Some not so good news today! :(

[gmac]

Some not so good news today! I am up at Uni and my mum and bro got in late this afternoon and went to check on the tank. As you know I have had some tail biting issues with the guppies sadly as detailed in another post.

Frasier (orange tailed guppy) has had the most bites from his tail but is relatively okay and took to hiding for the last 2 days when introduced to the tank. We were unsure who was nipping his tail? The Mollies, or the Siamese Fighter?

We have a blue tailed guppy called Niles who has had no bites from his tail at all and happily stays out in the open swimming into the filter current all day without a care in the world.

Martin is the yellow tail guppy who had 1 bite from his tail but was okay thus far. However when they got home today and looked, Martin is lying down in between plant roots with nose basically touching the stones, and he has NO tail left apparently. We think he is dead but can't be certain just yet!

Niles is still fine in the tank and all of a sudden Frasier is out and about from his reclusive ways and swimming everywhere in the tank without a care, in amongst the neon tetras and all etc. When they were feeding them they noticed that 2 tetras had a little nip at Frasiers tail - we think they may get it confused with the coloured flake food.

If this is the case then the Tetras are to blame all along and they get the tails confused with flake food, hence the blue tail of Niles is still in tact but yellow tail is gone and orange half gone.

I am really upset but I guess this is the learning curve or keeping fish. What are your thoughts? The Mollies who only came out after dark before are also happily swimming around everywhere before you, not scared by your presence now. There certainly has been a change in mood!

:?

 

[FawnN]

What are your water parameters? With such wounds on your guppies and your water parameters not where it should be, it could cuz secondary infections.

For now, I would put in some melafix to promote healing and prevent any other infections from occuring.

I highly would suggest you move your betta to another tank.

 

[gmac]

My water parameters are perfect, give or take a bit on the pH level but that'll even out soon enough. The tank has been fully fishless cycled and has been running great for the last week with no problems. Martin has been removed as he was starting to go upside down and the neons were having a look and nudge at him. I believe it was them who mistook his tail for food and the inevitable happened, mostly due to the colour.

The two alive guppies have enough tail left to be perfectly fine and are right now swimming everywhere. All the fish seem to have come alive and it may be the stress reliever Aqua Plus wearing off. Either way things look alright now after this incident. JUst a shame it had to happen.

 

[FawnN]

Glad to hear everything is working out for you. As for the Aqua Plus, does it have aloe in it? How often are you using it?

If you end up using it too often it will cause problems to your water and will actually be bad for your fish overtime.

 

[An t-iasg]

I agree with moving the betta to another tank. Please consider a 3-5 gallon tank, with a 25-watt heater and sponge filter. I have my bettas in 5 gallon tanks, and they are doing wonderfully -- great color, and no sign of disease at all in the time I've had them, about 9 months.

Also, never give MelaFix to a betta. Search the site for Betta and Melafix for more posts. The melaleuca oil, the active ingredient in MelaFix, causes irritation to the labyrinth organ. I have read that it's a great med for other fish, but not bettas.

 

[Corty]

I like the names you've chosen very much. I'm very sorry that you've lost your fish, hope I can be part of the solution.

Bettas tend to go for long finned fishies. They're good community fish, but it depends on the other fish in the tank. Is your Betta male or female?

I second the cautions on the Melafix related to the Betta. I've found it to be very good for my other fish, however. A Betta tank is cheap and very attractive if you ask me.

 

[An t-iasg]

Oh, and watch the tetras now that they've nipped at the guppies' tails. They could nip at the betta's fins also. It all depends on the "personalities" of the fish involved, and the tank size -- aggression may not arise in a bigger tank. But I have seen tetras gang up on, and nip, a betta. If this does happen to you, just be prepared to move the betta.

Also, what are you using for a dechlorinator? As FawnN mentioned, can you tell us a little bit about the Aqua Plus? Are you using any other additives? (sorry if you may have answered these questions before!)

Good luck, and hang in there!

 

[FawnN]

I've personally had no problems using Melafix on my Bettas. And if you do some research on the web you will see some conflicting information.

I found something that is very interesting. I found out that the ingredient Melaleuca that is found in Melafix is also found in Betta Bettafix Remedy.

And if you really think about it, it tells you on Melafix to add 1 teaspoon for every ten gallons and on the Bettafix, 1/2 a teaspoon for every gallon. So, you are actually adding a lot more Melalecua when using the product that is specifically made for betta's versus the Melafix.

 

[An t-iasg]

Yes, there is conflicting information out there. I'm sure some have used it successfully on their betta, and all bettas and situations are different. I have also read many accounts of bettas, and gouramis, becoming very stressed on this medication.

I have used MelaFix on a previous betta and he dropped to the bottom of the tank like a rock. I wouldn't recommend MelaFix, or even BettaFix for a betta. I think there are better meds out there for bettas.

If you're going to use MelaFix/BettaFix on a betta, I would watch very, very closely, and do water changes every day of the treatment. You should always watch a medicated fish during treatment for signs of stress. And if a betta is already stressed and ill, I don't think adding the melaleuca-based medicine is the best remedy. IME, I would use and recommend a medicine that has a better "track record" when it comes to labyrinth fish, and not MelaFix/BettaFix.

 

[FishLover14]

Move the betta. In my experince they do nip fins badly. I would keep the guppies in a tank with some loaches or something and move the tetras and the mollies casue they are known to do some fin damage.
Dan