Hey all, looking for advice. Have had my 3 male guppies for around a year with no problems. Bought a new tank this week and made sure to transfer at least 50% of their old water and didn't wash their ornaments so as to take their old "bacteria" with them, but today found my littlest guppy bloated with his scales all stood up. Did some research (which led me to this site) and looks like he has dropsy. Have isolated him back in old tank but have no spare heater for him. Suspect he will be dead by the morning. Do any of you know if it may have been because of the stress of the move to the new tank? If so, should I get anything to treat the 2 (so far) unaffected fish with?
Guppy with dropsy
- Thread starter Amanda Killops
- Start date
It might have been an underlying condition and the stress from moving could have aggravated it. I would just keep a close watch on the other fish, specifically look at their eyes to make sure they don't look like they might be starting to bulge out. If you notice them starting to look or act strangely I would dose with a broad spectrum antibiotic.
A year is really good for store bought guppies.
A year is really good for store bought guppies.
I agree with Dr. A.
Stress may have contributed to it, just watch the others. Monitior your parameters closely, though. Test for ammonia and nitrite daily, using a good liquid test kit. Strips are very unreliable.
Did you move the filter with them to the new tank? Was the filter loaded with beneficial bacteria?
Bacteria is not so much in the water column, it's in the gravel, decor, plants, glass, and filter media in a cycled tank.
Hopefully the new tank is not having water quality issues. What are the parameters in the new tank, if you don't mind my asking. It may help us know what to suggest.
Stress may have contributed to it, just watch the others. Monitior your parameters closely, though. Test for ammonia and nitrite daily, using a good liquid test kit. Strips are very unreliable.
Did you move the filter with them to the new tank? Was the filter loaded with beneficial bacteria?
Bacteria is not so much in the water column, it's in the gravel, decor, plants, glass, and filter media in a cycled tank.
Hopefully the new tank is not having water quality issues. What are the parameters in the new tank, if you don't mind my asking. It may help us know what to suggest.
oh god, now I feel like an even worse fish keeper as I don't have a water test kit. I have taken my water to the local aquarium a few times for testing and it has always been ok, but not since I moved tanks. I went there tonight to get a heater for my isolation tank as the poor little thing made it through the night in the cold, and I was in such a rush to get him warm I never thought to buy a testing kit. On the plus side, the other 2 still seem fine and my little sick boy survived through the day, so now has his own heater and some salts so I will see how he is in the morning.
I hope he's OK. I would do frequent water changes with temperature matched, treated water, probably two 25% changes today, and then 50-60% every day hereafter.
I wouldn't add any more regular salt, whether table or aquarium. If this is dropsy then Epsom salts can help with the fluid build up to make him more comfortable. I would dissolve about 1/8 teaspoon per 5 gallons and add that to his tank, after you've done water changes today.
Epsom salts will help with the fluid, but won't cure him if this is dropsy. Regular salt doesn't really help with that at all, it may have helped him breathe a little better if your nitrite levels where up, but I advise against using any more regular salt at this time.
Don't beat yourself up, please. We've all gone through times like these, every one of us. You did great getting him a heater, I'm sure that helped him feel better.
I would keep his water temperature at around 76 degrees, just warm enough to help him feel better, but not so warm it helps any bacterial infection he may have.
When you can, go get the API Master kit to test your parameters. Don't get the test strips. They are very unreliable and most often give inaccurate readings. Besides, the strips are way more expensive. The API is a little more up front but lasts for months, even testing every day, whereas the strips won't last a month.
Good job, not washing the decor, you no doubt brought some of the beneficial bacteria (bb) over to the new tank. When you clean the filter, when the biofilter media looks a little gunky, always use some tank water to gently swish the biofilter media; sponge, floss, poy, or bio balls, whatever, because you want that bacteria to stay in there.
I rinse out the sponge or foam that is there to filter out particles with tap water, but I always soak them a bit after that in some water with dechlorinator in it before putting them back in the filter with the biofilter.
Prime is an excellent water conditioner. It's cheaper than most, too. Prime not only removes chlorine and chloramines, but it also detoxifies ammonia and nitrite.
This is very helpful should you detect a spike in either or both of those toxic byproducts.
You can even dose 5 times the normal dose of Prime when you find a spike, and this gives you some breathing room to do the necessary water change at a more convenient time and not in panic mode. You still have to do water changes to remove them, however, within 24 hours of the emergency dose as that's how long the detox lasts.
Keep your eye on the other two guppies and watch for signs of problems. Keeping their tank water pristine goes a long way in helping them recover from stress, and even fight off infections Watch for behavior changes, often the first sign of a problem.
If you can post photos of your sick guppy that would be helpful. When you get your test kit, be sure to test for ammonia and nitrite every day and do water changes as needed to keep your parameters at: ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm and nitrate 20 or less. Test the ph, too. Post those results for us when you can. We're all pulling for you.
Please update us when you can.
I wouldn't add any more regular salt, whether table or aquarium. If this is dropsy then Epsom salts can help with the fluid build up to make him more comfortable. I would dissolve about 1/8 teaspoon per 5 gallons and add that to his tank, after you've done water changes today.
Epsom salts will help with the fluid, but won't cure him if this is dropsy. Regular salt doesn't really help with that at all, it may have helped him breathe a little better if your nitrite levels where up, but I advise against using any more regular salt at this time.
Don't beat yourself up, please. We've all gone through times like these, every one of us. You did great getting him a heater, I'm sure that helped him feel better.
I would keep his water temperature at around 76 degrees, just warm enough to help him feel better, but not so warm it helps any bacterial infection he may have.
When you can, go get the API Master kit to test your parameters. Don't get the test strips. They are very unreliable and most often give inaccurate readings. Besides, the strips are way more expensive. The API is a little more up front but lasts for months, even testing every day, whereas the strips won't last a month.
Good job, not washing the decor, you no doubt brought some of the beneficial bacteria (bb) over to the new tank. When you clean the filter, when the biofilter media looks a little gunky, always use some tank water to gently swish the biofilter media; sponge, floss, poy, or bio balls, whatever, because you want that bacteria to stay in there.
I rinse out the sponge or foam that is there to filter out particles with tap water, but I always soak them a bit after that in some water with dechlorinator in it before putting them back in the filter with the biofilter.
Prime is an excellent water conditioner. It's cheaper than most, too. Prime not only removes chlorine and chloramines, but it also detoxifies ammonia and nitrite.
This is very helpful should you detect a spike in either or both of those toxic byproducts.
You can even dose 5 times the normal dose of Prime when you find a spike, and this gives you some breathing room to do the necessary water change at a more convenient time and not in panic mode. You still have to do water changes to remove them, however, within 24 hours of the emergency dose as that's how long the detox lasts.
Keep your eye on the other two guppies and watch for signs of problems. Keeping their tank water pristine goes a long way in helping them recover from stress, and even fight off infections Watch for behavior changes, often the first sign of a problem.
If you can post photos of your sick guppy that would be helpful. When you get your test kit, be sure to test for ammonia and nitrite every day and do water changes as needed to keep your parameters at: ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm and nitrate 20 or less. Test the ph, too. Post those results for us when you can. We're all pulling for you.
Please update us when you can.
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