how long do I have to save the guppy?

[hisc1ay]

I noticed one of my male guppies acting strange yesterday. He wasn't terribly messed up, but he kinda looked confused. This evening, I saw him not being able to swim straight, and after looking into it a little, I have diagnosed his problem to be a headstanding swim bladder problem. I can't get any medicine today, maybe tomorrow, but how long do I have to get some antibiotics in him, and should I move him to a quarantine tank?

I read online that for a discus you can lower the water level so it can only swim right side up, and this might help train the swim bladder back to where it should be. Would this maybe work too?

Thanks.
-j

 

[hisc1ay]

Just an update so you don't waste time responding...

I came back from being out just now, and I found him with his tail sucked up into the filter and his body in the shape of a horseshoe. I pulled him away from the filter, but he just wasn't strong enough to swim around. He just floated around and eventually followed the undercurrent back towards the filter. I decided that I needed to euth him, so I stuck him in some water with an abundance of ice cubes and put it in the fridge. (I hope I did that right). I am saddened to see him go, because he's a very pretty fish, and he liked me a lot. More than the others. But I'll survive. I just hope that the rest of my fish don't get sick like that.

-j

 

[aimeovaldi]

Sorry for your loss. At least it wasn't your fault... listen to this story... Several months ago I cycled some guppies over to saltwater and they had bred 3 clutches of young and were all good looking and healthy. I decided to rearrange the live rock and accidently turned the heater all the way up ( I always install a larger heater than needed as they seem to work better) I came home from work the next day and went to feed the little guppies but they became fish soup, the water had risen to over 110 degrees F. I cooked about 40 guppies, the numbers in mum tank were ungodly and I had to do a 50% waterchange, several times and re-cycle the tank before adding any new guppies. I now breed guppies and mollies for feeders and am infinitely more careful with the heater..

 

[hisc1ay]

wait...you can adapt guppies to live in reef conditions?

-j

 

[aimeovaldi]

You can get guppies and Mollies to adapt to reref conditions, My guppies and Mollies are in 1.021 salinity at this time. I have been told that most primary fish can be converted to saltwater. I have only tried Guppies and Mollies. My LFS said that swordtails can be converted as well as other primary fish.

 

[CRaZeeeBiTcHisH]

primary fish?

 

[hisc1ay]

what?

 

[CRaZeeeBiTcHisH]

. I have been told that most primary fish can be converted to saltwater.-------. My LFS said that swordtails can be converted as well as other primary fish.

 

[hisc1ay]

ah