Problems With Guppy Tail

[tibby25731]

This is one of my new guppies, currently in quarantine with another guppy who seems fine, and 2 baby golden cichlids. His tail looked fine last night, this seems to have happened over 24hours. I didn't get chance to check him this morning. It doesn't seem nibbled, it has gone kinda stringy, and it's like the colour is wearing off! This guppy had a lovely big bright yellow tail yesterday

What is wrong with him, and how do i treat it?

 

[WILDER]

Sure the other fish havent being nipping his tail.
How much of the tail has gone, is the fish struggling to swim.
Once guppys lose half of there tails they rarely make it.
Bacterial med like waterlife myxazin.

 

[tibby25731]

I haven't notced any tail nipping and other guppies in the past have have their tails nipped but the colour hasn't worn off like on this one....

 

[WILDER]

Its bacterial finrot and they can lose there tails in less than 12 hours it a bad strain and to be honest I doubt the fish will make it.

 

[tibby25731]

Is it contagious?

 

[WILDER]

<a href="http/www.petfish.net/kb/entry/335/" target="_blank">http/www.petfish.net/kb/entry/335/</a>
No it isn't contagious but it will get to a fish that is stressed and has a weak immune system.

 

[tibby25731]

 

[WILDER]

I've kept guppys on and off for years and once they get finrot that bad its usually ends in death.
Still try the med as sometimes fish can surprise you.

 

[tibby25731]

Just checked and not got the right med Nowhere open now for me to go buy any. Is there any chance of survival without meds? Or should I euthanize the fish - is it suffering??

 

[WILDER]

I would leave him for now.
You could try a salt bath.
Its one teaspoonful to the gallon.
First bath only leave the fish in the bath for ten minutes, if he keep rolling upside down remove the fish from the salt bath.

 

[tibby25731]

How do I do this? Do I make up a bucket of water and put salt in? And do I use aquarium salt, or normal salt? I have only ever had to deal with ich before, can you talk me through this?

 

[WILDER]

Just get a jug and add some tank water then add the salt, household salt is fine.
Stir the salt in the water till it disolves then add the fish to the bath, but only for ten minutes.

 

[tibby25731]

Guppy is in bath now. Do I do this more than once? And if I do, can I keep using the same water, or do I need to keep making up a new bath?

 

[WILDER]

You need to do the salt bath as the same temp as the tank.
I would do another salt bath tomorrow, but you need to get the med fast.

 

[tibby25731]

Can't get the med till after work tomorrow - if the guppy is still alive tomorrow I will get it and hope he is still fighting when i get home. Poor little thing Thank you for your help