for small tanks....
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/418749-nano-fish/
 
Get rid of the strip test kit, unreliable.
Try and get API Freshwater Master Test Kit, this is a liquid test kit, much better and fine for beginners.
 
Increase water changes up to 40% every week, too many fish for such a small tank, until you re-home swordtails, loach and pleco, asap, then once these have gone, you can reduce water changes to 25% per week.
 
Don't swish the whole filter in tank water, just leave that and only very gently squeeze in old tank water filter sponge media (half at most) when the flow from filter gets reduced.
 
If you are worried about pest snails, you can get a Assassin snail, much better for a 19 litre tank and do not have much bioload they will eat and help control pest snail population.
 
You can also get some Red Cherry Shrimps, they will help a bit with your algae, again, fine for 19 litre tank and not a lot of bioload.
 
Plants are beneficial to a tank but you do not have to have them if you do not want live plants. Easy plants to care for are java moss, java fern and anubias.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

 Hi,
My tank is rather small 19 litres - I know much too small for 10 fish, but the clown loach and sword tails will be going to a family friend once too large for the tank.
I use Api 5 in 1 test strips (didn't notice that they didn't do amonia NH3/4 so I'm guessing I will need to buy some of those!) The readings are PH 7.0, NO2 0, NO3 20, KH 120, GH 120.
I usually do a 10-20% change but this week I did about 40% as there was a lot of algae lower down and I needed to be able to reach it to clean it. When adding new water I use Interpet Bioactive Tapsafe. I don't specifically clean the filter, I would usually just swish it around in some of the water I had removed when I did the partial water change to get rid of some of the muck.
I have no other animals in the tank, the clown loach was added to deal with a snail infestation which is solved now. And no new plants (don't know if important but all my plants are real) or ornaments since I first stocked the tank (worried about them bringing more snails in!!)
As for photos I can't figure out how to add one here (maybe someone can tell me for next time) so for now I will post some somewhere else and just link you to them.
This is the guppy pic.twitter.com/HmpioW8EBU and pic.twitter.com/gNtRu0eMO6 as you'll be able to see his tail is really rather tatty.
And I don't know what species the Algae eater is so here are some pics of her too, pic.twitter.com/zDsQVZzrS6 and pic.twitter.com/5v2rYEo5fB and pic.twitter.com/gkXaZQI258
Thank you!!

 
You need to rehome those fish ASAP, unfortunately.
 
Your algae eater is a Bristlenose Pleco, which needs a tank of at least 75 litres, you will need to rehome her (I think it is a her, since it doesn't have any bristles).
Your clown loach needs to be rehomed ASAP, s/he will get to around a foot long and needs to be in a school. They need 100G tanks.
Swordtails are too aggressive and big for your tank, you need to rehome soon.
You have too many guppies for your tank size, the most you could have is 3. You can either rehome all of them or rehome some and keep the others.
Your other option to rehoming would be getting a bigger tank.
 
Is there anything in your tank that could have ripped your Guppies fins?
 
As Ch4rlie said, it would be best if you could get a liquid test kit, like API's Master Test Kit. Liquid test kits are much more accurate, compared to test strips.

 

[SJKS]

Hi,
Okay first of all I know the tank is too small for the number of fish and that I will have to rehome the loach and swordtails soon (the pleco is not being rehomed she is my favourite and in my opinion at the moment still an okay size for the tank). But at the moment I can't rehome them as the tank they will move into just had babies and won't take any when one is sick (got to protect her own fish first). I wish I could just get a bigger tank and keep them all but sadly I don't have enough space (or the money) for one that would be okay for them all.
 
As for testing the water I have almost run out of the test strips and will most likely get the liquid tests next time round - the test strips came with the tank. Also I had the water tested at my local pet shop (they test it free) and they said it was perfect quality.
 
Finally (not to be rude but..) I made this post asking about my sick guppy and we seem to have strayed - which I guess doesn't matter much now anyway as I think he is definitely done for (he was at the bottom of the tank this morning, still breathing and moving his pectoral fins but he can't swim) - he's now in a bag in the water to keep him comfy and make sure the other fish in the tank leave him alone. On close inspection of him when I put him in the bag I'm pretty sure it is fin rot as his dorsal fin also looks extremely tatty - the tail also looks much worse than last night.
 
Thanks
 
P.s Blondielovesfish I really hope you're right and that the pleco is a girl or it can't be too happy with its name!! (She's called Lois after a friend).

 

[Blondielovesfish]

I'm sorry to hear he is not doing so well, I hope he makes a recovery!
 
Sorry that we strayed, when we see bad stocking, we can't help to butt in  
As long as you are aware of the needs of the fish, then we have done our job
 
When your petshop tested the water, did you get the exact results? 
Sometimes petshops will lie, saying everything is perfect when it isn't which is why it is always best to ask for the exact results.
 
Lois is a lovely name, if it develops long bristles then it will sadly be a he, but if it only develops little or no bristles, it will be a she

 

[SJKS]

Sadly my guppy died during the day (I guess one less fish to overstock my tank 

 ). I hope Lois stays as a she. The pet shop didn't tell me the readings (I didn't actually think to ask) but usually they're the opposite - say it's not good so you need to buy stuff to sort it!And I have learnt my lesson - stock tank well or fishforums people will tell me off!!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Not so much as telling you off, please don't think that way.
 
We care for the tank stocking more than anything else so if we believe fish, snails or inverts are suffering, then yes we WILL say something but generally we usually give decent advice and suggestions.
 
Am sorry your guppy has passed and am very sorry for straying from your original question.
 
You are right though, do research and ask on this forum first if you need advice or are unsure, have doubts about anything. 
We are always happy to help when we can 

 

[Blondielovesfish]

sorry to hear that.