I recently bought 4 male fancy guppies. I placed them in their own tank that was cycled and densely planted. Their fins were perfect and there was no damage, but after a week or so, their tails became slightly torn. I wanted to know the reason for this and if they will grow back to the way they were. Please help me!
2007-11-01 16:32:38 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
if all the males were put together in the same tank, they are prolly going after eachother, because they have no females to chase after instead. males tend to fight for females, even if there are no females in the tank. i would add aquarium salt to the water, to help defend against fin rot, and build up their immune system. i would also get about 2 females per male, and put them in there. the fighting should stop after the females arrive.
2007-11-02 01:39:14 · answer #1 · answered by pandoras_snakegirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well the first thing anyone would want to know is if you have any other fish in the tank that may be picking on the guppies??
The other possible reason for the damaged fins is high ammonia levels. So first test your water. If ammonia is too high then do a 25% water change and retest.. (most petshops will test your water for free) Dont over feed your fish since that will just increase the ammonia level in your tank. And try adding some stress coat to help heal in their repair
2007-11-01 23:43:11 · answer #2 · answered by brooklynsb0i 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They will grow back, but is important to know why they were shredded in the first place... If there were no other fish or shrimp in the tank, the most likely answer is fin rot, a bacterial infection occurring in the fins, usually the caudal (tail) fin. The best way to treat this is to keep the water clean. Don't think that a planted tank doesn't need gravel vacuuming, you still need to remove the nitrates and other minerals in the water that can only be removed through cleaning (plants produce waste too, leading to ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate)... Email me if you have any questions.
Soop Nazi
EDIT: Does "their own tank" mean that each Guppy had its own tank, or that all the Guppies were in the same tank and there were no fish but the 4 Guppies? If the Guppies were in the same tank, it is almost certain that they are all males that are just bickering with each other...
2007-11-01 23:42:44 · answer #3 · answered by nosoop4u246 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
They could be nipping at each other. Or like fin rot. They will grow back. Just make sure they are well fed and stress free. If fin rot go to Wal-mart or your pet store and get some Maracyn II. I now it sounds like a commercial but this is what it is.
Maracyn-Two
Fast dissolving minocycline powder and quick acting antibiotic treatment of gram negative bacterial infections. Recommended for the treatment of Popeye, gill disease, fin and tail rot, dropsy, septicemia, secondary and internal infections. For freshwater use two packets per 10 gallons the first day and one packet per 10 gallons for an additional four days. For saltwater use one packet per 20 gallons the first day and one packet per 10 gallons for an additional 4 days.
2007-11-02 00:13:21 · answer #4 · answered by v_bird26 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's very possible that the plants have rough and/or abrasive leaves that are tearing the fins. Also, ensure your water quality is good (ammonia 0ppm, nitrites 0ppm) Most likely, the plants are causing the tears.
The fins will grow back, however, they may not look "exactly" as they did before.
2007-11-01 23:40:05 · answer #5 · answered by Finatic 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I can't give you a reason without just guessing, but I can say with certainty their tails will not grow back as pretty and colorful as they were. Sorry!
2007-11-01 23:38:39 · answer #6 · answered by Dr. Kalyfran 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it may be the plants like the person above said, and it may also be one of the fish picking on the others.
2007-11-01 23:42:27 · answer #7 · answered by rblankenship_rblankenship 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you have a filter in there, they probably were sucked to close to it and it tore their tails. Luckily, they got away!
2007-11-01 23:44:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
sounds like the ph is to high
2007-11-01 23:41:27 · answer #9 · answered by katie 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋