I got 3 male fancy tail guppies a few months ago. Right away, I noticed that their tails were a little nipped and I didn't know what in the tank could be doing it and I never saw it happening. After a couple of days, things settled down and the guppies seemed to settle in and appeared "happy". There were two that got along best and one that was the outsider and usually swam by himself. Still though, all three would swim around the tank and looked pretty.
One day recently, I saw one of the guppies hanging at the top of the tank and most of his tail was gone and I could see some scales hanging from his skin where he had been nipped at. I now deduced that the culprits were the OTHER guppies and the bigger one was still kind of pushing this "sick" one around the tank.
I purchased a new 6 gallon tank for my son's room, got it all set up and removed the sick guppy and placed it in the new tank where it did very well and seems healthy and has recovered to normal swimming around and healthy looking skin although the tail has not grown back yet (it's only been about a week).
Now today I see that one of the other guppies in the main tank has the same symptoms that the first had. His tail is nipped down pretty bad, scales are hanging from nips, he has white spots and is hanging at the top of the tank. The third one who has always been the bully is hiding under a plant and doesn't look very happy but doesn't seem "sick".
So now I don't know what to do. Obviously these male guppies cannot be in the tanks together but I cannot purchase another tank for the third guppy and the fish store is not going to take a sick fish with nipped up tail.
Should I put the second sick guppy in the 6 gallon with the first sick guppy or will they just fight? I'm 90% positive that it's the third one who still has most of his tail who is the bully and the one who picked on the other two so maybe this will solve the problem.
Second question is what should I do about these white spots? I assume it's from the sores where he was picked on. is it ick? Will it spread to the other fish?
All help is appreciated!
Main tank is 29 gallon with the following:
2 blue rams
2 dwarf gourami
3 red arc pencilfish
5 cardinal tetras
2 fancy tail guppies
Second tank is 6 gallon with 1 fancy tail guppy only.
I'm willing to mix and match between tanks to do what's necessary to try to save them.
Also adding that the water parameters in the main tank are tested and good. I do 25 - 30% water change every week to week and a half. It is currently due for a change but figuring out what to do with the fish and possible treatment before I do the weekly water change.
One day recently, I saw one of the guppies hanging at the top of the tank and most of his tail was gone and I could see some scales hanging from his skin where he had been nipped at. I now deduced that the culprits were the OTHER guppies and the bigger one was still kind of pushing this "sick" one around the tank.
I purchased a new 6 gallon tank for my son's room, got it all set up and removed the sick guppy and placed it in the new tank where it did very well and seems healthy and has recovered to normal swimming around and healthy looking skin although the tail has not grown back yet (it's only been about a week).
Now today I see that one of the other guppies in the main tank has the same symptoms that the first had. His tail is nipped down pretty bad, scales are hanging from nips, he has white spots and is hanging at the top of the tank. The third one who has always been the bully is hiding under a plant and doesn't look very happy but doesn't seem "sick".
So now I don't know what to do. Obviously these male guppies cannot be in the tanks together but I cannot purchase another tank for the third guppy and the fish store is not going to take a sick fish with nipped up tail.
Should I put the second sick guppy in the 6 gallon with the first sick guppy or will they just fight? I'm 90% positive that it's the third one who still has most of his tail who is the bully and the one who picked on the other two so maybe this will solve the problem.
Second question is what should I do about these white spots? I assume it's from the sores where he was picked on. is it ick? Will it spread to the other fish?
All help is appreciated!
Main tank is 29 gallon with the following:
2 blue rams
2 dwarf gourami
3 red arc pencilfish
5 cardinal tetras
2 fancy tail guppies
Second tank is 6 gallon with 1 fancy tail guppy only.
I'm willing to mix and match between tanks to do what's necessary to try to save them.
Also adding that the water parameters in the main tank are tested and good. I do 25 - 30% water change every week to week and a half. It is currently due for a change but figuring out what to do with the fish and possible treatment before I do the weekly water change.
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