Guppy With Swim Bladder Problems?

[MagicPie]

I noticed about a week ago that one of my 'home grown' guppy babies wasn't able to swim below more than about an inch from the surface. I did some reading immediately and decided it was either something wrong with her swim bladder or that she was constipated. She was very swollen looking (almost as if she were pregnant). I intended to feed her some cooked peas which I read would help, but by the next day she was fine again. I fed them at about 6:15pm this afternoon (it's now 9:50pm) and she's having trouble swimming down again. She's not bloated looking this time. I will try feeding her some peas as I read, but should I try anything else or just see how it goes?

I've never noticed this with any of my other guppies (including her parents). Though very occasionally the mother doesn't always swim completely upright (sometimes at a very slight angle) ...

Also, if I try the pea thing, should I isolate her before doing it or is it okay for the other fish too?

I love my guppies (especially the 'home grown' babies) and really want to keep them healthy!!

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[minxfishy]

Hi, how long has the tank been set up, what are the water stats for ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte.

If it is constipation, then peas will help and they are perfectly fine for all fish to eat. How is the fish pooing? Any signs of stringy white poo or mucusy poo?

 

[Anna Robinson]

Buoyancy problems that come and go can be due to feeding - greedy fish like guppies can sometimes swallow the food off the surface before it has fully soaked up the water, and it then continues to expand inside them, making them too buoyant until the effect wears off. Alternatively they can swallow air when feeding, which has the same effect. If it comes and goes that quickly, then I would strongly suspect one or other of these options, as genuine swimbladder problems wouldn't fluctuate like that.

Try putting the food in just under the water - plunge your fingers in the tank as you feed rather than dropping the flake, so that the food is fully wetted and the fish can eat it without swallowing air, and see if that helps. And no, I can't see why eating peas would hurt any of the other fish. I think it's generally recommended to remove the skins though.

 

[MagicPie]

Thanks for the advice. I tried peas and all of the fish seemed to enjoy them (including my little guppy). We noticed that any food that stayed on the surface went straight into the filter inlet if the fish didn't eat it right away, so we have been making sure more of it goes into the water rather than staying on the surface.

I've also started using a flaked vegetable food as well and I haven't noticed any more problems with her in the past few days, so I think the combination of all of the above mentioned things is working.

I am relieved that she seems to be doing fine!