The Editor
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hey all,
I've got a funny one to run past you all... I was away for a long weekend last, and decided to leave the fish to themselves for a few days as I have done many times before. They were gonna go unfed Sunday and Monday then get a little snack Tuesday night or Wednesday morning (depending on how late I was).
I used a digital timer that I've used before to keep their lighting routine and did a PWC and tank clean on Saturday morning before leaving.
Last night when I got back I could only see 3 of my guppies, 1 hanging out on the substrate in a most unusual way.
After some looking about I found the 4th right in behind the heater support bracket (Fluval E50) dead, discoloured and starting to decay.
No idea when over the weekend it died, but it had been in the water the whole time.
After removing the dead fish and cleaning up as best I could I dropped in a little food for them and watched them. Two ate happily but the other one just hung out under the log near the substrate.
I netted this one up and placed in a birthing-box/isolation chamber so I could keep and eye on him more closely. As I left it he was at the bottom of the box not doing much.
This morning we found him dead.
We noticed last night a stringy whitish poo coming from him, which I immediately suspected as parasites but wasn't sure if it was just a result of not having eaten for a few days. Also this morning as I removed him I noticed his belly was very red (see pics.)..
I've done a large (40-50%) water change this morning and squeezed out the filter sponge in the removed tank water to remove any built up crud. I've also begun adding aquarium salt and raising the temperature (my default response to sickness in the fish), but should I be doing anything else to help prevent the other two from getting sick?
They're looking and behaving normally at the moment so hopefully I'll have prevented the worst..
Tank is 30L in volume, Fluval U1 filter, Fluval E50 heater. Full stocking was 4 male guppies (and some pesky ramshorns), now down to 2.
I started the Fishless cycle in January and was ready for fish in March, they've been living in since then.
I've got a funny one to run past you all... I was away for a long weekend last, and decided to leave the fish to themselves for a few days as I have done many times before. They were gonna go unfed Sunday and Monday then get a little snack Tuesday night or Wednesday morning (depending on how late I was).
I used a digital timer that I've used before to keep their lighting routine and did a PWC and tank clean on Saturday morning before leaving.
Last night when I got back I could only see 3 of my guppies, 1 hanging out on the substrate in a most unusual way.
After some looking about I found the 4th right in behind the heater support bracket (Fluval E50) dead, discoloured and starting to decay.
No idea when over the weekend it died, but it had been in the water the whole time.
After removing the dead fish and cleaning up as best I could I dropped in a little food for them and watched them. Two ate happily but the other one just hung out under the log near the substrate.
I netted this one up and placed in a birthing-box/isolation chamber so I could keep and eye on him more closely. As I left it he was at the bottom of the box not doing much.
This morning we found him dead.
We noticed last night a stringy whitish poo coming from him, which I immediately suspected as parasites but wasn't sure if it was just a result of not having eaten for a few days. Also this morning as I removed him I noticed his belly was very red (see pics.)..
I've done a large (40-50%) water change this morning and squeezed out the filter sponge in the removed tank water to remove any built up crud. I've also begun adding aquarium salt and raising the temperature (my default response to sickness in the fish), but should I be doing anything else to help prevent the other two from getting sick?
They're looking and behaving normally at the moment so hopefully I'll have prevented the worst..
Tank is 30L in volume, Fluval U1 filter, Fluval E50 heater. Full stocking was 4 male guppies (and some pesky ramshorns), now down to 2.
I started the Fishless cycle in January and was ready for fish in March, they've been living in since then.
