Sinking Guppy

[crazypanda]

I am having a problem with one of my female Guppies. She has suddenly started to sink to the bottom of the tank as soon as she stops swimming! It seems to take all her effort to get of the bottom and then usually gives up and sinks to the bottom again. She will keep going until she gets her food but most of the time in between just doesn't even try to get to the top.

I ahve had the tank set up for approx 6 months and haven't added anythink different than what iv'e always used. I do a water change once a week about 20% and keep the temp between 23C to 26C I add some Waterlife bacterlife to boost the filter bacteria and always use a quality chlorine remover before adding new water (i use Tetra aqua Aquasafe) The levels are all within allowed levels Ammonia = 0 Nitrate and Nitrite are fine PH = 7.5

My tank is 2ft X 1ft and contain the following:

1 Pleco
2 Clown Loaches
1 small Red Crab
3 Mollies
4 Platy's
3 Zebra Danios
5 Neons
Started out with 6 Guppies (now got about 13 of them)

Will be getting a new tank within a fortnight and keeping the 2ft tank for the guppies only.

Hope someone can give me some better advice than my friends suggestion of pulling the guppy out and putting him in the freezer!!!

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons is the tank, hopeless at working it out in measurements, sounds like swimbladder, does her scales stick out like a pinecone, what does it look like when she goes to the toilet,try her on some shelled peas and daphnia, also what do you feed he fish.

 

[crazypanda]

Thanks for the quick response, the tank holds fifteen gallons I feed the fish on dried flake and as a treat i give them bloodworm. Her fins do look like they are sticking out but not that much. I did think it was a swimbladder disorder but when she does swim she keeps herself upright and not all over the place as you might suspect. Could it be anything else and what treatment would you suggest?

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Your problem is that you are well overstocked for that tank size, and the clown loaches will eventually need a 90gal tank, when you oversock that's when desease sets in, scales are they prutruding outwards, what is the name of the plec

 

[crazypanda]

Eric

Just kidding, it is a common plec and yes I think a bigger tank is in order. What should I do in the meantime?

Thanx

 

[WILDER]

Guppies are very prone to baceria infecions, are he scales sticking out on her, try her on some shelled peas and daphnia, what does it look like when the fish goes to the toilet, is her belly very swollen.

 

[crazypanda]

Her scales look darker than the other guppies but are not raised from her body. I haven't noticed anything unusual about her toilet products and she is relatively slim compared to the others who are almost always gravid.

 

[WILDER]

If she eats and lot and is skinny you could be dealing with internal parasites or fish tb, is the anus red and inflamed, you will have to see what it looks like when she goes to the toilet, is the belly sunken in.

 

[crazypanda]

She doesn't eat anymore than usual, her body shape is normal as is her anus. Her excretion is pale in colour compaired to the other guppies. The only noticable difference is her scales are darker and more defined and she sinks when she stops swimming.

 

[WILDER]

Are scales pruruding outwards or sticking out like a pinecone,sounds like she has a bacteria infection, try the shelled peas and daphnia.