I Think My Female Guppy Is Sick

[Akasha72]

Hi,

I have a female guppy that is so incredibly fat and getting fatter,she's been this way for months now. She's not pregnant as there is no squaring off happening and recently her spine has started to bend. She looks like a hunchback.

I thought she was just a greedy pig but tonight I've noticed a clear-ish lump protruding from her bottom. She's spending a lot of time at the top of the tank in corners.

I wondered if anyone could advise me. I can post a picture if it's needed

Thanks

 

[LucyB]

Dropsy? Are any of her scales sticking out? Pics please

 

[Akasha72]

no scales sticking out so it's not dropsy. I lost a platy to dropsy 4 months ago so I know what it looks like.

I'll see if I can get a pic of her. It may help. I'm wondering if she's got some kind of tumour but I don't know how those things work with fish.

She is old. I've had her over 6 months and she was full grown when I got her. She could well be over a year old

 

[Neptune54]

A picture would be great, if you could get one. It could be a bacterial infection or something like that, but I've never dealt with it so I don't really know what it looks like except for pictures.

 

[Akasha72]

pictures...

This is bad quality but it shows just how swollen she looks

This one show's how bent her spine is looking

You can just make out the clear lump protruding from her bottom in this picture

Opinions please as I really have no idea if she's just a pig or if she's ill with something that could affect the rest of the tank

 

[Neptune54]

I have a book on fancy guppies, and there's a part about their chest swelling. "Another condition that sometime affects guppies, particularly males, is a condition where the chest area swells. This is usually caused by fatty deposits within the body cavity itself. In some cases it will develop to the point where the chest actually splits open, causing death. A very rich diet seems to be the culprit. Once the fish reach a certain point it seems irreversible. They continue to remain active until they die, and it doesn't at all seem to be contagious, but it is a good idea to remove any dead fish as soon as you notice them." Aquarium Care of Fancy Guppies. Stan Shubel is the author.

 

[Akasha72]

okay, that's helpful Neptune. It sounds like that maybe what she has. I keep looking at her and thinking that if she swells anymore she's gonna burst open.
Hearing that now has me wondering if I should get the clove oil out now and save her what sounds like a horrible death

 

[Rox]

Hi there, I have the same thing with my female guppy, she is incredibly fat and her poop is incredibly thin (thread-like). I have read that these are the first stages of dropsy, although I'm hoping it isn't. However, unlike your fish, she has only been like this for about a week now. You mentioned you had a fish that died of dropsy, could you tell me how much time was between the swelling and the scale spiking?

My only options I believe are the epsom salt bath (I would have to buy it) and anti parasite treatment (Jungle brand). I'm going to feed her the treatment today and hope that it helps. Please keep me updated on your fish's condition.

 

[Akasha72]

Hi Rox,
My platy went from normal size to scales sticking out virtually over night so I'm unable to answer your question.

I'm going to keep an eye on the guppy over the next few hours and if she still has this blockage at her back end I think I'm going to have to do the kindest thing. It's a shame as she's still active now and then but I can't bear the thought of her dying a horrible death perhaps during the night

 

[Akasha72]

OMG!! I got it soooo wrong...

There was I death jug ready, clove oil mixed in a bottle ...

Caught her in a net - just lifting her out and I spot a fry in the net so I let her and fry go and re-caught her ... another fry in the net ... WHAT?!!!

She's now in my fry tank in the breeding box popping out one fry after another ...

Fat? yes. Ill? no. Pregnant with millions of little ... Oh Yes


Now I know what I'm looking for with her. And the clear blob? It came out with a fry.

They are born curled up in a tiny ball and then shake themselves and their tails uncurl ... it facinating!

 

[FishBlast]

OMG!! I got it soooo wrong...

There was I death jug ready, clove oil mixed in a bottle ...

Caught her in a net - just lifting her out and I spot a fry in the net so I let her and fry go and re-caught her ... another fry in the net ... WHAT?!!!

She's now in my fry tank in the breeding box popping out one fry after another ...

Fat? yes. Ill? no. Pregnant with millions of little ... Oh Yes


Now I know what I'm looking for with her. And the clear blob? It came out with a fry.

They are born curled up in a tiny ball and then shake themselves and their tails uncurl ... it facinating!

Now that's a miracle. Congratz on the fry. They saved her too.

 

[Akasha72]

she must have had about 40+. I've never seen so many fry. I'm used to 15 or 20 maybe but this amount is just astronomical ... She has to have been sooo uncomfortable. She's now back in the main tank and is back to a normal size. I am truely speechless ...

Pictures to follow ... when I get over the shock

 

[FishBlast]

she must have had about 40+. I've never seen so many fry. I'm used to 15 or 20 maybe but this amount is just astronomical ... She has to have been sooo uncomfortable. She's now back in the main tank and is back to a normal size. I am truely speechless ...

Pictures to follow ... when I get over the shock

Mine never had over 20 either. Oldest was like 1.5 years old and she did about 20 in last drop.
Is she eating?
And they don't call them the million fish for nothing. LOL!

 

[Akasha72]

here you go ... 3 went into my main tank during the netting out process. I've no idea how many could've been born in the main tank during the night and I've just found 2 dead, several have escaped into the fry tank and I've no idea how many she ate herself but there must be about 30+ in the net. I'll let them go in with the other fry in a couple of days

 

[FishBlast]

Whoa! O_O That's one full nursery! LOL