Poorly Guppy

[IzzysGuppies]

Hi, we have a 60l planted tank which we are slowly stocking (been up and running since May this year), currently there are 4 guppies, 2 panda cories and 2 pitbull plecs. a few days ago one of the guppies (Ewan) appeared to be stuck on the bottom of the tank, his tail appeared to have a piece of gravel on it. I reached in and flicked the gravel off. I can only think that one of the pitbulls that has one of resting spots near to where the guppy was, does like to fling gravel around, so flung one that trapped the guppy! Now once freed, it swam off, a bit wobbly but over the next few days he appeared to be doing ok, a bit worried about him most days for some reason eg initially swimming backwards, doing spiraling moves to the bottom, resting more, but always then going on to act more normally. He has now started to list to one side and is not swimming far at all. He started this yesterday, but did manage to eat some bloodworm that was the days offerings. The other thing that I noticed after freeing him was that he has a little black lump/spot on his dorsal fin, he did have one on his tail too, but that one has gone. He still has this which may or may not have anything to do with this.

The tank currently has 2 filters running as I had been treating this main tank with melafix because of fin rot (had temperature problems which started it) and a little quaratine tank that had been treating with melafix and pimafix as one of the panda cories had a problem with his face. The panda is now back in the main tank with a mending face and I put the extra filter in too as I wanted to keep it going incase I needed it again soon either for the cory of the guppy.

I do a 20% water change once a week with a gravel vac over half the tank and I have 2 pieces of morpani wood and the last introductions to the tank were about 5 weeks ago - the 2 pitbull plecs. I did a water change on Friday and will take some stats today, but the are usually ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrites just below 10 and pH around 7.8 I use the API liquid tests - since it cycled I have not had (so far) and ammonia or nitrite showing up on the tests. I stopped using the melafix in the main tank on Thursday.

I hope someone may have some ideas as to how I can help the little chap, many thanks in advance,
Lisa.

 

[WILDER]

It could be bacterial, to internal parasites.

Swimming in circles can mean the fish is dying, internal parsites that have damaged the brain or organs, swim bladder, ph shock.

Does he look thin or bloated.
Do you think the gravel on him could of damaged his swim bladder.
What does it look like when the fish goes to the toilet.
Is there anus enlarged or red and inflamed.
Is the belly sunken in.
Is the spine bending.

When I bought some pitbull plecs they had internal parasites.
The cory can you describe what his face looks like, as I don't quite understand what you mean.

 

[IzzysGuppies]

Hi Wilder,
thanks for your reply. He looks thinner than the other guppies, but I wouldn't say thin, but to be honest they just look fat!
He has a fair size fan tail in comparison to the other guppies we have and the gravel was on the bottom edge of his tail fin.
His belly isn't sunken in and I don't think his spine is bending, he is prefering to swim the way that he is 'listing', but can get to anywhere he wants to when he does want something. He's not going to the toilet at the moment and I can't think if I've seen him performing recently thats not so say he hasn't though. I can't see his anus so I presume it is not enlarged or anything, but I'm not sure the last time I saw him poo.
My main concern is that I don't know how long he had beem stuck there, pinned by the gravel and what happens to fish when they get stuck unable to swim around as I presume they can drown.

As for the Panda Cory, now that is another story. I'm still tempted to think that his face problem startd by rootling around too vigorously followed by an infection of sorts. One day his barbles were shortish but ok, wasn't worried as they sometimes get a bit short then grow back quite quickly, the next they were virtually gone, then the next day his face seemed to be paler with no barbles then the whole of his face seemed to look a bit like a panda cory doing a zombie film. There was no kind of white fluffines or anything, it was just like shredding skin. He spent 2 weeks in qt with melafix and pimafix and it has slowly been getting better. when his face started to go 'bad' his swimming patterns went all funny, kind of just swimming around aimlessly like dory in Nemo rather than zipping around and generally having fun.

In qt the zombie effect went and his eating has been fine. He has been back in the main tank for the last week. Thinking about it, he went back into the main tank on Friday before last, which was the same day as the guppy got pinned. Ingrained into my mind as it was the day after the cat had to be put down and I'd done stats on the qt tank to find high nitrite so quickly put the panda back into the main tank. qt tank being neglected for a day or so whilst trying to save the cat - quite a week that week. The Panda has been zooming around the tank with his mate for the last week and has a hearty appitite, was worried because of no barbles, but he seems to be finding food and eating well, and I know they don't always grow back, but I am sure there are the beginnings of barbles in the white part of his face that is still mending, which I would say is a small area around his mouth now. It had affected the whole of his face more or less up to his eyes.

Oh stats today
Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate between 5 and 10, pH 7.8 or just less. Temp 24 degrees. The tank is in Izzy's bedroom.

Many thanks once again,
Lisa (Izzy's mum)

 

[WILDER]

Is the gravel sharp as it can wear the barbels down. also sharp gravel can cause scrapes that get infected.

I would add a bacterial med to the tank but not melafix and pimafix.
Anti internal bacteria med by interpet.
Keep a look out for when your fish go to the toilet.

 

[IzzysGuppies]

The gravel is dorset rounded pea gravel if I remember correctly, I'd say a medium size, but yes it is quite rounded.
I have put the guppy into the qt tank, but I'm not feeling too hopeful. he did however have a poo, but decided to hide as soon as I spotted him doing it!
The tank has a bare floor, but I have put in an ornament because the filter has quite a jet coming out that can't really be calmed, so he can hide either under the filter at the back of the tank, or infront the ornament.

I'll check on him when I go to bed, torch is at the ready. I need to sneak into Izzy's room to be finish tucking him up for the night, as I have no heater in there, but I should be able to maintain a 24 degree tank as the daytime temp in the room is still high enough. Worked ok for while the panda was in there anyway, so fingers crossed for the little mite.

I only have melafix and pimafix, but I can have a looksee after school tomorrow, but did you mean the interpet med for the guppy or for the panda?
I'm quite happy that the Panda, although still a bit scary looking if you'd not seen him at his worse, is getting better now without any meds.

I take it you think it is most likely to be internal parisites rather than anything to do with being trapped.

Once again, many thanks,
Lisa.

 

[WILDER]

I would just add the med to the whole tank?

Need to rule out internal parasites as guppys are prone to them.