0morrokh

I simply cannot diagnose this. One of my Guppies has been a bit bloated for quite a while, but I just assumed she was hogging too much food. One by one the other fish started swelling up too. There are no visible sugns of disease and none of them had clamped fins or anything. But suddenly two of them got listless. They got really thin and stopped eating and just sit on the bottom with clamped fins. I think one is going to die...she won't even move. I have no clue what is going on. I thought of internal parasites but I have never fed live foods. Someone please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gunnie

I'm drawing a blank. How often do you do water changes, and how much (%) do you change out? I got this from another forum but don't know if it helps or not:

Toxins

If in doubt as to what is wrong always suspect Toxins, try and remember if you have used anything toxic in the room or introduced them on your hands or equipment.
Immediately begin partial water changes of up to 50% at a time to reduce the problem.
Cloudy eyes, Bloody patches and listlessness indicate metallic poisoning.
Copper pipes, Galvanise (Zinc plating), Cadmium or Nickel.
Other possibilities are Chlorine and Chloramines, use a good water preparation aid.
Above all keep the aquarium clean and tidy and you should avoid toxins.

A good water change would be a good first step.

0morrokh

I do water changes every week (occasionally 2 weeks if I'm really busy). Due high nitrates I now change nearly 50% of the water. I just did a change on Monday.

I don't see how there could be any toxins...they are in my room and nothing toxic is used in there... Also I always make sure my hands are clean before I put them in the tank. There are no external symptoms on the fish that I can see, besides some color loss in one and the other looking a bit darker (the dying one ).

Ugh this is driving me carzy! I can't just sit here and watch the fish die! It seems like the problem has been there for quite a while, but just suddenly developed into an issue. I remember noticing the Platys were bloated quite a while back, but just took it as overeating. The fish don't seem sick while bloated, but then the two just started wasting away... anyone know any disease like that? *gulp* I just thought of this... fish TB... is that possible? I don't know much about the disease...

0morrokh

OH MY GOODNESS I AM SO STUPID IT'S FINROT! oops sorry for shouting. I feel so dumb! It all makes perfect sense.
See, a while back my Otos had finrot. I didn't have a q tank but I treated them successfully, and since I figured the Guppies and Platys were pretty much invincible I never gave it another thought. Well, two of my Guppies caught it--Corona (the "dying" one) and Sunspot--when I missed a water change and the nitrates must have built up higher than their liking. Corona, being a slightly snobby little girl, was apalled to see her fins in such a condition and sat on the bottom and sulked. Of course--and this is what got me--she never clamped her fins or anything, because she really is not that sick. But, since she sat on the bottom and wouldn't even come up to eat, I couldn't really see her fins and I never reallly thought to look closely before. It looked like she was dying, the way she just sat there. Sunspot was more active but clamped her fins a bit, and wouldn't eat either.
So...another round of finrot treatment. Fortunately it doesn't seem as advanced as the Otos' cases. The Guppies just seem much more unhappy about it than the Otos were. Good grief, I'm going to be an expert at finrot treating by the time this is all over. I think I'm going to try to get them a bigger tank. The nitrates in my 10 gallon just build up too quickly, and then I end up with finrot. At least it isn't some life-threatening disease. The little stinkers are just big sulkers. : Goodness, that probably took 5 years off my life. Whoopee, another round of finrot, and just before my Grandma arrives from Arizona too! --NOT

chickadee

They do complicate things occasionally don't they? But we do love them just the same! I am glad it is not something more serious. You didn't mention little Mist. Is he among the healthy this time or have I missed something?

We have HIGH Nitrates all the time. There is never a low Nitrate time for us so I know what you are doing. I have to purchase the gallons of RO drinking water (not distilled) to mix 50/50 with tap water to bring them down to a livable level.

I hope that they get better soon and that you enjoy the visit with your Grandma.

It is kind of nice to hear that I am not the only one with sulkers. LOL She is very vain she doesn't like her fins to look funny. Such a cute personality.

I cannot go more than about 4 or 5 days without a 50% water change in my tanks with the Nitrate levels we have so maybe you will have to step up the changes until you can get the bigger tank going. I know the timing is terrible.

Rose

0morrokh

Mist seems to be doing ok. Her fin is taking forever to heal but there are no signs of the finrot returning...and she's not bloated. I still can't figure out what that's all about, the bloating I mean. Any ideas anyone?

I suppose my Corona has some excuse for being sulky about it...she's about the most gorgeous female Guppy I've ever seen...her fins look more like a male's, just a bit shorter. The caudal fin is beautiful bright yellow with black marks, and the other fins are pale blue.

I wish I could do more water changes. I just don't know how I'll find the time. My horseback riding instructor asked me if I would come out on week days (the lessons are only on Saturdays) and help exercise the horses, and I am going to start volunteering again at a therapeutic riding center (riding for people with disabilities), and Saturdays I have my riding lessons, and 5 days a week I walk my neighbors dog, and I have my rabbit and fish to take care of, and then there's all the fun summer stuff I want to do...yikes!! I have a funny feeling I'll be lucky to fit in a water change every week. I feel so bad about it. What to do, what to do... (so much for summer "vacation" :P) I think I might have to try to pick up a cheap 20 gallon kit and chuck the 10 gallon, easier said than done.

Oh my goodness look at the time...

0morrokh

Well, Corona is gone. There must be something more than finrot going on here. I wish I knew what was wrong but I simply have no clue. One of my other Guppies looks like she's dying too.