Red on guppy's tail

[fishtonic1]

Hey all, i noticed my yellow guppy has some red on his tail today.

Tank parameters are all in check.
0 ammonia and nitrite, around 5ppm nitrate. ~7.4-7.6 ph. Water is quite hard.

Any ideas? thanks!

Note: that split has always been his tail, and the ends have always been a bit 'transparent'

 

[Andy Sager]

He may have been nipped by another fish but that looks like the beginnings of an infection. I'd remove the fish to a hospital tank and use non iodized salt at a rate of 1 tablespoon per 3 gallons of water. If there is no reduction in red after 4-5 days, after a water change, I'd add salt at a rate of 1 Tablespoon per 2 gallons of water and add either Methylene Blue or Malachite Green to the water. If after another 4-5 days and no difference, you can treat with an antibiotic such as API Fin & Body cure OR Kanaplex.
If you need help with setting up a hospital tank, I address this in post #2 in my thread: Quarantine tanks and Hospital tanks, are they really different?

 

[fishtonic1]

He may have been nipped by another fish but that looks like the beginnings of an infection. I'd remove the fish to a hospital tank and use non iodized salt at a rate of 1 tablespoon per 3 gallons of water. If there is no reduction in red after 4-5 days, after a water change, I'd add salt at a rate of 1 Tablespoon per 2 gallons of water and add either Methylene Blue or Malachite Green to the water. If after another 4-5 days and no difference, you can treat with an antibiotic such as API Fin & Body cure OR Kanaplex.
If you need help with setting up a hospital tank, I address this in post #2 in my thread: Quarantine tanks and Hospital tanks, are they really different?

Hey Andy,

I have treated the hospital tank with salt for 5 days, and salt + methylene blue for an additional 5 days. The red has gone but his tail has stayed almost half the size since i first noticed red. How should i proceed?

Cheers

 

[Andy Sager]

Hey Andy,

I have treated the hospital tank with salt for 5 days, and salt + methylene blue for an additional 5 days. The red has gone but his tail has stayed almost half the size since i first noticed red. How should i proceed?

Cheers

That's good to hear.
Fish fins take a while to regrow but the fish needs a good balanced diet with clean water to help the fins grow back. If you are only feeding a single food, I would suggest getting a vitamin supplement to add to the tank or food to help the fish get the nutrients it needs to regrow the tail. If you are feeding multiple types of foods that are nutritionally balanced, it's just going to take time and clean water.

 

[fishtonic1]

That's good to hear.
Fish fins take a while to regrow but the fish needs a good balanced diet with clean water to help the fins grow back. If you are only feeding a single food, I would suggest getting a vitamin supplement to add to the tank or food to help the fish get the nutrients it needs to regrow the tail. If you are feeding multiple types of foods that are nutritionally balanced, it's just going to take time and clean water.

Right, so i should be all good to move my fish back to the main tank, just ensure a varied diet and clean water?

 

[Andy Sager]

I'd keep the fish in a separate tank to make sure the tail fin is regrowing before returning it to the main tank.

 

[fishtonic1]

I'd keep the fish in a separate tank to make sure the tail fin is regrowing before returning it to the main tank.

Hey there, im not sure if its for concern but my fish keeps pooping black, and theres lots of it (all this from one little feed)

 

[Andy Sager]

Black is fine. It's coming from what he ate. White or Red poo when the food isn't red would be a concern.

 

[fishtonic1]

Black is fine. It's coming from what he ate. White or Red poo when the food isn't red would be a concern.

The food ive been giving is red

 

[Andy Sager]

The food ive been giving is red

Let me explain: White poo is usually either from not eating or intestinal worms. Red is usually from camallanus worms if it's not coming from food. Because your fish's poo is black and it's broken up into smaller pieces, it's not worms. The color of feces can be effected by medications, foods, stress, etc. What we need to determine is if it's alive or not. Your fish's poo is not alive therefore not a concern IMO.

 

[fishtonic1]

Thanks for your help Andy, just one more quick one. There is one poo that is a bit bigger, longer, and different coloured. Is this a concern?

 

[Andy Sager]

If it' not alive and you didn't treat the fish with a dewormer, it's not of concern. Like I said in my other post, if it's not alive it's not an issue. When fish poo, there is sometimes some intestinal lining that comes out with it. Even a starving fish will shed intestinal lining when it poos. The difference between poo and a worm is the worm will be a solid white or solid red color but with red ( camallanus worm), you won't see it lose and alive. It will extend out of the anus as in this pic .

 

[fishtonic1]

Hello Andy, hope dont mind assessing all these issues.
He is back in the main tank, all parameters are fine, but he seems to be hiding and staying in one spot at bottom. The other guppy i have is very energetic, swimming everywhere. But this one is just hiding. I hope its not some sort of disease. He is breathing rapidly too

 

[Andy Sager]

Hello Andy, hope dont mind assessing all these issues.
He is back in the main tank, all parameters are fine, but he seems to be hiding and staying in one spot at bottom. The other guppy i have is very energetic, swimming everywhere. But this one is just hiding. I hope its not some sort of disease. He is breathing rapidly too

Did you acclimate him back into the main tank or did you just "net and dump" him?

 

[fishtonic1]

I net and dumped but ensured the water parameters were exact same, so same temp, ph, hardness etc

 

[Andy Sager]

I net and dumped but ensured the water parameters were exact same, so same temp, ph, hardness etc

If the main tank was not salted, they were not the same and the fish should have been acclimated slowly back into the tank. My guess at this point is that it's trying to adjust back to the lower saline water. If this was the case the best you can do at this point is protect the fish from any other fish in the tank until it recovers. In the future, when you use salt in a hospital tank, you have to slowly lower the salt level in the hospital tank over the course of days so that the salt inside the fish's cells dilutes so it's not so much of a shock going back into totally fresh water. In wild fish that can live in both fresh and salt water, they actually spend time in brackish water to lower the salt level in their cells before slowly moving into more fresh water. This process can takes weeks depending on how salty the brackish water is. The same thing applies to aquarium fish.

 

[fishtonic1]

If the main tank was not salted, they were not the same and the fish should have been acclimated slowly back into the tank. My guess at this point is that it's trying to adjust back to the lower saline water. If this was the case the best you can do at this point is protect the fish from any other fish in the tank until it recovers. In the future, when you use salt in a hospital tank, you have to slowly lower the salt level in the hospital tank over the course of days so that the salt inside the fish's cells dilutes so it's not so much of a shock going back into totally fresh water. In wild fish that can live in both fresh and salt water, they actually spend time in brackish water to lower the salt level in their cells before slowly moving into more fresh water. This process can takes weeks depending on how salty the brackish water is. The same thing applies to aquarium fish.

I understand.

If the main tank was not salted, they were not the same and the fish should have been acclimated slowly back into the tank. My guess at this point is that it's trying to adjust back to the lower saline water. If this was the case the best you can do at this point is protect the fish from any other fish in the tank until it recovers. In the future, when you use salt in a hospital tank, you have to slowly lower the salt level in the hospital tank over the course of days so that the salt inside the fish's cells dilutes so it's not so much of a shock going back into totally fresh water. In wild fish that can live in both fresh and salt water, they actually spend time in brackish water to lower the salt level in their cells before slowly moving into more fresh water. This process can takes weeks depending on how salty the brackish water is. The same thing applies to aquarium fish.

I understand. I should add that I stopped dosing salt in the hospital tank around a week ago, though I didn't slowly get rid of it like you suggested. But they have been in saltless water for around a week now before going in the main tank. I say 'they' as I also had my other fish in the tank, just in case he had any problems. That being said, my other red guppy seems to be quite active swimming around quick. Almost a bit too quick, possibly might have something to do with the new water. But yellow came out from the bottom of the tank and swam around a bit with Red, and searched around for food a bit. He wasn't as energetic as Red, but he moved at least. Also worth noting, at points of being idle, Yellow goes at an almost 45° angle, tail up and head down. Perhaps bladder issues? Hopefully not. Now he is staying in another hiding spot near the filter.

 

[Andy Sager]

I understand.

I understand. I should add that I stopped dosing salt in the hospital tank around a week ago, though I didn't slowly get rid of it like you suggested. But they have been in saltless water for around a week now before going in the main tank. I say 'they' as I also had my other fish in the tank, just in case he had any problems. That being said, my other red guppy seems to be quite active swimming around quick. Almost a bit too quick, possibly might have something to do with the new water. But yellow came out from the bottom of the tank and swam around a bit with Red, and searched around for food a bit. He wasn't as energetic as Red, but he moved at least. Also worth noting, at points of being idle, Yellow goes at an almost 45° angle, tail up and head down. Perhaps bladder issues? Hopefully not. Now he is staying in another hiding spot near the filter.

Salt does not evaporate or dissipate from the water just because you stop adding it. Once you add the first full dose of salt to a tank, you only add salt for the amount of water you add for a water change. It only reduces through water changes with unsalted water. If you did not do this, the fish were still in salted water. I assume your yellow one was in the hospital tank longer than the red one. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Sadly, yes, a fish going into this position is usually a swim bladder issue. I say " usually" because there can be other issues, like the infection on it's tail, that could have weakened the muscles in his tail which could make it easier for the tail to float. If this is bladder issue, based on what the fish has been going through and assuming it was not in this condition in the hospital tank, I would not be in a hurry to try and medicate for this condition. It would be from the change in water. The good news is that depending on the cause, it is not a fatal condition and the bladder can heal. It just takes time.

 

[fishtonic1]

Salt does not evaporate or dissipate from the water just because you stop adding it. Once you add the first full dose of salt to a tank, you only add salt for the amount of water you add for a water change. It only reduces through water changes with unsalted water. If you did not do this, the fish were still in salted water. I assume your yellow one was in the hospital tank longer than the red one. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Sadly, yes, a fish going into this position is usually a swim bladder issue. I say " usually" because there can be other issues, like the infection on it's tail, that could have weakened the muscles in his tail which could make it easier for the tail to float. If this is bladder issue, based on what the fish has been going through and assuming it was not in this condition in the hospital tank, I would not be in a hurry to try and medicate for this condition. It would be from the change in water. The good news is that depending on the cause, it is not a fatal condition and the bladder can heal. It just takes time.

When dosing with salt, I did daily 80 percent water changes and added the necessary salt to get back to full dosage. When I stopped, I still did daily water changes just without re-adding salt.

 

[Andy Sager]

When dosing with salt, I did daily 80 percent water changes and added the necessary salt to get back to full dosage. When I stopped, I still did daily water changes just without re-adding salt.

Okay, that will have removed the salt but at 80% daily, that's too quick. Some cells could have burst and most likely has something to do with the swim bladder. A "normal" reduction is maybe 10% per 24 hours.