Tetras bullying my guppy, or fin rot? (Urgent!)

Zastrus

Zastrus

Turtley enough for the Turtle Club?
Oct 11, 2006
90
0
0
Go Chargers Go, CA
I was looking at my fish and noticed a guppy was missing, I thought it had died so I was checking the bottom of the tank, and couldn't find it anywhere.

I found it and it's fins are like, shredded. Not raggity, just shredded. So I searched and thought it was something like fin rot, so I took it out and put it in a little plastic cup because most people I had read about put it in it's own holding tank so the bacteria wouldn't spread (I guess?)

I checked my water, and everything was normal except the nitrites were sky-high, so I changed almost all of the water.

But the poor guppy can't even swim right. It was going upside down and all the way, but was fighting to stay upright.

I put it back in the tank and still it fought to stay upright, and noticed that the 2 tetras I have were picking at the fins of the gup.

Right now it just rests on the bottom of the tank. I had put a flake of food to see if the guppy would try to eat, but just ignored it.

Is it too late to do anything? Or can I still save my baby? :mad:

And today is easter so everything is closed. Figures. :mad2:
 
Forgot to mention that the guppy is slightly smaller than the Tetras, so that might be why they pick on it..?

Heres the little guy, and god I feel so bad/helpless. :(

Untitled-2-1.gif


It's pretty much the actual size.

Edit: Also, I have 2 other guppies, and 2 platys, along with the 2 neons, who are doing fine...
 
It sounds like the water change helped to a degree. However, take out the Guppy and some of the tank water and put them in another container. If you have an extra air pump or a t-fitting and some spare air line in order to share an existing air pump that would be best in the short run. Keep the Guppy separated from the Tetras. They will continue to nip at the Guppy's fins.

Keep an eye on the Guppy. The water change may have been enough to help him start to recover. Ultimately, a hospital tank set up with treatment (Melafix) for the fins would be the best solution until the Guppy heals up. Other than that, once the Guppy heals, keep him in a tank separate from the Tetras or move the Tetras to another tank and don't forget to keep an eye on the nitrites.
 
Sigh. I think he's almost gone. I tried to see what would happen just to make sure it was the tetra's picking on it and it was, the one of the platys was picking on it too!

Right now I have it protected by the fish net, and in the regular tank. He's not doing anything.. not even trying to swim. :(

I'll stop moving him around for now..
 
Yes, a net is a good way to isolate for a short time. I've done it myself. If he makes it through the night, he should be ok. Consider separating the remaining Guppies from the Tetras. Another victim will be chosen at some point. Maybe your tank is large enough to accomodate all your fish with a tank divider, if you cannot set up another tank.
 
What kind of tetras do you have? My flame tetras were terrorizing the guppies. I could not keep them together.
 
Little neons. They're pretty **** hardy and lively. They're the only 2 who have survived out of a few that I've had. (They were 2 for a dollar, so maybe they were weak or something. I'm not a bad care-taker, I swear.) The sick guppy is the smallest guy in the tank. The other guppy's are easily twice the neon's size, so I think they're cool for now, I'll check them to make sure..

Also do you think I should treat my tank with Coppersafe of Melafix just incase it was/is finrot?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom