Injured guppy question

[arodd525]

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum. I have two guppies in a 5 gallon tank. Two days ago I noticed that one of them has this abnormal transparent line across one of his gills, and I can see the red color inside through the line. I attached a picture, it's not very clear but you can see a line on the gill just below the eye on the right. I don't know what has happened. Some background:

I have had them for 2 months and they have both been doing very well. The other tank resident is a kuhli loach. Last week the tank went through a mini cycle with up to 1ppm ammonia and 3ppm nitrite, but I dosed stability and prime every day for a week and did WC every other day, and after stopping stability for a couple for days, ammonia and nitrite are down to <0.05, nitrate is 5ppm. So, this could be from poisoning. In addition, two days ago one of the guppies jumped out of the tank onto a plastic plate (don't know which one it was because it wasn't me who picked him up), and he could have injured himself as well. It's been two days, it does not seem to get better or worse. He eats well and is very active. I am waiting for my Seachem Stress Guard to come in but it will take 2-3 more days, but I am worried he could get infection before then.

I was wondering if anyone has seen something like this, and is there something I should do now before I receive Stress Guard. Thank you in advance!

P.S. the tranparent line looks like he lost some shiny coat on the gill, but he is very active so it is really hard for me to look at the gill carefully and see if there is anything else on there (like rotting).

Tank size: 5 ga
pH: 7.4
ammonia: <0.02
nitrite: <0.05
nitrate: 5
kH: 6
gH: not tested
tank temp: 78

 

[Colin_T]

its colouration and nothing to worry about.

if you have ammonia, nitrite or nitrate problems, do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day until the levels are back on 0ppm.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[arodd525]

Ok, I don't recall seeing it before and the line is only on one side of the fish, so I am still a little concerned. I will continue to do water changes and I am hoping to move them to a larger tank once it is fully cycled. The "injured" guppy is still eating and fairly active today so I am a little relieved.

So would you recommend some preventative treatment like melafix or salt bath?

 

[Salty&Onion]

Don't medicate the guppy. Tank size is too small for a kuhli loach. They need sand substrate a 20 gallon tank and a group of 6 or more as they are social fish. Who sold the kuhli to you?

 

[arodd525]

Thanks! They were from Petsmart. I got two loaches but one died. When I move them to the 30 ga tank I am currently cycling, I will get more kuhli. Do they have to have a sand substrate? I've already put substrate in the tank.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Thanks! They were from Petsmart. I got two loaches but one died. When I move them to the 30 ga tank I am currently cycling, I will get more kuhli. Do they have to have a sand substrate? I've already put substrate in the tank.

They do need sand, play sand (Quikrete Play Sand is tank safe) is cheap. Gravel and any other non sand substrate will hurt their barbels and also anareobic bacteria form which break down any waste that falls to it and these bacteria will cause a bacterial infection in bottom dwelling fish such as loaches and cories. I'm sure that our dear @Byron can confirm.