Emergency, guppy hanging at bottom

[Clare1125]

Tank

What is the water volume of the tank?
- 10gal
How long has the tank been running?
- Since Early May 2020
Does it have a filter?
- Yes: Aqua-Tech
Does it have a heater?
- No, I live in a warm environment
What is the water temperature?
- Currently: 82. Usually ranges from 78-82
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.)
- 6 Male Guppies
- 2 Cory Catfish

Maintenance
How often do you change the water?
- Every two weeks
How much of the water do you change?
- 70%
What do you use to treat your water?
- Imagitarium Water Conditioner and Bacterial Boost
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water?
- Sand Substrate but vacuum as much as I can

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?
- Yes
What do you use to test the water?
- API Master Test Kit
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.

Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0-0.25
Nitrate: 10-20
pH: 7.6 (High Range 8.0)

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish?
- Every day
How much do you feed your fish?
- Twice a day a small pinch
What brand of food do you feed your fish?
- For guppies: Fancy guppy HIKARI
- For catfish API Tropical mini pellets
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods?
- Not often but frozen blood worms

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish?
- Since the end of May
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms?
- Sunday (11/13/2020)
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms?
- All guppies are fine except one. I noticed he was hanging out at the bottom of the tank and would only stay there.
Have you started any treatment for the illness?
- Tank clean yesterday, put in Bacterial Infection Remedy by Imagitarium
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase?
- No he was actually one of the healthiest
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all?
- Separated him from the rest of the group but still in the same tank. He's starting to breath heavier and his fins are getting slower. Pooping is different everytime. At first is was white and stringy then it was normal, then again white and stringy.

Explain your emergency situation in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)
Guppy started hanging out at the bottom of the fish tank Sunday morning and would swim around with the rest of the fish when they would bother him but after he was left alone he would go back to the same spot. His fins weren't clenched to his body and his breathing was fine until today. He was getting bullied by two others so I separated them and I noticed he was hanging out on the bottom pressed against one of the decorations when a friendlier guppy came near him he would shoo him away, was irritable, and would go back to the same spot. I let the ones who were separated from him out and put the sick guppy into the hatchery so he could be left alone and rest. Now his breathing has gotten faster and his fins aren't moving as fast. I'm afraid of taking him out and putting him with the rest of the guppies because I know the other two will be aggressive with him. From what it looks like I believe he has ICH but I'm not too sure.

Please help my little buddy is a trooper but I'm not sure how much longer he's going to last. I feel like his health is declining by he second.

The white one is who is sick.

 

[AcornTheBetta]

Tank

What is the water volume of the tank?
- 10gal
How long has the tank been running?
- Since Early May 2020
Does it have a filter?
- Yes: Aqua-Tech
Does it have a heater?
- No, I live in a warm environment
What is the water temperature?
- Currently: 82. Usually ranges from 78-82
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.)
- 6 Male Guppies
- 2 Cory Catfish

Maintenance
How often do you change the water?
- Every two weeks
How much of the water do you change?
- 70%
What do you use to treat your water?
- Imagitarium Water Conditioner and Bacterial Boost
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water?
- Sand Substrate but vacuum as much as I can

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?
- Yes
What do you use to test the water?
- API Master Test Kit
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.

Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0-0.25
Nitrate: 10-20
pH: 7.6 (High Range 8.0)

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish?
- Every day
How much do you feed your fish?
- Twice a day a small pinch
What brand of food do you feed your fish?
- For guppies: Fancy guppy HIKARI
- For catfish API Tropical mini pellets
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods?
- Not often but frozen blood worms

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish?
- Since the end of May
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms?
- Sunday (11/13/2020)
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms?
- All guppies are fine except one. I noticed he was hanging out at the bottom of the tank and would only stay there.
Have you started any treatment for the illness?
- Tank clean yesterday, put in Bacterial Infection Remedy by Imagitarium
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase?
- No he was actually one of the healthiest
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all?
- Separated him from the rest of the group but still in the same tank. He's starting to breath heavier and his fins are getting slower. Pooping is different everytime. At first is was white and stringy then it was normal, then again white and stringy.

Explain your emergency situation in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)
Guppy started hanging out at the bottom of the fish tank Sunday morning and would swim around with the rest of the fish when they would bother him but after he was left alone he would go back to the same spot. His fins weren't clenched to his body and his breathing was fine until today. He was getting bullied by two others so I separated them and I noticed he was hanging out on the bottom pressed against one of the decorations when a friendlier guppy came near him he would shoo him away, was irritable, and would go back to the same spot. I let the ones who were separated from him out and put the sick guppy into the hatchery so he could be left alone and rest. Now his breathing has gotten faster and his fins aren't moving as fast. I'm afraid of taking him out and putting him with the rest of the guppies because I know the other two will be aggressive with him. From what it looks like I believe he has ICH but I'm not too sure.

Please help my little buddy is a trooper but I'm not sure how much longer he's going to last. I feel like his health is declining by he second.

Hmmm it's hard to tell what he has, but I do have a few suggestions for your tank. The first is that corys need to be in groups of at least 6. I would also up the water changes to daily to get the ammonia and nitrite down to 0ppm. For a regular schedule, I would change ~20% once a week. I also think that dosing with bacteria boost is unnecessary. One thing you can do to improve your water quality is to feed one small pinch once a day (I promise your fish will have enough food). The high ammonia and nitrite are defiantly the source of the problem here. I would try to get those parameters down and see if he can recover on his own. Do you know what kind of cory catfish you have? This is to see if getting more is a viable option for a 10 gallon tank. If you don't know, just post a pic and I will ID. Hope this helps!

 

[MomOfLiveBearers]

I agree with AcornTheBetta its hard to from pics if he has ich because he is white already. (Gorgeous btw) but your nitrites and ammonia should be at 0 and any amount is toxic. He could just be more sensitive to it than the others. As far as bullying goes, that is to be expected when keeping an all male colony.

 

[Clare1125]

I have noticed that their water has been high as of late. That's probably another reason why he's not doing so hot.
Will do the once a day!
I have albino cories. I was worried that too many fish in a smaller tank would be too much for the fish. I've had the both of them since May also and they seem to be enjoying each other's company?

I agree with AcornTheBetta its hard to from pics if he has ich because he is white already. (Gorgeous btw) but your nitrites and ammonia should be at 0 and any amount is toxic. He could just be more sensitive to it than the others. As far as bullying goes, that is to be expected when keeping an all male colony.

When I read the results today my heart sunk the peramiters are rarely that high, I think I need to go back to once a week water change.
Yes, they all have gotten along but now that he's down and out they pick on him longer.
(Thank you, that's little Phillip)

I appreciate your help and easing my mind! I was starting get a little emotional there for a second. I'll do water changes everyday. There was a bacterial blood a few months ago and the water changes for a week really helped it out.

 

[AcornTheBetta]

I agree with AcornTheBetta its hard to from pics if he has ich because he is white already. (Gorgeous btw) but your nitrites and ammonia should be at 0 and any amount is toxic. He could just be more sensitive to it than the others. As far as bullying goes, that is to be expected when keeping an all male colony.

Yes. All male colonies will establish a social structure of sorts.

I have noticed that their water has been high as of late. That's probably another reason why he's not doing so hot.
Will do the once a day!
I have albino cories. I was worried that too many fish in a smaller tank would be too much for the fish. I've had the both of them since May also and they seem to be enjoying each other's company?

Sounds like a good plan. One more tip for vacuuming sand, you can take your siphon stick it in the sand and let the intake tube fill about 1/2 way with sand, then bend some of the tubing to stop the flow and lift the siphon from the substrate. Then, the sand from the tube will fall back down leaving just sand and no detritus. Could you understand this? It was a little cryptic lol. You might be able to up the number of corys to 5 cuz albino corys are smaller.... MomOfLiveBearers would this work?

 

[MomOfLiveBearers]

When I read the results today my heart sunk the peramiters are rarely that high, I think I need to go back to once a week water change.
Yes, they all have gotten along but now that he's down and out they pick on him longer.
(Thank you, that's little Phillip)

I appreciate your help and easing my mind! I was starting get a little emotional there for a second. I'll do water changes everyday. There was a bacterial blood a few months ago and the water changes for a week really helped it out.

I think the increased water changes may fix your issue. He looks very healthy. I hope the best for your fishies

 

[Clare1125]

I have been trying to find a way to pick up the sand without everything getting all over the place! I'm going to try that out, thank you!

I think the increased water changes may fix your issue. He looks very healthy. I hope the best for your fishies

Thank you! *Social distant hugs!*

 

[MomOfLiveBearers]

Yes. All male colonies will establish a social structure of sorts.

Sounds like a good plan. One more tip for vacuuming sand, you can take your siphon stick it in the sand and let the intake tube fill about 1/2 way with sand, then bend some of the tubing to stop the flow and lift the siphon from the substrate. Then, the sand from the tube will fall back down leaving just sand and no detritus. Could you understand this? It was a little cryptic lol. You might be able to up the number of corys to 5 cuz albino corys are smaller.... MomOfLiveBearers would this work?

I dont see why not. I would level out the parameters then yes, introduce 2-3 morw cories. Albinos stay pretty small and they def prefer larger groups.

 

[AcornTheBetta]

I have been trying to find a way to pick up the sand without everything getting all over the place! I'm going to try that out, thank you!

If you google "How to clean a sand tank there will be a Girl Talks Fish video that explains this really well. I would also poke a stick into the sand every so often to release some of the gases that could be building up in the sand.
EDIT: Clare1125 so long as you keep up 20% wc once a week you should be fine adding more cories. Water changes are the cure to a lot of disease/sicknesses.

 

[Clare1125]

I dont see why not. I would level out the parameters then yes, introduce 2-3 morw cories. Albinos stay pretty small and they def prefer larger groups.

How exciting!!! New little fish!

I didn't think of the stick! I'll definitely look into the video and I will start poking the gases out now!

 

[AcornTheBetta]

How exciting!!! New little fish!

I didn't think of the stick! I'll definitely look into the video and I will start poking the gases out now!

Sounds good! New fish are always exciting! If you’re looking for good info, Girl Talks Fish is the most informative and easy to understand out there. She can be more practical to normal people than some of the mega fish nerd Youtubers out there (not to say that there bad, but it can be harder to understand them sometimes)

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[Clare1125]

Sounds good! New fish are always exciting! If your looking for good info, Girl Talks Fish is the most informative and easy to understand out there. She can be more practical to normal people than some of the mega fish nerd Youtubers out there (not to say that there bad, but it can be harder to understand them sometimes)

I know what you mean. It can get pretty confusing lol

Hello Fish friends, I wanted to let you know that little Phillip did not make it through the night. He lived a good couple of months but I could tell towards the last couple of hours he was struggling.
Thank you for all of your guys' help<3
AcornTheBetta MomOfLiveBearers

 

[AcornTheBetta]

Hello Fish friends, I wanted to let you know that little Phillip did not make it through the night. He lived a good couple of months but I could tell towards the last couple of hours he was struggling.
Thank you for all of your guys' help<3
AcornTheBetta MomOfLiveBearers

SIP Phillip

 

[MomOfLiveBearers]

I am very sorry to hear that. He was a beautiful fish.