Poorly Guppies

[Gypsy5]

Hi all, I wondered if anyone had any advice for me please? I originally had four male guppies and have since added five females. Nature took it's course and babies started arriving...a lot of babies!

The babies were taken out of the main tank (3ft) and placed in their own little tank for safety. Then I started to notice that one of my male fancy-tailed guppies wasn't chasing the ladies like he normally does. His tail was kind of droopy and he was flicking. By the next day I noticed that a few of the guppies were also flicking so I removed all 9 and put them into a 39L. The guy at my LFS said it sounded like flukes and recommended Sterazin. The babies meanwhile started flicking (we got some more out while the guppies were in quarantine) and, because one of the babies got mouth fungus we treated them with Protozin. The flicking has stopped, babies have been separated into two little tanks and all 90 of them are doing well!

The Sterazin didn't seem to do anything for the adults though and unfortunately one twin-tailed male fell ill and died all doubled over. He was in a 'U' shape if looked at from above with the side of his head nearly touching the side of his tail. Protozin started but flicking is still continuing and we are now about to give the third dose of Protozin (waited 48hrs after Sterazin and did a water change). Can see no dust, fungus, sores etc. slightly inflamed gills (I think) and flicking and a couple are acting tired (they sometimes just rest on the bottom of the tank). They have been doing this for nearly two weeks now, not getting any worse but no better.

Sorry this is so long but wanted to be thorough.

P.S. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20/40

 

[WILDER]

This is the best med for flukes will have to treat once a week for 4 weeks, as you can have egg laying flukes.
There waterlfie no good used it too and it did nothing, flukes are very hard to get rid off,
http/www.flubenol.co.uk/

 

[Gypsy5]

Thanks for the quick reply. Do you think it IS flukes then? How can I tell for sure? Should I stop the Protozin treatment?

 

[WILDER]

Gill flukes the gills will be pale with excess mucas on them, or red and inflamed.
Signs of flukes.
Sores on body.
Going thin.
Heavy breathing, flicking and rubbing.
Shying at objects.
Swimming in a jerky movement.
Spitting good out.
The fish can look pale.
Carry on with the med till you can get the flubenol, can only buy it online, won't be able to get it at the lfs.
You can use other meds with flubenol.

 

[Gypsy5]

Gill flukes the gills will be pale with excess mucas on them, or red and inflamed - slightly red inside and inflamed (I think)
Signs of flukes - can't see anything
Sores on body - nope
Going thin - no
Heavy breathing, flicking and rubbing - flicking
Shying at objects - possibly
Swimming in a jerky movement - not really
Spitting good out - occasionally but then I've seen them do this before (they are all eating well, gobbling everything up)
The fish can look pale - full of colour

I will put the Protozin in tonight and will order the Flubenol now. Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

Can't see flukes with the naked eye.
If water quaity is good and they are flicking I would say it could be flukes yes.

 

[Gypsy5]

::UPDATE::

Received the Flubenol yesterday and treated the guppies straightaway. Have seen no flicking today but their gills are still red and slightly inflamed. Presumably, after 2/3 weeks of being ill it will take some time for them to look normal again. One of the guppies is still resting on the bottom of the tank for short periods (he's also slightly paler than normal) and two of the females are hiding behind the filter (also for short periods). All are eating as good as ever.

Was thinking about adding salt to the tank to pep them all up. Any other recommendations and does anyone know how long it should be before we start to see some definite improvements/need to start considering that it's some other disease/infection they've got?

Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

Depends on which fish you ahve in the tank with salt.
You will need to do 3 more courses of the flubenol, once a week for 4 weeks, as you can get egg laying flukes.

 

[Gypsy5]

I only have adult guppies in the tank I am going to put salt into.

On another note we have moved our guppy fry over to a 3ft tank today because we knew they were getting overcrowded in the two small tanks they were in. A bit of a shock when we fished 118 out though!!

Think there may be a few more hiding in the gravel still, so that number could rise!

Anyone want some fishies??

 

[mcdanielnc89]

Congrats on the fry. Sory wbout the flukes illness..

 

[WILDER]

I wouldn't add the salt then with fry it can harm them.
I would only add a very small dose and that wouldn't do much.

 

[Gypsy5]

Will not add salt to the fry tank, didn't know it could harm them so thanks for the warning!

One of the adult guppies is now going the same way as the one that died. Just noticed that he's starting to bend round. The kink starts in his tail end and it's a bend at the side of him and will eventually put him in a 'U' shape, with his head near his tail if looking at him from above (if you know what I mean). The rest of the guppies are still flicking and the babies in the fry tank are also still flicking. Could flukes cause this bend in the adults or could it be something else?

Resigned to the fact that I'm going to lose him but really want to help him and am so worried that I'm treating for the wrong thing and will end up losing them all! Any thoughts anyone?

Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

Bent spines, old age, internal parasties to fish tb.
The flubenol treats internal parasites as well.
I would destroy the fish he's in a bad way, sorry.

 

[Gypsy5]

I don't think it's old age as this will be the second one to get like this in a short space of time and all 9 guppies have symptoms. Fish TB is always a possibility I suppose but I'm thinking about the internal parasite suggestion. They all have red gills but no other symptoms other than flicking until the bending spine happens. The bending develops within hours, one minute straight and within a few hours curved right round. With the fish being poorly for a few weeks now I suppose internal damage could have been done to it that would cause it to exhibit this bending.

Feel sorry for the little mite but I don't know how to put it out of it's misery and don't know if I could bring myself to do it. I have only been fishkeeping for just over 3 months and still have an awful lot to learn.

Thanks for all your patience and help Wilder. You're a credit to this forum and the fishkeeping hobby.

 

[Gypsy5]

The flicking has now stopped thanks to the Flubenol but I have a new problem with one of my female adult guppies. She was fine this morning but have come home from work to find her quite poorly. Her symptoms are

Rapid breathing (not at top of tank though)
Spent time just laying at the bottom of the tank which has progressed (in the last few hours) to vertical headstanding (she's not floating to the top though)
Her poo is white and wispy, kind of like a thick spider web
Her tail seems to have become very very pale. It was white-ish with grey/blue flashings in it but the colour seems to have gone in the last couple of hours so now it's almost pure white.

I would love to be able to move all these female guppies into my 6ft tank but am really worried about contaminating it if she's got something infectious. The water has been tested today Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10/20, pH 7.2. Wondering if it could be that the tanks feels too small for them (18 x 12 x 12) and they just need to stretch their fins!

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks