Help! Shredded Tail :(

[DaveyG]

I have a 35 litre tank, cycled a few weeks ago.

I have 6 guppies and 2 something else (can't remember their names, but small and pretty).

I noticed just now that one of the guppies tail is completely shredded - it looks horrible! It must have happened either last night or today because yesterday it was fine. I think the word 'shredded' is best to describe it. He has a big fan like tail and now it is in pieces!

All other fish are OK, no signs of anything and this one in question actually seems very happy swimming around.

The other fish aren't nipping at him at all.

Ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0 and nitrate is about 10-20

I don't know whats happened to him but his tail looks horrible

Please could you give me your thoughts and ideas on what this could be??

Thanks!

 

[pippoodle]

really need to know what other fish you have in there with the guppys
as some small colourful ones are tetras and can be fin nippers

or he could have fin rot

you could try adding some interpet anti fungus and fin rot

 

[DaveyG]

really need to know what other fish you have in there with the guppys
as some small colourful ones are tetras and can be fin nippers

or he could have fin rot

you could try adding some interpet anti fungus and fin rot

I'd love to know what they are as well! The gf went out and bought them - they spend most of their time at the bottom of the tank and in all honesty (I know this doesn't count for much) they don't seem like fin nippers - from what I've seen they've barely taken any notice of the guppies and (again, for what its worth) the LFS we got them from said they would be fine with guppies.

If it is fin rot does it mean the rest of the tank is now infected?

 

[WILDER]

Post a pic on the board oif the fish. or try and describe them in more detail.

Do you have a strong current in the tank.
Signs of finrot are.
Translucent fins or cloudy looking fins.
White or red edging to fins.
Fins that clump together.
Excess slime on fins,.
Holes in fins.
Red streaking in fins.
Fins falling apart or look raggy.

Other fish can catch bacterial finrot if there stressed or have a weak immune system.

 

[arobinson1984]

You may find that they others have been nipping at your guppies tail, even if you dont see them doing it. I've found in the past they tend to nip more when the lights are off and I have got up in a morning to find my guppies tail shredded during the night.

Best thing to do is get one of them hard plastic floating breeding traps, float it on top of your tank and put your guppy in that, at least that way you will stop other fish being able to get at it and nip its tail, this will make it easier to determine whether that was the cause or if it is fin rot. If it has been nipped and the fish doesnt have a disease, then you can keep it in the breeding trap and you'll find the tail will grow back in 1-2 weeks. Keep up to your water changes as fresh water in good condition will help speed up the recovery process.

Andy

 

[DaveyG]

Thanks guys

I'll get a breeding trap thing and put him in it. I noticed him staying further towards the bottom yesterday, and it seems like 3 or 4 of the guppies have almost formed a group and were harassing another of the guppies yesterday (they are all male) so I'm not sure whats going on there?

If I get him one of these traps (baring in my I have a relatively small tank anyway) then will he be OK in there for a week or 2?

 

[WILDER]

Once his fins have healed you might need to rehome him if the other fish have been bullying him.
Can you buy a 5 gal hospital tank for him, As little breeding traps stress the fish.

 

[DaveyG]

I currently have a 200L tank in the middle of a fishless cycle, so once that has been cycled I will move most of the other fish into that and he can be left in this 35L one and maybe I'll go and buy him some females to cheer him up!

Is 6 male guppies too many in a 35L tank?

 

[WILDER]

6 males fine for a 35 litres.
Good Luck.