I Think My Female Guppy Is Sick

[Akasha72]

checked in on all of them this morning. Both the storage box and little tank smell normal. All are active and seem happy. My Dad called me last night to tell me he'd managed to get his hands on a free small tank with lid for me. He was testing it to see if it held water last night.

It's only small though - probably not much bigger than my little 25 litre so some will have to stay in the storage tub for now. It's not ideal but by splitting them again I may be able to keep ammonia troubles at bay

 

[FishFanatic04]

That'll be more manageable

 

[Akasha72]

I've since done a water test and the test went a bit darker yellow than I'd prefer so I took about 5-6 litres out of the storage tub and the little tank and replaced with fresh. If I have to do that everyday for the next 2/3 months I guess it's a small price to pay.

My Dad still has his old Eheim filter from years ago. I may end up borrowing that when I go see him tomorrow for the storage tub. The bubble stone is okay but it's not filtering the water and there's 50-odd in there

It might save me carrying buckets. I'm on a water meter aswell .. this is gonna hurt a bit when the bill comes in

 

[FishFanatic04]

Oh geez. Maybe you could find a sponge filter. I paid only $3 for my and it works on a 10g with a air pump. It wouldn't help you much for now without it being cycled....

I always keep mine running in my 10g along with the main filter so I can pop it in a hospital tanks or tub anytime.

 

[Akasha72]

I'm lucky in that I have some spare media in my main tank filter (the juwel). I used it from my old filter to seed the juwel and it's still in there (I had a 2ft tank with an interpet PF2 running before, my Dad took the tank and the filter and re-started the hobby with it). I cut a small piece off and put it in the new filter that's in the little hexagonal tank but it wasn't enough to deal with the amount of fry it contained - hence the problem that arose yesterday. It seems to be supporting the 20 fry and the snail that's in there now but I'm keeping a check on it.

I could take another bit and put it in this old Eheim filter of my Dad's but it won't be enough to filter 50-odd in the storage tub and I sure the ammonia will rise again.

Anyhow, what will be will be and whatever happens I'll deal with it. These fry had better turn out to be something special after all this effort lol

 

[FishFanatic04]

lol No ugly ducklings!

 

[Akasha72]

had a minor issue earlier ... I noticed the storage tub was bowing outwards and was starting to make creaking noises. I've now removed all the gravel and lessoned the amount of water. Poor fish ... they must be really sick of being moved around now

 

[Rox]

I gave her two salt baths but realized it wasn't the problem. Her poop has also been thin so she most likely has a parasite too. The only cure I have for that is some Jungle pellets (can't remember the name) but she refuses to eat it.

Today her head is up on the top of the water and her tail is dragging down. I think it might be a sign of nearing death. I just need some confirmation. She also turned extremely skinny...

 

[FishBlast]

I gave her two salt baths but realized it wasn't the problem. Her poop has also been thin so she most likely has a parasite too. The only cure I have for that is some Jungle pellets (can't remember the name) but she refuses to eat it.

Today her head is up on the top of the water and her tail is dragging down. I think it might be a sign of nearing death. I just need some confirmation. She also turned extremely skinny...

Yeah, sounds like an internal parasite, wasting her away. Is she eating though?
If tail is lowered all the time (not just at night) and she sits at the top, it might be gill flukes too if she breathes fast. Else just intestinal parasites.

 

[Rox]

Yeah, sounds like an internal parasite, wasting her away. Is she eating though?
If tail is lowered all the time (not just at night) and she sits at the top, it might be gill flukes too if she breathes fast. Else just intestinal parasites.

You're correct, she stays at the top, and breathes fast, and has been doing so since this whole thing started (2 weeks ago?). She has eating properly too (flakes and peas) but it made no difference. I think she might be finished. If she doesn't get better soon I will probably... well you know...

 

[FishBlast]

Yeah, sounds like an internal parasite, wasting her away. Is she eating though?
If tail is lowered all the time (not just at night) and she sits at the top, it might be gill flukes too if she breathes fast. Else just intestinal parasites.

You're correct, she stays at the top, and breathes fast, and has been doing so since this whole thing started (2 weeks ago?). She has eating properly too (flakes and peas) but it made no difference. I think she might be finished. If she doesn't get better soon I will probably... well you know...

Water parameters are all ok?
Did you do more water changes? Filter is working correctly?

 

[Rox]

Water specs are perfect. I've haven't changed my amount of water changes. Is that supposed to help beat parasites?

 

[FishBlast]

Water specs are perfect. I've haven't changed my amount of water changes. Is that supposed to help beat parasites?

It helps, but not without treatment.
The water changes would help beat any poisoning with nitrate if both ammonia and nitrite are 0.

 

[Akasha72]

UPDATE:

This is how things are looking now...

This morning I took them all out along with their moss, scrubbed the tub out with hot water (it was slimy and starting to smell again) re-filled and put them back. I'm hoping to leave it a few days now before having to water change again. They have grown - perhaps almost double in size and I noticed one that has a wonky tail. It may straighten as it grows so I'll keep an eye on it. It can swim fine so it's not suffering. If it turns out that it doesn't straighten and it's not going to be sellable by the lfs I'll make the decision whether to euthanase or keep it myself (depends if it's male or female!)

So, in the fry tank there is now Mr snail (it's turning into his perminant home now I think) 1 guppy about 1cm and I think 4 or 5 platy fry about the same size. I've seperated them as they are nearer to going to the lfs than the 70+ guppy fry.

And just to add to my troubles ... I saw a platy fry in the main tank this morning and ALL my female platies are looking fat and starting to square off their bellies


My facebook status reads thus:

NO MORE BABY FISH YOU RANDY LIL *****

 

[FishBlast]

UPDATE:

This is how things are looking now...

This morning I took them all out along with their moss, scrubbed the tub out with hot water (it was slimy and starting to smell again) re-filled and put them back. I'm hoping to leave it a few days now before having to water change again. They have grown - perhaps almost double in size and I noticed one that has a wonky tail. It may straighten as it grows so I'll keep an eye on it. It can swim fine so it's not suffering. If it turns out that it doesn't straighten and it's not going to be sellable by the lfs I'll make the decision whether to euthanase or keep it myself (depends if it's male or female!)

So, in the fry tank there is now Mr snail (it's turning into his perminant home now I think) 1 guppy about 1cm and I think 4 or 5 platy fry about the same size. I've seperated them as they are nearer to going to the lfs than the 70+ guppy fry.

And just to add to my troubles ... I saw a platy fry in the main tank this morning and ALL my female platies are looking fat and starting to square off their bellies


My facebook status reads thus:

NO MORE BABY FISH YOU RANDY LIL *****

Yours are bigger than my swordtails, and mine looked like guppy fry at birth. I also lost one today, one of the two calicos -.-
Barely now they look like newborn swordtail fry. I wonder if it has to do with being the first batch of my female, her size or being born prematurely, as she was stressed out when the tank was moved with the table. That's when she began to give birth suddenly.