Guppies Swimming Vertically.

[Egmel]

2 of my guppies are having difficulty swimming normally. The tank has only had fish in for the past week but was fishless cycled for about a month before with all the decor etc. in the tank.

Tank size: 20G
pH: 7.8
ammonia: None, haven't seen any since adding fish.
nitrite: ditto
nitrate: 5ppm
kH: Don't know
gH: Don't know
tank temp: 25-29 C -we're getting a new heater today as ours decided that now we've got got fish it doesn't want to work properly! It waits until the water drops below 25C then heats it up to 30C.

Fish Symptoms: Swimming vertically, head up, to the surface then back down (backwards), they can swim horizontally when they really want to get some where!

Volume and Frequency of water changes: weekly 25% did one this morning.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Only decor - Sand base, mopani wood and live plants.

Tank inhabitants:3 male Guppies, 2 pitbull plecs.

Recent additions to your tank: MTS 2 days ago. All the fish were added last Saturday (a week ago) we had 2 losses, One pitbull & One Guppy. Both were unexplained and happened overnight shortly after being acclimatised (within a couple of days)

Exposure to chemicals: None other than water conditioner

Digital photo:

 

[cichlid-mad]

are they the only fish in the tank at the mo?

 

[Egmel]

are they the only fish in the tank at the mo?

Tank inhabitants:3 male Guppies, 2 pitbull plecs.

 

[babybell911]

maybe they are tail heavy i think guppies are known for this as there bodies arent strong enough to support the weight of those big tails because of the intensive breeding. Thats my guess anyway.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

This could be a lack of oxygen problem-occasionally my guppies play games like that to fool you-keep checking them as they are first rate actors!

 

[Egmel]

maybe they are tail heavy i think guppies are known for this as there bodies arent strong enough to support the weight of those big tails because of the intensive breeding. Thats my guess anyway.

they were fine when we got them, it's only in the last few days this has happened.

This could be a lack of oxygen problem-occasionally my guppies play games like that to fool you-keep checking them as they are first rate actors!

Well the tank has been quite hot recently due to the heater issues but the filter inlet makes a lot of bubbles and surface movement so I'm not sure about the oxygen being an issue, plus the other guppy isn't suffereing.

I'm currently trying to set up a hospital tank for them but I need to buy a filter and heater.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

As the water gets warmer though,the amount of oxygen it can hold will deplete-the good thing is that guppies are reasonably hardy. Be lucky

 

[Egmel]

Well they are now in a hospital tank with some salt (1tsp/5l) and interpet's swimbladder treatment (this was the closest thing that it looked like so I thought I'd give it a go.)

They look a little happier but we shall see how it goes.

 

[ant0]

one of my guppies started to do that, if they get listless a lot in the top/bottom of the tank then you know you've got problems. One of my guppies with a long tail was especially weak aswell and ended up dying of a bacterial infection

Could be stress though, i've got a strong guppy and when he's been stressed most he's darting up and down the tank in a corner before

I won't be bothering with any more of them really

 

[Egmel]

Unfortunately both poorly guppies have passed away.

We now have one left who is in the main tank and who is going barmy, swimming up and down the sides of the tank, literally climbing the walls.

We are going to need to get him some friends I think, maybe next weekend.

At least we have a quarantine tank now!

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Aaaah thats sad- ah well you cant say you didnt try....