Help! - My Guppy Died - Advice Needed Quickly!

[Mr Bee]

I posted this earlier in the Livebearer section, but I'm also posting here as I would like a rapid reply and advice.....


This is my other thread ----> click



Basically, one of my 3 guppies looked poorly this morning, swollen belly, and just hanging at surface of water, not really swimming properly or moving much.


Now (I am at work at the moment) my wife has just phoned to say he looks like he's died...


I'm wondering if it was dropsy? He was fine last night, and first thing in morning.


Its a well established tank, with good stats (ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate ~20ppm), all other fish are (at the moment!) fine.....

How could he have caught this?
Is it likely all others have caught it (neons and guppies)?
How can I cure/treat/prevent this in my other fish in the tank?
How can I prevent this in future?

Right now, I'm worried about the possible effects on my other fish, and how I can prevent it, and what meds I should use.

Should I medicate NOW as a preventative action? - what do you recommend?

 

[Mr Bee]

Small update.....


I told the missus to remove the dead guppy from the tank, and she said he might be alive. His gills are moving, but he cant actually move his body or swim.


I told her to isolate him in another container with tank water (I don't have a hospital tank) - is this the right thing, to seperate him from the others?

It doesn't sound good though, if all he can do is breathe, and not move - is it best to put him out of his misery? - but what's the most humane way?


Also, what meds should I use for protecting the other fish? I have some Pimafix already at home, is this the right med, or should I wait til tomorrow and get Melafix or Interpet No.9 (don't know which is best for dropsy)???

 

[Mr Bee]

Just reading through the A-Z of diseases on this forum, there's a mention of excessive sodium chloride causing dropsy.

I have recently added a nitra-zorb pouch to reduce nitrate levels, and I'd also read that because nitrazorb recharges with a salt solution, it may reduce nitrate by displacing it with sodium chloride.


Soooo......putting these together, do you think that the use of the Nitra-zorb pouch could have caused or contributed to the dropsy in my Guppy (I'm still assuming it was dropsy)??

If I use an antibacterial med as prevention for the rest of the tank, is it safe to add it for neons and guppies if they are not yet displaying symptoms - I dont want to overdose them or anything!?!?!?!



Sorry, I know I keep posting lots of questions, but I really really dont want to lose any more fish, and want to do whats best to look after their health!

 

[WILDER]

Dropsy only passes onto other fish if they peck at the dead body of the fish, they why it's best to issolate them.
Dropsy is a build of fluids and causes organ failure.
Have you noticed any of your fish with long stringy white poo.

 

[Mr Bee]

Well, he was isolated from the tank last night, but then he still died

Went down to check on him about midnight, and he was definately dead by then.

Here he was in the tank earlier, just floated around at the surface like this:

I took a few pics after he had died, to see if it can shed any light on what happened:

You can sort of see the yellow and black colouration in the tail end of the body, which he didn't have when he was well, is this an indication of anything (i've read about 'black stripes' - is that what this is?) or indicate what happened?


I had not seen any stringy white poo, just normal poo!

I'm worried about what could have caused it though, as I said tank water stats are good, not overfed (and I use good quality food), 20-25% water change every week......what more can I do?!


I've removed carbon and added some Pimafix as I assumed if it was a bacterial infection, it would be better to treat others before anything happens, and prevent an infection taking hold.........was this right or wrong?

 

[pangalaticgargleblaster]

given the pictures and your description of the problem, I'm thinking an internal bacterial problem.

 

[LRPRESTO]

what does the stringy white poo mean??