Fish Swimming On Sides?

[Doug62]

Hi all,
Over the past week one of my guppies has become very pale and skinny and has been hanging around on his own a lot. A thought perhaps he hadnt been eating properly as the other fish (including mollies) where much more agressive at eating and he didnt seem to be getting much. So yesterday i put him in my breeding trap to isolate him and feed him seperatly, but when i have got up this morning he has took a dramatic turn for the worse, lying on the bottom on his side a lot and swimming on his side and sometimes pirouetting round and round as tho' he has no balance. I think he is on his last legs . Anyway ive done an ammonia check and that is fine but i havnt done nitrates as ive run out of tests (i'm off to get some shortly) so could this be the problem? Even more worrying is that since this morning i have noticed that the other guppies seem to be swimming with a slight lope! I cant work out if this is my imagination running away with me but they definatly look slightly off centre. I have now done a 20% water change so i'll see if this helps but i am very worried so if anyone could advise me i'd be very grateful.
Thanks
Doug

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

How many gallons is the tank and what is its total fish stocking? What was the ammonia test results exactly plus can you do a test of nitrites as well? It sounds like swim bladder disorder, the wasting sounds like an internal bacterial problem- what color is his poop, is white/stringy looking at all?

 

[WILDER]

Need stats, if the fish is laying on the gravel to one side the bacteria infection has now got a hold of the fish, and that one probably won't make it, but you could try with others, also try some shelled peas and daphnia.
Swim bladder problems can be due to poor water quality and a bad diet, so what do you feed the fish.

 

[Doug62]

I feed them a flake designed specifically for guppies (altho it states also for other livebearers). I dont have my nitrate levels so i guess i will get no advice till i get them. I will get some tests in the morning. I suspect he wont make it through the night but hopefully it hasnt spread to the others, guess we'll have to see.

 

[WILDER]

Need a better diet to many dried foods lead to constipation and swim bladder problems.
Frozen foods like bloodworms, brimestrimp, daphnia, microworms, etc.
Veg, peas, broc, lettuce, savoy cabbage, cucumba, grated carrot, spinach, etc.
Also livebearers love algae tablets.

 

[Doug62]

Ah right, didnt realise that. I have actually just bought some algae tablets and i will start to use the other things you mentioned. Are frozen peas ok to defrost and shell or should they be fresh? Also, if i check my water tomorrow and the stats are all ok, what should my next course of action be? Should i try meds? I have some revitalising tonic salts and also some aqua-librium. Would either of these be any use as both mention swimbladder?

 

[WILDER]

Change of diet will help them, cook frozen peas for a few minutes in boiling water, let cool down, pop out of shell squeeze between fingers, and add to the tank.
Frozen daphina is good as well helps the fish digest it food.
If you get the fish on the diet now you won't need a med, the one laying on the gravel is beyond help now, even with meds, sorry.

 

[Doug62]

Ok thats great Wilder, much appreciated. Its such a minefield when you first start out and when i started to look up the loss of weight and colour in the fish i was beginning to believe it was fish TB!! Feel a bit guilty that its probably my fault that this fish is sick, due to bad diet but my lfs told me the flake was all i needed as it was specially formulated. Typical just trying to make a sale. Anyway i'll get on to my water test first thing in the morning and start them on a new diet.
Thanks again
Doug

 

[WILDER]

Good luck, if the fish has lost weight through not eating, i wouldn't worry about fish tb.