Could This Be Overfeeding?

[madi]

I have a 30L guppy tank, which has been established for over 6 months. It is fully cycled, and currently holds 3 normal guppies, and 4 of the little native like ones, (They’re under 1.5cms fully grown, and have the two sword like points of tail... No idea what they’re actually called) all of them are male. The full stock of fish has been in the tank for over 12 weeks. The water has stayed very stable, and there’s been no fighting, or over randy chasing of other guppies.

Over Christmas, I spent about a week at my boyfriend’s house, and left my mum in charge of the tank. When I got home all my fish were overweight, one especially so. I checked the water, and there was no ammonia, but the nitrate was a lot higher than it should have been. So I did an extra water change to get rid of the uneaten food and the mountains of poo and over the week a bit of underfeeding got the fish back to a better weight.
Come Friday, the water was back to normal, the tank was clean, and the fish were healthy.

Then I spent the weekend at my boyfriend’s house and left mum in charge again. This time with explicate instructions not to overfeed them. I get home, and the guppy that got a little fatter than the others is HUGE again. He had dropsy, and generally looked like he was going to pop.
I tested the water, and other than a higher nitrate, it was fine. So again, I do an extra water change to get things back under control.
3 days later the fish died.


The tanks been fine for three weeks. No illness, no water problems, no fighting fish... The water was fine on Friday before I left for the weekend.
I get home tonight, and my favourite guppy has a shredded tail, nearly all his dorsal fin is gone, and he’s got what looks like red soars all down his back. Basically, it looks like someone’s pulled his dorsal fin off, and scratched down his back. It LOOKS like ammonia burning, but there is no ammonia in the tank.

What could have caused this, and what can I do to help him?



Tank info:
Size: 30L
Fish: 7 guppies
Temp: 26deg C

Am:0
Ni:0
Na:15 (post change)

Ph: 7
Kh: 4
Gh: 12

 

[WILDER]

Can you post your water stats please.
Over feeding can cause bad water quality and bloat fish up.
They also need a varied diet of frozen foods and veg.
The red on the guppy does in look like bleeding beneath the skin or a red rash.
is the fish struggling to swim with losing its fin.

Has the guppy got caught in the filter or any tank ornaments.

 

[madi]

Can you post your water stats please.
Over feeding can cause bad water quality and bloat fish up.
They also need a varied diet of frozen foods and veg.
The red on the guppy does in look like bleeding beneath the skin or a red rash.
is the fish struggling to swim with losing its fin.

Has the guppy got caught in the filter or any tank ornaments.

My tank stats are at the bottom of my post

The red on the guppies back looks, for lack of a better description, like a cat scratch. The scales are damaged, some are missing, and others are standing up.
My filter is an under gravel filter, so the only exposed bits are the power head and the outlet, so he couldn't have go caught on that. I've never had a fish get stuck in or injured by my plants, and the only ordainment is an Easter Island statue that doesn't have any sharp edges. The only thing I can think of is that they were fighting... But I've never seen them fight before, and I haven't seen them fight since.

On a brighter note, he's making a good recovery. He's swimming normally again, eating, and is very active. His tail is starting to heal up, and his backs getting better. Only lasting damage seems to be the missing dorsal fin.

 

[Schmill]

Not sure about the fighting etc, but a dose of melafix might be in order if you have some, just to help with the healing, and try to avoid any infections.