mercurybebe

I have one baaaad guppy on my hands! He is an orange devil!

He is the first fish my daughter got for her 5g tank (now a betta tank) and has been living in my 30g "bachelor pad" for a few weeks now. Since the move he has taken over that tank, chasing the other fish and forcing me to move two fish because I thought he would hurt them!

We finally decided to make that tank my daughter's guppy-only (with the exception of her 2 bloodfin tetras who are laid-back) tank which she named the "guppy train"

Anyway, she added 4 guppies to the tank, making a total of 7 guppies and the 2 bloodfins...

The problem is that 2 of the new guppies are lyre-tailed and after 48hrs in the tank, one of them only has one fin left!!

Clearly has struck again!

I just got the 2 lyre-tails of that tank and put them over in the "zen garden" 30g with my male platies and mollies. I am hoping that they are not mean to him so that he can recover quickly. I feel TERRIBLE that this has happened to him and I just dont know what to do about that Devil Guppy.

Has anyone dealt with a super-mean fish like this before? Is there any way of chilling him out so he doesn't beat up his tankmates? So far the other guppies are doing fine, but I am afraid that will change. And I do not want to add any more fish until I know they will be safe.

My last-resort is to put in a 5g tank by himself or with one of the guppies he is fine with. Or maybe the betta?? (kidding!)

Any advise would be very welcome...

TFA101

I always separated the offender in a separate container, rearranged the decorations to neutralize territories, added the new fish(es) and then reintroduced the offender. If that doesn't work, I just banish them from the tank once and for all, or put them in solitary confinement (the guppy breeder)

Sharkitty

I'd give him back to the LFS. Just me, though.

Aldric

drop a prozac tablet in his tank to chill him out!!!!
lol just kidding
but i agree with the TFA101 the rearangeing thing might help

mercurybebe

Thanks for the suggestions...

Unfortunately, my poor lyre-tail lost even more of his tail in the "zen garden" tank! I put him in my 55g female tank and that is really my last option. He isn't swimming very well and I am not sure he is going to make it at this point . The 55g has a *lot* of hiding places so I am hoping that he will just find a safe place to be until he heals.

The only other option I have is to buy another tank and keep him on his own for a while. Poor little guy.

TFA101

maybe you could separate him in a guppy breeder box and put a bubbler under the box. You should also be sure that the water he's in is very clean, and you should also consider the water conditioner Stress Coat. This will reduce any stress on him and encourage the regeneration of his fins.

mercurybebe

He died last night. Not surprised considering the trauma he went through. Poor baby.

gmen4life

i cant help ya i have cichlids i move their stuff around every once in a while

bolivianbaby

I'm sorry you lost him