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We are trying to start breeding guppies and are running into quite a few deaths. We are noticing that a white patch from the top to the bottome of their body starts at the base of their tail, and spreads to the tip. While this happens they start swimming less and less and by the time the tail is fully white, they are DEAD!

Anyone know what this is and how to treat it?

Please can you post test results in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, what size tank, and how many fish, take a look at this link.http://www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm

I had this problem with several of my fry..
Couple things I had to correct.

Not enough water movement in tank. Corrected by adding a penguin mini with biowheel.

2. NITRATES TOO HIGH - guppy fry especially are nitrate sensitive.. When all my fry had the conditions yours do, the nitrates were over 20.. Now nitrates are 7 and I have some happy healthy fry at last..

3. Food - add variety of foods to build up their immune system.. Helps to resist disease.. Before I used just crushed up guppy flakes.. I switched to this.. Cichlid flakes, freeze-dried bloodworms and f-d brine shrimp blended almost into a powder..

Some small water changes every other day and full dose melafix should help if nitrates are the culprit.

Good luck !

The Amazon Nut...

Are the white splotches anywhere else but on their tails? Also, are the patches fairly bright white and look a little "scabby" ?

OR

Do they start losing color in the tail over the course of 48 hours or less.. from " Is that guppy missing a bit of color in the tail?" to "It's tail is all stringy!" in two days or less?

Both seem to be common guppy bacterial ailments, not necessarily indications of poor water parameters. Always quarantine new fish for a couple weeks minimum before adding to main tank. I wiped out a tank of guppies with exactly ONE male tequilla sunrise that I failed to quarantine correctly.

I would give them a nice round of Maracyn Plus. Other antibiotics might work, but I've found the Maracyn Plus ( with biospheres ) to be the most effective in this particular case. Dose the 1st, 3rd, and 5th day per instructions.

I had tried regular Maracyn and Maracyn 2, which worked but to a lesser extent.