Guppy Parasites?

If it was me, I’d try using general cure and feeding a bit more. Watch closely to see if you notice any worms hanging out their vents. And if your flakes aren’t a premium grade flake, you might want to give them vitamins. My two cents.

Ok but what vitamins do I use. And thanks for all the help from all of you!

 

You can get algae based frozen food that contains mysis shrimp and lots of vitamins, spirulina, ect…..at petsmart/petco frozen section. Mix in a little garlic powder..... that is also for picky eaters, and mix in a little general cure into that food, save the leftover in the fridge.

 

You can get algae based frozen food that contains mysis shrimp and lots of vitamins, spirulina, ect…..at petsmart/petco frozen section. Mix in a little garlic powder..... that is also for picky eaters, and mix in a little general cure into that food, save the leftover in the fridge.

Ok I’ll pick some up soon.

 

You can order general cure flake online as well, but they may not eat it as it dose'nt taste great. Some flake/pellet meds they will eat all day like antibiotics, some they just don't like.....

 

You can order general cure flake online as well, but they may not eat it as it dose'nt taste great. Some flake/pellet meds they will eat all day like antibiotics, some they just don't like.....

The stores I’ve gone to didn’t have any general cure. Is there another way?

 

The stores I’ve gone to didn’t have any general cure. Is there another way?

See if your stores carry metroplex (metronidazole) and praziquantel. These are the ingredients in general cure.

 

Sorry if I missed it, but did you ever find out the water parameters?

 

See if your stores carry metroplex (metronidazole) and praziquantel. These are the ingredients in general cure.

Ok I will check

 

Sorry if I missed it, but did you ever find out the water parameters?

I got my water tested at petco and they said it was fine.

 

I got my water tested at petco and they said it was fine.

Good to hear. That narrows down a lot

 

so I thought that one of my male guppies had gill flukes but I'm starting to think its internal parasites. He has been having white stringy poop and hasn't eaten much/at all lately. He's still fairly active and chases the female guppies around. Anyone know if my diagnosis is correct and if so how do I go about treating it?

 

Could you post a picture? If he has white stringy poop then it’s probably internal parasites but a picture would help to confirm it

 

Could you post a picture? If he has white stringy poop then it’s probably internal parasites but a picture would help to confirm it

This is the best picture I could get. Doesn't seem like any visual symptoms but there may be some.

 

That doesn’t look Flukes. White stringy poop can also be the result of eating plant matter. Anything you think he would have been keen to eat?

 

That doesn’t look Flukes. White stringy poop can also be the result of eating plant matter. Anything you think he would have been keen to eat?

The only plants in my tank are a crypt, 6 money wort stems, some jungle val, and some narrow leaf temple plant. Ive never seen them eat the plants directly but I have seen the females nip at the plant leaves of the crypt and narrow leaf.

 

The only plants in my tank are a crypt, 6 money wort stems, some jungle val, and some narrow leaf temple plant. Ive never seen them eat the plants directly but I have seen the females nip at the plant leaves of the crypt and narrow leaf.

Ok, I think there are two things that could be going on.
1. The reason he’s not eating and is having white stringy poop is because he’s just eating decaying plant matter (if you have any).
2. He has internal parasites and they are stressing him out so he can’t eat.
I’m leaning towards the 2nd idea since his behavior is off, and if it was the first idea he should atleast show interest in food.
I would treat for internal parasites, API general cure is a good med for parasites but I’m not sure if it’s plant safe.

 

Ok, I think there are two things that could be going on.
1. The reason he’s not eating and is having white stringy poop is because he’s just eating decaying plant matter (if you have any).
2. He has internal parasites and they are stressing him out so he can’t eat.
I’m leaning towards the 2nd idea since his behavior is off, and if it was the first idea he should atleast show interest in food.
I would treat for internal parasites, API general cure is a good med for parasites but I’m not sure if it’s plant safe.

Okay. I'll pick some general cure up soon and treat the tank just to be safe. Thanks for the help and I'll keep an eye on him to see if he eats the plants directly.

 

Ok, I think there are two things that could be going on.
1. The reason he’s not eating and is having white stringy poop is because he’s just eating decaying plant matter (if you have any).
2. He has internal parasites and they are stressing him out so he can’t eat.
I’m leaning towards the 2nd idea since his behavior is off, and if it was the first idea he should atleast show interest in food.
I would treat for internal parasites, API general cure is a good med for parasites but I’m not sure if it’s plant safe.

Im about to do a water change and the guppy male is just hovering at the top of the water and it looks like he's rocking right and left. All the other fish are acting normal and are active. It can't be an oxygen issue because I have a sponge filter with an airpump and a aquaclear 50. I'm going to get some general cure tomorrow or the next day to treat. Do I have to treat the food with the meds or do I just treat the water column?

 

Im about to do a water change and the guppy male is just hovering at the top of the water and it looks like he's rocking right and left. All the other fish are acting normal and are active. It can't be an oxygen issue because I have a sponge filter with an airpump and a aquaclear 50. I'm going to get some general cure tomorrow or the next day to treat. Do I have to treat the food with the meds or do I just treat the water column?

Just treat the tank, if he’s not eating then I don’t think he would be affected by the treatment if it’s in the food. I’m sorry you have to deal with this but, I hope your little guy gets through this!

 

Just treat the tank, if he’s not eating then I don’t think he would be affected by the treatment if it’s in the food. I’m sorry you have to deal with this but, I hope your little guy gets through this!

Okay I was just making sure because I've heard that it only works if you feed it to them and you have to use garlic for them to eat it.

 

Just treat the tank, if he’s not eating then I don’t think he would be affected by the treatment if it’s in the food. I’m sorry you have to deal with this but, I hope your little guy gets through this!

Okay I'm for sure getting the mess tomorrow. I can't quarantine the guppy because I have some neons in quarantine due to them still showing symptoms of columnaris after 4 courses of furan 2 (yes 4 courses of 4 packets) and 2 courses of kanaplex. Im really confused how they still have but that's for another thread. I'm still debating whether its gill flukes or internal parasites but either way im going to dose the whole tank and try and mix some into the food as well for the healthy fish as a preventative. I'll update you once I get the meds and treat the tank.

 

If you haven't done so yet, I'd suggest looking into camallanus. It's rampant among livebearers - I read an abstract that claimed that something like 1 in 6 shipments of guppies contained the internal worms. If it's camallanus, look to get your hands on some levamisole hydrochloride if at all possible.

 

If you haven't done so yet, I'd suggest looking into camallanus. It's rampant among livebearers - I read an abstract that claimed that something like 1 in 6 shipments of guppies contained the internal worms. If it's camallanus, look to get your hands on some levamisole hydrochloride if at all possible.

It may be. I don't see any worms coming out of his butt though but he does have long stringy poop.

 

It may be. I don't see any worms coming out of his butt though but he does have long stringy poop.

The visible worms are generally the last thing to show up; I had plenty of guppies die before they were at that point, and I think only one ended up with visible worms.

 

The visible worms are generally the last thing to show up; I had plenty of guppies die before they were at that point, and I think only one ended up with visible worms.

Okay. If the general cure doesn't work ill treat for them. I've already dumped $50+ into meds so I don't wanna have to waste anymore money.

 

Okay. If the general cure doesn't work ill treat for them. I've already dumped $50+ into meds so I don't wanna have to waste anymore money.

Tbh I doubt it’s camallanus worms. Although Livebearers are prone to them, he would probably be showing worse symptoms if he had them. But, I could be wrong so I would keep them in mind. we should know soon if it’s camallanus worms since IME they usually do start coming out fairly soon after symptoms like this start showing.

 

Tbh I doubt it’s camallanus worms. Although Livebearers are prone to them, he would probably be showing worse symptoms if he had them. But, I could be wrong so I would keep them in mind. we should know soon if it’s camallanus worms since IME they usually do start coming out fairly soon after symptoms like this start showing.

Okay Ill keep an eye out for the worms and worsening symptoms.

 

Okay Ill keep an eye out for the worms and worsening symptoms.

So i just got the general cure last night and I doesed it. This morning the male guppy is laying on the ground. On occasion he swims around but then he goes back to lay. One of the females had some really thick white poop so maybe the medicine is working? All the fish are active except the male.

 

So i just got the general cure last night and I doesed it. This morning the male guppy is laying on the ground. On occasion he swims around but then he goes back to lay. One of the females had some really thick white poop so maybe the medicine is working? All the fish are active except the male.

Sounds like it’s working, but the male guppy may be to sick to recover. I’m not sure if you use carbon but if so, Did you remove the carbon in your filter? The carbon may be messing up the meds if you are using any. Hopefully you eradicate all the parasites but if any fish start showing more symptoms I would dose again in three weeks after finishing the first round of treatment.

 

Sounds like it’s working, but the male guppy may be to sick to recover. I’m not sure if you use carbon but if so, Did you remove the carbon in your filter? The carbon may be messing up the meds if you are using any. Hopefully you eradicate all the parasites but if any fish start showing more symptoms I would dose again in three weeks after finishing the first round of treatment.

Okay. I dont use carbon and ill make an update if anything happens

 

Sounds like it’s working, but the male guppy may be to sick to recover. I’m not sure if you use carbon but if so, Did you remove the carbon in your filter? The carbon may be messing up the meds if you are using any. Hopefully you eradicate all the parasites but if any fish start showing more symptoms I would dose again in three weeks after finishing the first round of treatment.

The male died overnight. I thought he was gonna make it but I guess not. I'm gonna test the water just in case.

 

The male died overnight. I thought he was gonna make it but I guess not. I'm gonna test the water just in case.

Also I've already done a full course of general cure so should I do a new one or should I try and mix the medicine with food? The rest of the fish are still eating.

 

Also I've already done a full course of general cure so should I do a new one or should I try and mix the medicine with food? The rest of the fish are still eating.

Give them a weeks rest, then do another full course. If used to much meds can do more harm than good. If you can, during the weeks rest I would try to feed them High quality food like frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, or fresh veggies depending on your stocking to give them the best chance of fighting the parasites if they still have any.

 

Give them a weeks rest, then do another full course. If used to much meds can do more harm than good. If you can, during the weeks rest I would try to feed them High quality food like frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, or fresh veggies depending on your stocking to give them the best chance of fighting the parasites if they still have any.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20-40 (to bright to be 40 but to red to be 20)

 

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20-40 (to bright to be 40 but to red to be 20)

The parameters seem ok, maybe do a small water change to bring nitrates down to 20?

 

The parameters seem ok, maybe do a small water change to bring nitrates down to 20?

Okay I will. I'm seem to be having trouble with nitrates and I made a separate thread about it. For now I will do daily WC's.

 

The parameters seem ok, maybe do a small water change to bring nitrates down to 20?

Did a Wc and I have good news, the female guppies are actually pooping normal poop instead of white stringy poop. Thats sounds so dumb but I guess its a good sign.

 

Guyssss I was just looking at my fish and noticed they were all covered in what I think are parasites! They look like tiny worms almost. I moved them into a different tank and am throwing away everything that was in the main tank and cleaning it out and putting fresh water and going to medicate it but all I have is bacterial meds. What else should I do and what are these?!?!

 

Guyssss I was just looking at my fish and noticed they were all covered in what I think are parasites! They look like tiny worms almost. I moved them into a different tank and am throwing away everything that was in the main tank and cleaning it out and putting fresh water and going to medicate it but all I have is bacterial meds. What else should I do and what are these?!?!

Those appear to be camellanus worms although I’m not a vet.

 

it looks like poop to me, is it white or stringy? if you are very sure they are parasites, can you describe them a little bit more?