Growth On Guppy- Need Help

[Disneygirlz]

Hello,

we have a problem that I hope someone can help us with. Here are the conditions of our tank:


1. Water conditions:
Ammonia –
Nitrate – 20
Nitrite – 0
pH – 7.2
Temp – 81.5
Hardness – Very Hard
Alkalinity - 120

2. We have had this male guppy for about 3 weeks. He was a beautiful yellow. Sunday, when we put the new fish in, I noticed he had a red pimple/wart/growth just above his tail. Tonight it is much larger and there is a smaller one on his fluke, which appears to be on the other side but shows thru. (Not sure if I am describing where it is correctly. Pictures on photobucket.) Have scoured the internet, but can’t find anything that accurately describes it. Basically, I’m wondering if it is contagious, treatable and if I need to do something for my other fish. He has not seemed ill at all; Not slow, not hiding, not flashing, not rubbing…just normal, except the growths and color change.

3. 25% water change each week on sat or sun

4. Water conditioner- API stress coat or Top Fin water conditioner
Salt – API aquarium salt – initially 5 TBS - now 1 TBS per water change

5. 1 plecostomus - 2 months
1 rainbow shark - 2 months
2 puffer fish – 1 week
14 guppies – 2 males and 2 females about 2-3 weeks, others, 1 week
(2 new females just had babies) - About 20 fry in breeder tank (We will be getting a baby tank on Sat.)

7. We have added fish every other week or so. Most died the first day or two, some stayed around for a week or more. None looked or acted sick. Several simply disappeared, we never found them. Last weekend we bought 12 more and, so far, none of them has died and they all appear to be healthy.

29 Gallon tank, approximately 3 months old with gravel, 2 fake plants, 2 live sword plants, 4 ornaments, and a carbon filter, no heater
Food – Tetracolor flakes, Bloodworms, algae wafers

I can't think of anything else you might need to know, but I will be happy to provide any info necessary.

Here's a link to some pictures in photobucket:

http/s195.photobucket.com/albums/z156/disneygirlz/Sick%20fish/


Thanks much

 

[Disneygirlz]

I'm new to this forum. Can anyone see this post? If so, please respond, so I will at least know if I put it on here the right way.

 

[Mauigirl]

I'm new to this forum. Can anyone see this post? If so, please respond, so I will at least know if I put it on here the right way.

Absolutely can see it.
I am no help with this though I am so sorry. I did google for the cyst and came up with differing ideas of want it could be..
You provided everything in detail so I would assume the person(s) who could actually answer haven't seen the post.

Until you can get a response I have found this to be a good reference on fish disease useful link?? , you will however have to match the symptoms up yourself.

Wish I was any more help, sorry

 

[alihar]

Hi there
Have a look in the beginners resource centre at cycling.
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?

The red spots could be a few things.
Firstly you really need to test your water for ammonia, red spots, streaks or blotches can be caused by ammonia burn.
If you hadn't cycled your tank before adding fish you will be doing a fish in cycle.
Adding too many fish too quickly will cause ammonia to rise as your biological filter will not have enough friendly bacteria to cope with the load.
This could be one of the reasons fish are dying or diss appearing.

Red spots can also be a sign of injury, the possibility of a sucker mouth latching on to the fish and sucking mucus hence causing red blotches.

Possibly been attacked?
I noticed in your stocking you have pufferfish.
I have no personal experience with these cute little guys but what I know of them they can be very aggressive and not suited to the community tank.
They have been known to wipe out tank inhabitants and are best suited to a species only set up.

Septicimea is another possibillity, fin rot is caused by the same bacterium so it's not uncommon to see both symptoms together.

I'm guessing you are in the USA I think maracyn or melafix would be the meds to use.
Hopefully another member will be able to assist further.

 

[Disneygirlz]

Thanks, Fish Fanatic. That is a great link and I've spent a lot of time on it. However, I could find nothing about red growths. I really do appreciate the reply.

Thanks, Fishaholic. I'm sorry I didn't put the ammonia in the original post. It was zero. All the tests we have done since the original post have been between 0 and .5 and I just did another test for everything.

Ammonia – 0
Nitrate – between 0 - 20
Nitrite – 0
pH – between 7.2 - 7.8
Temp – 81
Hardness – Hard
Alkalinity - 120

I suspect you are right about adding too many fish and the ammonia spiking and killing the fish and also about the puffer fish being aggressive. Two of the females have several bites out of their tails and only 9 of the 14 we put in last week are still there. The rest have disappeared. They were the smallest ones, so I think the puffers may have eaten them, though I thought they were big enough and didn't realize how aggressive puffers could be. (My husband wanted them and they are doing fine.)

The male guppy is still not acting sick and the others don't seem to be picking at him, like they sometimes do with sick fish. (Sometimes he picks on the smaller males, but, I believe, that's normal.) However, his growths appear to be deteriorating today. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Still haven't found an answer as to what it could be.

Thanks for trying.

 

[Tjacobs23]

I'm new to this forum. Can anyone see this post? If so, please respond, so I will at least know if I put it on here the right way.

I see your post. I’m also new on here