My Guppy Has No Tail...now What?

[lynnmccraw]

I woke up this morning and found that one of my female guppies had half a tail. I wasn't sure if it was from finrot or from being nipped. So, after work this evening, I went and bought a hospital tank. I set it up using 1/2 water from the main tank and 1/2 distilled water (we have VERY hard H2O and I have a hard time keeping the Ph down). I added StressZyme, AquaSafe, StressCoat, and some aquarium salt. I also bought some freezedried blood worms.

So, anyway, by the time I got home, she only had a stub, with a little bleeding and a bright red streak running the length of her tail. I quarantined her, and she seems to be doing okay (swimming and eating).

That's when I noticed who the aggressive one was! I bought the nipper and the nipee together about 1 1/2 weeks ago (they were in the same tank, with about a dozen other guppies at the store). They're both females. Now, I've seen this other female already chasing the other fish around. I did have 4 females to 1 male, and 17 fry in the hatchery. Why didn't she do this when they were in the tank at the store together? By the way, she just had fry about 1 week ago. Could that be it?

Is there anything I'm doing wrong? What am I doing right? What should I do about the aggressive female? I don't want to wake up to three more fish with damaged fins, but I'm afraid if I quarantine her and put the weak one back into the community tank, then the other fish will prey on her.....

 

[5teady_2012]

If she is very agressive, take her back to the store m8, if you are concerned for the toher fish, this is the only way you can really get round it..

 

[lynnmccraw]

I'll do that tomorrow. Is there anything you suggest I might do tonight?

 

[dortiz24]

I had a female guppy like that. She was very aggressive toward the other fish, especially other females. I did not keep her. You may want to find her a new home. Back at the lfs or see if a friend or family member wants to adopt her.

 

[guppylord]

i have been breeding guppies for 8years,to be honest ive never had an aggressive male or female guppy,unless one is sick and weak then they tend to attack,it just might be because she has just had fry she will be feeling very protective and agitated,good luck

 

[lynnmccraw]

*update* Well, i took her back to the fish store and i got a pleco instead of another guppy (since i have 17 fry). The tail-less guppy is doing okay in the quarantine tank, although she looks a little lonely. That first night, she had red gills and a bright red streak running down the length of her tail, but now her gills are back to normal and the streak in her tail is a faded dark brown. I assume that means she's healing. How will i know if/when her tail will grow back? i can probably post a pic on here if somebody thinks they could tell from looking at her...