BullFeathers
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2015
- Messages
- 16
I introduced a few new guppies into my 15 gallon planted tank recently. My tank has a balloon belly ram, an adult farlowella, and 4 other guppies (all male). It's completely cycled, no ammonia, no nitrite, though I found out later (I had to wait to get my parameters checked at the store; my test kit is in the mail) there was a moderate amount of nitrate (more than there should be). I should have known this would be an issue, because I've been feeding my ram frozen bloodworms, and before I got the ram I had only been using flake food and 20% a week sufficed. As soon as I found out the nitrate was so high, I did a 40% water change that day and the next, but it was too late for my poor guppy.
I had noticed one of them (just one, to my knowledge) itching himself on things, often a val leaf. I also noticed he had something wrong with his upper lip. It looked at first like a piece of white food (you know how they grab a flake and swim in circles, and it gets stuck to their face). Then after it was still there the next time I checked, I thought maybe it looked more like an injury, like he ran into something really hard and a part of his lip was damaged.
With the itching, I already considered the possibility of ich. But it didn't look like the "grain of salt" that it was supposed to, and no one else showed any signs. It's been a few days now and no one else seems unhealthy yet, but poor guppy is dead.
I've had guesses that he partly srressed himself to death after an accident, or perhaps, being weak, he invited the aquarium bacteria. Obviously I find it's important to conclude what happened to him so that I may ensure the safety of my other fish.
I took pictures so that I could dispose of his body and they are attached. Truth be told, I am nearly as new to the hobby as I am to this to forum. All help is appreciated.
I had noticed one of them (just one, to my knowledge) itching himself on things, often a val leaf. I also noticed he had something wrong with his upper lip. It looked at first like a piece of white food (you know how they grab a flake and swim in circles, and it gets stuck to their face). Then after it was still there the next time I checked, I thought maybe it looked more like an injury, like he ran into something really hard and a part of his lip was damaged.
With the itching, I already considered the possibility of ich. But it didn't look like the "grain of salt" that it was supposed to, and no one else showed any signs. It's been a few days now and no one else seems unhealthy yet, but poor guppy is dead.
I've had guesses that he partly srressed himself to death after an accident, or perhaps, being weak, he invited the aquarium bacteria. Obviously I find it's important to conclude what happened to him so that I may ensure the safety of my other fish.
I took pictures so that I could dispose of his body and they are attached. Truth be told, I am nearly as new to the hobby as I am to this to forum. All help is appreciated.
