Guppy Floating Vertically (Head First)

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thunderwaved

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jul 26, 2010
Messages
42
Hi, during these two months, I've had many fish deaths. I do not know if it is a fish disease or something else.

I have a 50 gallon tank with a guppy and some other fish.

The guppy is floating vertically with its head on top and tail on bottom on the top of the tank. I can see it struggle every few seconds trying to get itself back up.

It seems to have some fin rot that I've haven't noticed a few days ago.

I need emergency treatment instructions for this poor little fish.

Free ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0

Tank has been alive for 4 months and STILL has not cycled. I've been using prime.

I don't know if I want to continue with this stressful hobby.
 
Hmm, what kind of test kit are you using?
You can try changing the water every day/every other day and see if that perks them up. You can also try feeding boiled, shelled peas, which are a laxative. How often and how much are you feeding?
 
I feed them every other day.

I'm not really using a test kit. I just tested the total ammonia the other day and it returned about 1-2 ppm. However, free ammonia is 0. I add about one cap full of prime every day.

I don't have shelled peas. Are there any alternatives?
 
No, it has to be peas. :( Frozen peas work best. Boiled in microwave for 3 minutes.
If the ammonia is reading 1-2 that is too much ammonia. Try doing water changes for a few days, and see if that helps, and only use the Prime when you change the water.
 
Too late in the night to go buy some peas. Is there any thing I could to help the poor fish? I put him in a quaratine tank with some aquarium salt.

The thing is, I've had many cases of swim-bladder disease. I put them in a hospital tank and they're all better. I put them back in the big tank, few days later. They die.
 
Hmm, that's weird. What is the pH in the tank, how many fish are there, and how often do you change part of the water?
 
I have about 7 fish in that 50 gallon tank.

I was talking about their tank, I wasn't sure if they used plain distilled water. Its a salt water tank.
 
The free ammonia is confirmed to be at 0 ppm with my seachem test kit.

I'm currently doing a 30% water change.
 
Ok. I am still confused....We are talking about your guppy right? And your 50 gallon tank? I don't get where the salt water comes in?
 
I was referring to my pH level. I didn't think much about the pH because my neighbor has a 700 gallon tank doing very well. On second thought, I realized it was salt water and they might have used distilled water.
 
Oh ok. I didn't know you were talking about your neighbor. Just try with the water changes for a few days, and see if the fish perk up. :) And only use the Prime when you are doing a pwc.
 
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