Help - is my guppy ok?

[Dred]

Hi I'm after some advice.

We purchased five female guppies and one male guppy last week from our LFS.

All seemed to be going well, they were all lively and eating well. All of a sudden our male is acting a little strange. He is sitting at the surface of the tank, not mixing with anyone and not swimming very much. all our other fish seem to be fine.

We have just done a 25% water change (which we do weekly as a matter of course) and all our tests are ok. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 25mg and pH 8.5 (standard for tap water on the Island).

Does anyone have any ideas what could be wrong? Does he need another male to talk about football? Or is he sulking because the England match was c**p!

Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

He might of not been in great shape when you bought him, any physical signs of illness on him, like spots,fungus, swelling,what does it look like when he goes to the toilet.

 

[Dred]

Hi
Thanks for the quick response.

Nothing obvious - no spots or fungus or anything, all looks quite normal, except for his strange behaviour. His top fin is kind of droopy, his whole appearance is sort of limp. I went to look at him just now and he seems to have disappeared. This was the first thing that made me think something was up, he seemed to have disappeared for a whole day, couldn't see him anywhere in the tank. When he did reappear he then spent the next day sitting quietly at the surface of the tank. He isn't gulping or anything, he just sits.

The five females we bought at the same time all look good and I think they are all pregnant. Perhaps he has just been over exerting himself!

 

[Dred]

Hi
Just to update.

He has reappeared again. His tummy looks a bit swollen, but this is the first time I have kept guppies and I'm not sure if this is normal as all my pregnant females look as if they are about to burst too.

His tail fin is looking a bit ragged and the tips are a little white. Is this something to do with his illness or do you think that someone in the tank has been having a go at him?

I've never seen anyone being aggressive towards him, it all seems quite peaceful.

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

With having the swelled tummy try a shelled pea and some daphnia, it could be dropsy and it's looks like a second infection has set in with the fins, if you can issolate the fish you can try medicating him with an anti internal bacteria med.Good luck.

 

[enchanted]

It would be safe to add Melafix to the tank, but if you do you should have an airstone if you don't already.

I agree with the Pea/Daphnia. In fact guppys like freeze dried and frozen Daphnia. I feed my guppys freeze dried daphnia, brine shrimp, and tubifxe worms on a regular basis.

 

[Dred]

Hi

Thanks for the advice, I've been doing a bit of reading and you guys are probably right. Looks like he may have fungal fin rot (may have been ill when I bought him, although he has looked really good until the day before yesterday).

I'll go to my LFS where I bought him to see if they have had any trouble with the rest of their stock and to get some meds for him and some daphnia. Yes I do have two air stones.

I hope he pulls through he is really beautiful.

 

[Dred]

Hi
RIP guppy.
Just thought I would updateyou. Unfortunately my male guppy was dead this morning when I came downstairs.

Should I me getting some Melafix to treat the rest of the tank incase he had something nasty when I bought him or should I sit tight and wait and see?

I would be grateful for any advice.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry for your loss, yes you can buy some melafix it's always handy to have in anyway,I think it was drospy but you can't be sure and that isn't meant to be contagious, maybe a water change.