buzzkill

I put my guppy back in his tank and he just can't float. He sinks to the bottom and struggles to swim to the top only to drift back down. He's alert and has a good appetite, he just can't float. Any Thoughts

john&jen

How fast is he breathing? I was responding to your old post. I'm surprised he is still alive... considering how long ago those posts were. What have you done for him so far? We had 25 guppy fry last week and 5 platy fry this week.

buzzkill

Its been an adventure to be sure. i doted on him literally day and night while he laid on his side. several times I was convinced he was gone but he started to come around and now he's almost back to normal except...he sinks to the bottom. I figure he's got a swim bladder problem so I raised his temp a few more degrees and he seems a bit better so we'll see how he does from here. You mentioned his breathing -it does seem rapid to me but he always seemed pretty spazzy to me, Got any ideas?

COBettaCouple

Is the ammonia and nitrites 0 and nitrates less than or equal to 10? Does he have aeration in the tank. What temp is the tank? How old is he? Do you have a pic? Does he look bloated?

What's his usual diet and have you tried feeding him small pieces of thawed & peeled frozen peas?

john&jen

I have the same questions as COBetta. Do you use water conditioner, like Stresscoat or anything? How are the other two behaving?

buzzkill

first, i'm using distilled water, he's in a quarantine tank (sort of) where the temp is between 78 and 80 degrees. No aeration in the quarantine tank but yes in the main tank.
I'm sorry, but as far as the various levels, I don't have a test kit yet. he isn't bloated, in fact he's quite small - I haven't a clue how old he is but I assume he's pretty young based on his overall size. speaking of...I have given him some peas and he is interested in them but to be honest, he's so small that even with a razorblade I have a very hard time getting the pieces small enough for him so in lieu of that I soak his "TOP FIN Tropical Flakes" in distilled water and drop it in w/ a syringe. As I said other than the sinking, he seems perfectly fine. He eats and swims around and I've noticed him going for the top of the water more often (pretty good considering that last week he was laying on his side at the bottom). The other two in the main tank are apparently fine. They move like regular fish and eat well but as soon as he went back in the main tank, he sank. It appears to me that deeper water is difficult for him, he doesn't rest at the bottom but rather constantly (and pathetically) fights his way to the top. So I am keeping him in fairly shallow water (tho as he improves I add more to make it deeper) and he seems better.
I know it seems like I'm neglecting some of the basics like water test kits and so forth and I am aware of that but these kids were a sort of unexpected rescue operation that came at a very difficult time for the wife and I. We're both artists and it's been a dismal year for us so we simply can't afford all the bells and whistles just yet. In the meantime I am trying to do everything else that I can for them. Thanks to all of your help I've gotten him back up and around and for that I and he are very grateful, I'm just trying to get him the rest of the way back and then maybe, if I can I'll see if I can find an "a-fish-ianado (duh) to take care of them better. Not to pat myself on the back but I know if I hadn't taken them they would have been dead soon (I asked my friends son when I first saw that they had the fish if they kept up with feeding them and his response was "we don't really even care?!?)
So in closing finally, I am hoping that the warmer water temp and soaked feeding and water freshening will help. I'll try the peas again, he was so bad when I gave peas to him the first time that he really wasn't able to eat anything so maybe now they'll work for him. Until then, keep the info coming and I'll keep doing all I can and I'll update with anything new.

COBettaCouple

He may have a bad swim bladder, it's not totally uncommon in livebearers and you're doing really well with him, especially considering the typical survival rate for that. I think what you're doing now is the best thing for him.

Fancyguppylover

I have the same issue with just one of my fancy guppies. He is an all black, but half his tail is gone. The problem with him is the same as yours. He lies on his side at the bottom. When he swims around, it is head up...very odd looking. He will come up and eat, and I have not seen him poo. I will be getting some peas today and try that on him. Is there any cure for swim bladder? Just the diet? All I see is peas. I have him secluded in breeder net and I am treating the whole tank (as per my favorite aquarium owner's instructions) with copper sulfate and a tonic and raised the temp to 85. My readings are all as they should be. (Water tests). I am assuming it's swim bladder since there are no other symptoms. He is in a 10 gallon tank ( I removed him from my 35 gallon hex aquarium) with 2 other male fancy guppies, 3 female fancy gupies, and about 30 fry. So there's my story. I feel bad for the poor baby, and just want to fix him, but the more I read, the more I feel like he'll be like this until he dies. I expect him to be dead every morning, and he is not. Odd.

COBettaCouple

Welcome to Fishlore.

Small pieces of pea and/or fasting .. and daphnia can help with swim bladder problems caused by constipation. Other causes of swim bladder trouble include parasites and tumors, but I think he could have parasites.

Fancyguppylover

What is Daphnia and where do you get it?

COBettaCouple

Daphnia is a small crustacean - we like to use this daphnia. It can be found at petsmart, other stores and most online stores.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...79&c=3578+7933

Fancyguppylover

Hello all. I have just released my male all black fancy guppy back into the general population (the 35 gallon hex). I noticed in the net breeder (his home for the last nearly 2 weeks) that he was swimming normally when I engaged him, and staying upright when he let himself sink to the bottom. So, I watched him for another day or day and a half, and still... swimming normally. About 10 minutes ago (It's 10 am on Wed.) I released him back into the general population and he is holding his own. I hate to get my hopes up that he'll be okay, especially since this happened once, will it happen again? hmmm.... I suppose it's more likely now. He's even chasing a female or two. He did not eat for 10 days or so. That surprises me that he could last that long. It could have been more than 10 days too. Not sure. I did try the mashed peas, skin off, but I have no idea if he ever was able to eat any of it. I hope he can live normally now... and not suffer. I hate to be too happy, so we'll see and I'll report on how he is doing. Thanks for advice everyone.

Fancyguppylover

Hello everyone who is reading. My all black that was so sick, and laid on his side for so long, is well! I don't know if his tail will ever regenerate (does that happen?), but he is doing awesome. For the first 2 days or so he might tip to his side just a little but always righted himself and now he is perfect (far as I can see). I have re-named him from "Blacky", since his is an all black fancy, to "Trooper" for being such a good trooper and getting well and not giving up the fight to live. I'll get a pic of him to post when I am able.

COBettaCouple

Great to hear that. They can grow back to a point, i'm not sure how much his will, but it could take some time.