Bloated Guppies - worse in QT tank

[P33]

I have 3 male Guppies. Had them for few weeks now. Few days ago I noticed two of them got really big bellies and one started hanging out in the corner at the top of the tank. Other 2 no other symptoms. I withheld food for 3 days and yesterday I placed all 3 Guppies in QT tank (used a lot of tank water) and added some aquarium salt. There's a sponge filter and a heater set to 80. The QT tank is not cycled but parameters from API test are Nitrite 0ppm, Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrites between 0 and 5.0ppm, PH 7.6ppm (I dont have a test for the parameters). I tried feeding them peas this morning they didn't touch it, tried baby brine shrimp I think they got a few bites in but now the other two guppies are just laying at the bottom corner and the third one still at the top kind of struggling. What else can I do for them? 

[Whitecloud09]

Aquarium salt kanaplex and maracyn are well known treatments and can help, but for specific dosing, @Colu can help @P33. He knows a lot of treatments for disease.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Firstly, hi @P33 welcome to the forum. Sorry you're having issues. 

 

I'm concerned it could be a bacterial isssue unless you were chronically overfeeding them. Can you see any "pineconing" of the scales? I'm wondering if a bacterial infection could have lead to dropsy which in the end sadly is organ failure and likely fatal (I've never saved a fish from it myself though I've tried)

On 7/4/2024 at 8:11 AM, P33 said:

Nitrites between 0 and 5.0ppm,

I'm hoping you meant nitrAtes here not nitrItes as that would be a possible culprit. Is there anyone else in the tank you took them from? 

Salt is a good start for treatment of an unknown but I might consider an antibacterial med. 

What temperature is the original tank? I'd caution higher temps with bacterial infections as they sometimes speed up bacterial growth. I realize people use heat to speed up some treatments but in this case I'm not sure it's necessary. Stable temp is good, not sure it needs to be 80. Higher temps means less oxygen in the water. Going based on the fact that at least one was hanging out at the top of the tank tells me they're having issues breathing as well, and could also point to water parameter issues which can cause bacterial problems leading then to dropsy or other infections. I would add an airstone whenever working with heat, or 2. 

Edited July 4 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[P33]

Two of the 3 passed today. One was bloated one was kind of skinny actually so not sure. The tank temp and parameters are identical to the original tank. The high temp may have as you said triggered a bacteria to develop faster as I just treated the tank for ich maybe a week ago (aquarium salt and higher temp...only one fish got infected but treatment was a success) . Brought the temp back down to 80 over the past week. The parameters of the main tank have been good and I did regular water changes. The main tank has 2 airstines at all times and the one was still floating at the top so not sure. So now the question is should treat the whole tank with meds if in fact this was bacterial? Everyone else is doing good for now. I won't be able to get the medication mentioned until Saturday as no one in the area actually has it. 

[Colu]

On 7/4/2024 at 9:54 PM, P33 said:

Two of the 3 passed today. One was bloated one was kind of skinny actually so not sure. The tank temp and parameters are identical to the original tank. The high temp may have as you said triggered a bacteria to develop faster as I just treated the tank for ich maybe a week ago (aquarium salt and higher temp...only one fish got infected but treatment was a success) . Brought the temp back down to 80 over the past week. The parameters of the main tank have been good and I did regular water changes. The main tank has 2 airstines at all times and the one was still floating at the top so not sure. So now the question is should treat the whole tank with meds if in fact this was bacterial? Everyone else is doing good for now. I won't be able to get the medication mentioned until Saturday as no one in the area actually has it. 

Bloating and weight loss can be a sign of a parasitic infection what I would do is treat with levamisole active ingredient in expel p once a week for four weeks 

[P33]

@Cole Since not sure if parasitic or bacterial is there anything I can use that would treat both? All 3 of the fish passed today so I am worried about the main community tank and what I should do. 

[Tony s]

Two questions. Are these the only guppies in your community tank? And so far only the guppies have died or had symptoms?

ok I guess 3 questions. Where did you buy your guppies? If no other fish has died, it may be a guppy only kind of problem.  
 

when purchasing guppies from big box pet stores they can have major problems. Their genetics has gotten weak. They are more susceptible to disease and sometimes get weird tumors. I was never able to keep them alive for long. I switched to higher end guppies and problem solved. Current batch is 3 months old and breeding for me. So it’s very possible it’s a guppy issue and not a tank issue. 
but keep a close eye out. In case it is a tank issue. 
 

and invest in a testing kit to make sure your water is safe for your animals 

[P33]

Those 3 were the only ones in the tank, however I had 3 zebra Cory's that died few weeks back over a span of 3 weeks. No idea what the issue was either....although I know cory's are pretty particular and sensitive. The guppies were not from a chain pet store but from family owned aquarium store that we purchased fish from before. I do have a kit and I test the water regularly. The only tests I don't have is KH and GH. But will get those as well. 

[Tony s]

On 7/4/2024 at 10:36 PM, P33 said:

Those 3 were the only ones in the tank, however I had 3 zebra Cory's that died few weeks back over a span of 3 weeks

Okay. Well that eliminates that then. I find that’s the key most times. Whittling away things until we get an answer. Would definitely keep in mind what colu said though. He’s our health and medication expert 

[Tony s]

On 7/4/2024 at 10:12 PM, P33 said:

Since not sure if parasitic or bacterial is there anything I can use that would treat both

No contraindications: can be used with all of our other products and meds

that’s from fritz’s website on the expel-p. since Fritz also makes Maracyn 2 I assume you can do both at the same time. That would give you a good antibacterial med added to a good antiparasitic med. but let’s ask and be sure. @Colu

[Colu]

On 7/5/2024 at 4:24 AM, Tony s said:

No contraindications: can be used with all of our other products and meds

that’s from fritz’s website on the expel-p. since Fritz also makes Maracyn 2 I assume you can do both at the same time. That would give you a good antibacterial med added to a good antiparasitic med. but let’s ask and be sure. @Colu

What you can do is treat with Fritz expel p day 1 that's a 24hr treatment water change then follow up with a course of maracyn2 you would need to repeat expel once I week for another 3 weeks or you can do a course of maracyn2 in food feeding a small amount twice a day for 7 days alongside the expel p @P33

[P33]

@Colu thank you so much. How big of a water change after each treatment? 

[P33]

@Colu thank you so much. How big of a water change after each treatment? 

[Colu]

On 7/5/2024 at 6:58 PM, P33 said:

@Colu thank you so much. How big of a water change after each treatment? 

You can do a 50% water change and add active carbon to remove any remaining medication for 24hr before you start treating with maracyn2