Guppy is not getting better after 4 weeks... need cruelty free options :'(

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GuppyMom32

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Hi, I have been treating a sick guppy in a hospital tank for about 4 weeks now. He isn't getting better at all. There have been zero improvements in his condition. I have tried giving him a treatment for fungus and fin decay... since his fins are ripped and there is white stuff coming off of it (this treatment has not worked). Not only that but his tail is also drooped down and he seems to have trouble swimming... and I honestly don't even know what would cause this. The only positive is that he still shows interest in the bit of food that I put in twice daily. I feel as though I have let him down and I feel awful. I am new to this so is there any painless options when trying to put a fish down? And if not does anyone have any advice on what I could do to try to save him?? I just really don't know what to do :'(

Thanks to anyone that gives me their input.
 
Can you post a picture of the fish?

Have you tested the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH & GH (general hardness)?
if yes what are the results?
if no, take a glass of tank water to your local pet shop and ask them to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & pH, and write down the results when they do it. We want numbers like 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate 20, pH 7.2, and GH is 120ppm, or something like that.

What is the temperature of the water?

How long has the tank been set up for?

How often do you do water changes and gravel clean the substrate, and how much water do you normally change?

What sort of filter do you have on the tank and how often do you clean it, and how do you clean it?

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White stuff coming off the body is usually excess mucous produced by the fish when it is stressed out by poor water quality or chemicals in the water.

Take out a glass of tank water and put it to the side. Use that sample for testing. If you need to take the sample to a pet shop for testing, then do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean before you go to the petshop. If you have the test kits at home and don't need to go to the shop, test the sample and then do the 75% water change and gravel clean.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.
 
Can you post a picture of the fish?

Have you tested the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH & GH (general hardness)?
if yes what are the results?
if no, take a glass of tank water to your local pet shop and ask them to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & pH, and write down the results when they do it. We want numbers like 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate 20, pH 7.2, and GH is 120ppm, or something like that.

What is the temperature of the water?

How long has the tank been set up for?

How often do you do water changes and gravel clean the substrate, and how much water do you normally change?

What sort of filter do you have on the tank and how often do you clean it, and how do you clean it?

------------------------
White stuff coming off the body is usually excess mucous produced by the fish when it is stressed out by poor water quality or chemicals in the water.

Take out a glass of tank water and put it to the side. Use that sample for testing. If you need to take the sample to a pet shop for testing, then do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean before you go to the petshop. If you have the test kits at home and don't need to go to the shop, test the sample and then do the 75% water change and gravel clean.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.
To be honest I don't think the guppy's water conditions are great. I don't have any extra small tanks, heaters, filters, etc... because all of them are in use. He is currently in a pot... but NOT filled with tap water at least. The temp is in the green. I didn't think this would be a problem because I cured a guppy with ick in a pot... . I'm not old enough either to have control over if I can get a certain thing... like a heater and small tank... I would in a heart beat if I could. I'm just trying my best with what I have and the time that I have.
 
If the guppy is in a small volume of water and you have other tanks that are healthy and have established filters, then change the guppies water every day and refill the container with water from one of the tanks. At least then the water will be clean.

If you have some aquarium salt or swimming pool salt, you can add some to the water and it can help. Use 1 level tablespoon of rock salt, sea salt or swimming pool salt per 10 litres of water. When you change the water each day add some more salt to the new water.
Do not use cooking salt because it has an anti-caking agent in it to keep the salt granules small. And this can cause problems to the fish.

And a picture really would help. If you can put the fish into a clear container and take some pictures, then view the pictures on your computer and find a couple that clearly show the problem. Post those pictures on here and we will have more information to help with diagnosing the problem :)

If you can't get good pictures then just change all the water each day and replace it with water from another tank, and add salt. :)
 
If the guppy is in a small volume of water and you have other tanks that are healthy and have established filters, then change the guppies water every day and refill the container with water from one of the tanks. At least then the water will be clean.

If you have some aquarium salt or swimming pool salt, you can add some to the water and it can help. Use 1 level tablespoon of rock salt, sea salt or swimming pool salt per 10 litres of water. When you change the water each day add some more salt to the new water.
Do not use cooking salt because it has an anti-caking agent in it to keep the salt granules small. And this can cause problems to the fish.

And a picture really would help. If you can put the fish into a clear container and take some pictures, then view the pictures on your computer and find a couple that clearly show the problem. Post those pictures on here and we will have more information to help with diagnosing the problem :)

If you can't get good pictures then just change all the water each day and replace it with water from another tank, and add salt. :)
Okay thanks for the advice... I'm going to do that tmw
 
Use 1 level tablespoon of rock salt, sea salt or swimming pool salt per 10 litres of water. When you change the water each day add some more salt to the new water.


When adding salt to water during water changes only add enough sat to replace the salt you removed with the water. 1 table spoon of salt is 17 grammes.

EG

Working with a 10 liter hospital tank.

10 liters of water = 1 level table spoon. 17 grammes

Now if you change 50% of the water, therefore for 5 liters you only add 1/2 a table spoon 8 grammes
 

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