What happened to my guppy's tail?

[ErinF90]

I have a new tank, only 5 weeks old. Just added (2 days ago) 3 gold leopard guppies, 3 lyretail guppies, 3 blue german guppies and 2 clown loaches. Already had 2 dwarf flame gouramies, 1 opaline gourami, 1 betta, 6 rummy nose tetras and a chinese algae eater. One of my gold leopard guppy's tail now looks like this (see pic). Did someone bite it?? If so do you think it was the betta - tail envy????

 

[Starka]

What a pretty guppy! My guess would be the betta, from my past experences. They tend to attack anything with lots of finnage, making it look like another betta.

 

[Cynic]

What a pretty guppy! My guess would be the betta, from my past experences. They tend to attack anything with lots of finnage, making it look like another betta.

Seconded. Your Betta is the likely culprit.

 

[ErinF90]

Will this kill the guppy, or if whoever is doing this stops will he be okay?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Keep the water clean and it should grow back on its own. I would remove the offender so it doesn't happen again.

 

[phoenixkiller]

Will this kill the guppy, or if whoever is doing this stops will he be okay?

If he is removed and the tail is given time, no permanent damage will result. Just QT him for a while (I.E. Put him in another tank) and it will heal.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

No need to even quarantine. Fins get nipped and torn all the time and will heal on their own. No need to move the fish unless it needs medication, which it does not.

 

[phoenixkiller]

No need to even quarantine. Fins get nipped and torn all the time and will heal on their own. No need to move the fish unless it needs medication, which it does not.

Isn't it wise for the OP to remove the fish causing this, so it doesn't happen again? I would hardly think that it was just a one-time thing.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Remove the doing the nipping IMO. You could move the injured fish but then you'd just be putting it back in the same situation to possibility be nipped at again once it's healed.

 

[phoenixkiller]

Remove the doing the nipping IMO. You could move the injured fish but then you'd just be putting it back in the same situation to possibility be nipped at again once it's healed.

Yeah that's what I am saying now. If at all possible, remove the problem fish.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I thought it was odd. Lol.

 

[Luananeko]

You don't necessarily have to re-home the betta, but bettas do tend to need some precautions when introducing guppies. I've had good success with my betta and guppies when I put the betta in a clear floating breeding box for a couple days any time I introduce a new male guppy. That allows the betta to get used to seeing the new guppy without automatically assuming it's another male betta. After you see the betta ignoring the new guppy whenever it swims by, its usually safe to let him back into the tank.