Noob With A Typical Noob Question!

[littlemissjo]

sorry to have such a noob question on my first post, but it was scouting the net for an answer that brought me to this forum

my mother has a tank with just guppies, zebra snails and 2 cory pandas in it.
it has been going brilliantly and the guppies are breeding like crazy, but recently one of the females had what looked like a graze down the side of her body, she died less than 24 hours later
well now another female has what looks like a graze down the side of her body

what is causing this?

many thanks to everyone who replies

 

[Assaye]

sorry to have such a noob question on my first post, but it was scouting the net for an answer that brought me to this forum

my mother has a tank with just guppies, zebra snails and 2 cory pandas in it.
it has been going brilliantly and the guppies are breeding like crazy, but recently one of the females had what looked like a graze down the side of her body, she died less than 24 hours later
well now another female has what looks like a graze down the side of her body

what is causing this?

many thanks to everyone who replies

Could be bullying from the males (how many males and how many females?) or could be a bacterial, fungal or parasitic infection. My money is on bullying and/or bacterial (such as ulcers) but a photo would help.

Is it newly set up? How long have you had the tank? Do you test your water at all?

 

[furry catfish]

hi and welcome.are their any sharp objects in the tank?

 

[littlemissjo]

hi about 15 females and 2 males so i dont think its bullying

water tests are fine, the best they have been for a while, tank has been set up for 6/7 months

no sharp things in tank that i know of, the filter, an airstone, two plastics plants and a plastic fake pebble bridge

 

[Assaye]

I'd say ulcers then. Can you get a photo?

In the short term do a 50% water change and get your water tested for ammonia, nitrites, nitrate, pH and hardness. Most important ones and ammonia and nitrites.

How often do you do water changes?

Infections and diseases tend to take hold when something is stressing the fish, causing their immune systems to become weakened. Just like how we get colds when we're having a rough time.

 

[dissimulo]

I had a similar experience with my Zebra Danio's. I mentioned it in a post once, many years ago, and someone suggested the idea of nitrogen burns. I don't know much about this, though it is thought that high levels of nitrate lower the fishes resistance to diseases; causing indirect burn marks. It would indicate your water balance isn't quite right. However, you say your water is fine so my bet would be a bacterial infection/ulcer.

Luke.

 

[andy.ahad]

Hi

Sorry to hear about your mothers problems.

I have actually given up keeping livebearers for this very reason. I have spent copius amounts of money on trying to solve this problem. Including importing anti bac meds from the states to try and treat the fish. It starts out as a little white/grey mark and spreads around the body, shortly after affected fish die. It seems to spread like crazy and no amounts of water changes or meds will cure it. I put it down to my tap water being soft and livebearers needing hard water. I know it's not what you want to hear but my point is just give up keeping livebearers, they are too much trouble!! I have 4 other tanks and touch wood have not had a death in months since I ditched the livebearers!!

Do you live in a soft water area BTW?