Guppy Swimming Vertically At Times.

[MJM966]

Tank stats:
125l
6 male guppies
6 pristella tetras
3 otos
3 corydora schwartzi
2 dwarf red honey gouramis

Ammonia= 0. nitrate and nitrite = 0, ph 7

One of my guppies has started to swim vertically at times. He can swim normally, but seems to stop swimming and his tail sinks. He has a rather large tail (about 2cm and his body is about 2.5 cm) and I wonder if it is too big for the filtration (Fluval 3+) in the tank. However, another of the guppies is also swimming a bit sluggishly (he too has a beautiful big tail and feathery dorsal fin). He seems to roll into a turn at times- noticed it more in the last 2 weeks.

Is this something to do with the Scottish water being soft, and guppies preferring neutral to hard? Is it swimbladder disease? Suggestions and treatment advice welcome!

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like swim bladder, do you mean the tail is weighing him down.

http/www.fishtanksandponds.info/care-mai...swimbladder.htm

 

[MJM966]

Sounds like swim bladder, do you mean the tail is weighing him down.

http/www.fishtanksandponds.info/care-mai...swimbladder.htm

Thanks for article ref.

Yes. He seems close to tipping backwards at times.

Have Aquarium Treatment No. 13 for Swim Bladder. Is it best to treat the whole tank or isolate the fish?

 

[WILDER]

Issolate the fish, i wouldn't hope for miracles with the med, as once swim bladder has progressed it hard to cure, also some shelled peas, good luck.

 

[MJM966]

Issolate the fish, i wouldn't hope for miracles with the med, as once swim bladder has progressed it hard to cure, also some shelled peas, good luck.

What are the chances of more than one guppy swimming strangely? The second guppy is almost rolling at times and another is beginnng to swim in a vertical position? All other fish are fine.

Two of the three came from the same lfs, but not the third, which makes me think that the problem is not a breeding one eg. liver or intestines etc.

Two weeks ago I reduced the temp. in the tank to 24 degrees from 26, when I introduced the corys. Would that have an effect? I also recently treated the tank with esHa snail treatment (to no effect on the snails). Would this have an effect??

 

[WILDER]

Swim bladder can be fetched on by poor water quality and diet, what do you feed the fish, also try some shelled peas, good luck.

 

[MJM966]

Swim bladder can be fetched on by poor water quality and diet, what do you feed the fish, also try some shelled peas, good luck.

Shelled peas given each day. Flake one day x 2, (fast sinking pellets for corys and algae flakes for otos)then frozen food the next - rotate brine shrimp, bloodworm and daphnia. Had been putting in cucumber or courgette daily up until a couple of weeks ago when the water was getting rather cloudy- stats normal). How does this seem?

My water quality has not varied since the tank cycled 2 months ago. 20% changed each week, and more after meds.

 

[WILDER]

The diet good then, if you are feeding a good diet like that, i do a vac twice a week, with the water being cloudy you need to do more maintance on the tank.
Livebearers are very prone to alot of deseases so it not you, they been in bred that much that there in no go in guppys anymore, sorry.
If you really want to keep guppys i would find a good breeder, as the shop ones are usually ill when you are buying them.

 

[MJM966]

The diet good then, if you are feeding a good diet like that, i do a vac twice a week, with the water being cloudy you need to do more maintance on the tank.
Livebearers are very prone to alot of deseases so it not you, they been in bred that much that there in no go in guppys anymore, sorry.
If you really want to keep guppys i would find a good breeder, as the shop ones are usually ill when you are buying them.

Thanks for your advice about the guppies- they're lovely but not as hardy as they were when I was fishkeeping 25 years ago! Went back to check the water again after your comment about water quality. I'd used a freebie Tetra dip stick 2 days ago and all seemed fine. This time my stats came up with ammonia 0.25 and the pH was 7.2. Did a 20% change and added Cycle. Today the ammonia is 0, but the pH is between 6.2 and 6.6. Will get something to alter this today.

Next question. (I know this isn't an emergency but it is related to the problem). I've been having real problems with snails. Have been pulling between 20- 30 out per day for the last 2 weeks.(After being on holiday). Have nearly got to the end of it, but am keeping my fingers crossed that there are no more eggs. Would all this snail poo account for the ammonia and pH changes?

 

[WILDER]

What is your ph normally as livebearers need 7.0, don't alter the ph it not worth it, ammonia reading can alter it.
I would do a gravel vac for the snail poo, was there any dead snails in the tank, as they can become toxic to fish when they are rotting away.
Cucumba in a plastic pop bottle is good for removing snails from the tank.

http/www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html

 

[MJM966]

What is your ph normally as livebearers need 7.0, don't alter the ph it not worth it, ammonia reading can alter it.
I would do a gravel vac for the snail poo, was there any dead snails in the tank, as they can become toxic to fish when they are rotting away.
Cucumba in a plastic pop bottle is good for removing snails from the tank.

http/www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html

Normal pH is 7.

Thanks for article. I see that the snail poo could have affected everything.

No dead snails unfortunately. I'm now picking out tiny ones, so hopefully have got any ones old enough to lay eggs. Another cucumber trap is set for any of the unwary...

 

[WILDER]

Ok, good luck.