Guppy keeps scratching against gravel..help!

[FinNipper]

Hi, this is my first post. I have 4 guppies and other fish in my 20 gallon tank, but only one guppy is scratching itself against the gravel and seems to be opening and closing it's mouth more than the others. I've been making 20% water changes, left the filter media out and keeping the tank clean. Been also using a half dose of quick cure for the past 4 days because I have a pleco in there. I've been also using melafix at the same time, is that safe?, what can I do from here? He swims fine and eats normally but hides at night, just the scratching that has me worried. Should I move him into my 2 gallon hospital tank? If I do, is it a good idea to fill it with the water from my 20 gallon tank just to be sure it's safe(hospital tank has been running with new water and a bio wheel filter for a week with no fish). It's obvious I don't want my guppy to die or for the other fish to catch anything by stressing them with medication. Thanks for any advice..

Henri

 

[mrr89]

hello I'm kind of new at this website but have writen I advise columms about fancy guppys,and have been breeding guppies for years.My answer to your probs is that guppies don't need rocks just paint the bottom of there tank with a dark color preferably black,then it makes a soft place for the fish to rest.good luck!

 

[mrr89]

Opps sorry I forgot to say the outside bottom of there tank!Good Luck!

 

[i3k]

If your fish don't have any white tiny spots on their body and keep scratching against gravel even after being medicated, it can be "itch" it is different from ich and is caused by food waste which produces different organisms which irritate the skin of the fish. Clean out your gravel real well and add some stress coat.

 

[FinNipper]

No white spots, and the itching has gone down, will continue to keep my water and gravel clean or just take the gravel out all together. I never knew about "itch", so thanks for the advice! 8)

 

[tkos]

If you take the gravel out you may need to increase the filtration of the tank. The gravel bed is host to lots of good bacteria.