I'm New And Need Guppy Help...

[Feltzy]

Hi all

I am new to this forum so apologies if I have posted this in the wrong place! I have a 40 litre tank with 5 guppies in, I know this is a small tank for these fish but I went to the shop to buy a loach and they accidentally put a bag of 5 guppies in my bag so I inadvertently got them, anyway thats a different story...

So because of the way I got my fish I am unsure what sex they are, I assumed they were all male as they are all very brightly coloured (sorry no camera to post pics). They are black guppies with fancy orange, black and yellow tails. I have had them for about 3 months now and they seem very happy in my tank! Water quality is good, but I have noticed one of them has a bigger belly which I initially thought meant it was female and so maybe preggers, but today I have noticed she/he? has a round red spot on the front of the belly. I have tried to google it but it keeps coming up with info on the gravid spot, but its not that as its at the front and not the back of the belly. Yesterday the fish was swimming back and forth not very far at all and not the usual happy self, and then today it is swimming at the top of the tank. The other fish keep coming over to have a look and seem interested but then just swim away, they're not attacking it or anything.

Please can anyone enlighten me on what this spot is? I hoped it was preggers but now I think it is sick I need to know asap if it is so I can hospitalise it, in what I don't know as I only have one tank!

Vanessa

 

[Paradise3]

A male will have a gonopodium which is like this.

And a female will have this.

The one with the bigger belly.
What are you water stats? (Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate....)
Is it protruding? If so does it look hard or soft like filled with fluid?
How much cover is in the tank? If there isn't alot then even if it is a she and she has had fry they probably haven't survived.
Could you please answer these questions and i'll ask a MOD to move this to the emergency section.

Alessa x.

 

[Feltzy]

A male will have a gonopodium which is like this.

And a female will have this.

The one with the bigger belly.
What are you water stats? (Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate....)
Is it protruding? If so does it look hard or soft like filled with fluid?
How much cover is in the tank? If there isn't alot then even if it is a she and she has had fry they probably haven't survived.
Could you please answer these questions and i'll ask a MOD to move this to the emergency section.

Alessa x.

Hmm looking at the pics it looks like a male with the fin thing, they all look to have them so maybe they are all males? Its hard to tell whether there is a gravid spot as they are all black although this fish is yellow in that area rather than black.
I've tested the water and everything is within normal limits. I have a colour coded tester and they all come under good.
I also have reeds in the tank which are fairly overgrown.
I'm starting to think it must be ill as I have had these fish for months and haven't had a fish with a fat belly before, surely if I'd had females in this long one of them would have been preggers before now?

 

[Paradise3]

If they are all males then i think it may be ill.
Can you please post your water stats?
What test kit are you using? Is it test strips?
Is the anus enlarged?
Are it's scales sticking out?
Is it still eating normally?
Is the fish in question flicking/rubbing on any objects/substrate?
Has there been any bullying in the tank before all this happened?
Is the area around the spot red or is the spot fluffy?
I'm sure wilder will be along soon to have a look.

Alessa x.

 

[Feltzy]

I have a test strip that just gives colours and I compare them to the colours on the bottle iykwim? They all look ok according to that. Its doesn't look to be bulging at the anus and the scales don't look to be sticking out. The red spot isn't protruding, it looks like a spot of blood under the skin. It is eating fine, the only time it moves from its spot at the top of the tank is for food. No bullying that I have seen, my tank is fully cycled if that helps?

 

[Paradise3]

I've asked wilder to have a look at this topic because wilder is the illness expert on here.
Test strips aren't accurate. You really do need a liquid test.
I would suggest the API freshwater master test kit.

Alessa x.

 

[WILDER]

Take a sample of your water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.
Test strip cards are not accurate. Liquid test kits are the best.

Is the loach still in the tank also.

If the spot looks like bleeding beneath the skin it sounds like septicemia. Hard to cure once it progresses.
Can you isolate the sick guppy.

 

[Paradise3]

Thanks for looking wilder.
Septicaemia is the illness i was thinking off bt at the time i coldn't place the name.
Here's some info on it.
Septicemia

Common Name: Septicemia
Scientific Name: Septicemia or Sepsis
Description: Infection in the Bloodstream
Symptoms: redness or streaks under the scales, open wounds, ulcers, popeye, clamped fins, lethargy, color loss, loss of appetite
Cause: injury, poor water conditions, stress, infected fish food
Medications: Maracyn, Maracyn-Two combined
Ingredients: Erythromycin, Minocycline, Oxytetracycline
Notes: May combine with other illnesses like popeye



What is Septicemia and How are Fish Infected?
Septicemia is an infection located in the bloodstream. It can occur when an open wound gets infected or as a result of consuming bacteria through food. It can present itself in many ways, some of which are more obvious then others. Commonly, septicemia will occur as a result of an injury or open wound. Just as it’s important that we keep our cuts clean when we injure ourselves, it is equally important to keep a fish’s water clean when they are injured. If your fish becomes wounded (hurts itself, or fights with another fish) make sure you increase your water changes and keep toxins at bay by testing ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels.

Fish may also acquire symptoms by eating foods infected with bacteria. To reduce the chances of sepsis caused by food bourn pathogens use caution when feeding live and frozen foods. Only buy live foods like blackworms and tubifex worms from a reputable source and take care of them by washing them well daily. Consider growing your own cultures as an alternative to buying live foods. If you keep frozen foods, never refreeze them after they thaw and throw away any thawed food after one day.


What are the Symptoms of Septicemia?


Septicemia will often present itself as redness under the scales any where on the body. It can be concentrated in one area or appear throughout. It may appear more visible around the face. The discoloration is often impossible to detect in dark or red colored fish. Open wounds should be pinkish and usually heal quickly. A wound that is grey, black or fuzzy or has discoloration around the wound site might be infected and antibiotic treatment should be started. Septicemia sometimes shows up as a secondary infection to Popeye, an infection that leads to the bulging of one or both eyes. On occasion, it may lead to Dropsy. Other symptoms may also present themselves in the form of sluggishness, loss of appetite, clamped fins or color loss. Observe your fish daily so you can learn to recognize his normal behavior and be able to tell if he is acting out of sorts.


How to Treat Septicemia?



Usually when treating fish illnesses I recommend antibiotics be used sparingly but in the case of septicemia, I strongly suggest starting with them. The bacteria in the blood can quickly overcome a fish and antibiotic treatment is usually the quickest and most effective method for treatment. Most aquarium antibiotics are designed to dissolve in the tank water where they are absorbed by the fish, but because this is an internal bacterial infection this type is often ineffective. I recommend a medicated fish food like Jungle Anti-Bacteria Medicated Fish Food. I have also successfully treated septicemia by soaking pellets in a concentrated mixture of Mardel’s Maracyn & Maracyn-Two. I chop up the amount I would use to treat the tank, add a few drops of water and soak a few pellets for 10 minutes. I then feed the fish and add the pre-measured mixture to the tank as directed. This method isn’t fool proof, for one, there is no way to measure exactly how much of the antibiotic they are consuming. All I can say is it worked well for my betta. Loss of appetite can commonly afflict fish with an infection so it’s important to medicate as soon as possible while the fish is still eating. If the fish will no longer eat, then the standard method of adding the antibiotic to the tank should be employed. Because the average hobbyist has no way of determining the type of bacteria that has infected the fish, I suggest a combination of wide spectrum antibiotics that treat both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Some effective medications include,
•Mardel’s Maracyn and Maracyn-Two in combination
•Aquarium Pharmaceuticals’ Triple Sulfa
•Kanamycin Sulfate is also very effective, especially for fish that won’t eat.


Just a Note:

Antibiotic resistance is a problem facing aquarists all over the world. This occurs when bacteria evolve to make newer, stronger strains that cannot be combated by available antibiotics. Flavobacterium columnare is an example of such a transitioning bacteria. There are several strains of Flex from the mild to severe and recent accounts of a particularly virulent strain have made its way into aquariums. These newer strains have been known to kill fish in under a day and may be untreatable. To avoid creating tougher strains of bacteria be sure to carefully follow the directions on the medicine package and to never stop or change medications part way through treatment unless your betta is having a dangerous reaction to them. As with any disease, remove your sick fish from the community tank and isolate him for treatment in a hospital tank. Never medicate healthy fish.

Alessa x.

 

[Feltzy]

Thanks guys, I think that is what it is. At least now I know they are all males and its probably a good thing I don't have babies on the way in my tiny tank! I don't have another tank so only option of hospitalising is a big bowl with no filter or heater, would I be best to leave it in the normal tank or is it infectious?
I still have the loach Wilder, do you thnk it could have nipped him or something?
I will get a proper test kit Alessa G although I won't be able to get any until the weekend when OH is home and I have the car. I'll get them to test my water while I'm there, hope it won't be too late!

 

[Feltzy]

Ok so a bit of an update, I've been watching my guppies today and a couple of the smaller ones are nipping the others! I've never noticed this before and always thought they got on great, I've seen them doing wierd dances or something with eachother lots of times so thought they were friends. The guppy with swollen tummy is still swimming at the top but on closer inspection the red area on his chest looks like a chest cavity or something, was thinking maybe its swollen so much its exposed it but I really don't know. I defo think there is either something wrong with my fish or my water is way outbalanced but still don't have proper test kit (got 2 youngsters to look after so its not easy getting out). I introduced live plants last week could something have come with them? I'm going to do a water change now, is 30% ok?

 

[nessar]

Try to do a bigger one, at least 50%.

 

[Glofishgirl]

Thanks Feltzie! I can't start a topic and I don't know why. I have been posting all over the forum and noone is answering me! I have a question about glofish. How many can I have in a 2 gallon tank and will my glofish accidently breed if i have a male and female in a group? Even if I don't want them to?! HELP!!!

 

[nessar]

Thanks Feltzie! I can't start a topic and I don't know why. I have been posting all over the forum and noone is answering me! I have a question about glofish. How many can I have in a 2 gallon tank and will my glofish accidently breed if i have a male and female in a group? Even if I don't want them to?! HELP!!!

I dont really think you should keep any fish in a tank that small. Perhaps a betta at a push. Definately not more than one fish in a tank that size.

Never heard of glofish, unless you mean glolight tetras? In which case they need to be kept in groups of 5 or 6 or more. Hope that helps.

Try finding out what type of fish a glofish is and post in the right section for that type, then youll get a better response. Or post in the newbies section. Contact a mod if you cant start topics.

 

[Glofishgirl]

Thanks Feltzie! I can't start a topic and I don't know why. I have been posting all over the forum and noone is answering me! I have a question about glofish. How many can I have in a 2 gallon tank and will my glofish accidently breed if i have a male and female in a group? Even if I don't want them to?! HELP!!!

I dont really think you should keep any fish in a tank that small. Perhaps a betta at a push. Definately not more than one fish in a tank that size.

Never heard of glofish, unless you mean glolight tetras? In which case they need to be kept in groups of 5 or 6 or more. Hope that helps.

Try finding out what type of fish a glofish is and post in the right section for that type, then youll get a better response. Or post in the newbies section. Contact a mod if you cant start topics.

Thanks... Uhm sorry for posting in the wrog section... I didn't know where else to. I've posted all over... I really don't know who to trust at this point... I heard that you could keep nine glofish (they are zebra danios that have been like scintifically changed) in a ONE gallon tank, then one for each gallon, then six in a ten gallon tank at least... I think I still want to put three or four in my two gallon... Would it be bad for them, or would it just make them happier in a larger tank. I kept a betta for one year and a half in a one gallon tank, and he did fine. Grr, I don't know what to do!

 

[Feltzy]

I thought my tank was small and it is just over 10 US gallons (I thought it was overstocked with 5 guppies and a loach). It depends what type of gallons you use too, in the UK my tank is just over 8 gallons.