Bloated guppies cardinals are fine.

[CT_]

So I lost a guppy about 3-4 months ago (i forget exactly)  I didn't think too much because maybe that one was just poor stock and over bread in really hard water (my tap is soft, but my tank is about 175tds).  Then two weeks ago I lost another one (he might have been an endler or hybrid, he was quite small).  This time before he died I noticed he was slowly looking duller and his anal fins were looking raggid and he was looking quite fat.  at the time I chalked it up to him being to aggressive at feeding but now I'm not so sure.  I also don't feed much, or every day.  That was my oldest guppy (a little over a year old) so I thought maybe old age (I'm VERY good at denial).  but now the last guppy in this tank who has also been looking fat is starting to look even fatter.  like as round as he is tall.  I don't see any actual pineconing but he's def bloated.  I've noticed some stringy poop but i see it rarely (so either he's mostly not constipated, or he's REALLY constipated). 

 

He's still active, he still begs for food and actively eats.  As for a diagnosis though I'm a bit at a loss.  It could be all three guppies have the same slow disease, or... not.  I don't see any other sign of disease.  My 7 cardinals are all fine.  The otos all seem fine (though they're really hard to count because they take turns hiding). 

I inject co2 (on the low side).  kh ~2 gh 6ish  ph mid 7 during the day (tap comes out at 8.0-9.0 but has 20 tds too, so its not very buffered).  0/0/50 or less on nitrogen. (EDIT: temp is 24c)

 

Here's the best photos I can get with a phone and an excited guppy.  Any ideas?  epsom salt bath?  aquarium salt?  meds?

 

Edited March 19, 2022 by CT_

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Unless our friend @Colu pipes up with something different....

I don't think trying Epsom soaks is a bad idea here. Have you been feeding anything different? Other than dropsy which you'd probably notice my first inclination especially with guppies is overeating and constipation. Can you up the fiber in their diet and maybe feed a little less?

[CT_]

i really feel like it'll be hard to feed less on this tank maybe I can put him in a mesh breeder box and fast him for a week or something.  

Right now they're getting krill flake.  5 days a week

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I'm wondering if the krill has enough fiber. Maybe try feeding peas if you have them or something like an algae wafer or repashy when you separate them. 

[CT_]

ok he got a epsom salt bath and i'm going to fast him for a few days.  hopefully he'll get better.  i did some searching and the white poop string (not wiggling) is actually just a normal poop for fish who haven't eaten in a bit, so perhaps his stomach is blocked, or perhaps his stomach is fine.  either way that probably means its fatal unless its blocked and the salt bath helps him unblock.  I'm not too optimistic. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I'm crossing my fingers for you friend.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

CT! I was just helping Henry Li with wasting disease....yours aren't skinny but I wonder...could your guppys have gotten some sort of worm? Disregard, you mentioned the poop isn't wiggling but I still wonder, tapeworms grow rather quickly....

Edited March 21, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX