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Hi there. I have 2 problems:
1. For the second time, I have found a guppy without the dorsal fin. I suspect the bottom feeder latched on and "ate it". The sucker fish has gotten quite large and I read that they no longer eat algae and prefer fish slime and meat. Any previous experience with sucker fish as cannabals and whether I should get rid of it?

2. Three guppies are sick simulatenously. They are "resting" on the gravel and appear listless. I recently bought a plant which I soaked in quarenteen water with a few tablets of snail killer. The plant was introduced to the tank today. Are my fish now copper-poisoned?? 100 litre tank, 6 guppies, pH high 6.8-7; GH ok; KH kinda low.

Thanks heaps for your help.

It's not all doom and gloom. Despite having the dorsal fin bitten off, she gave birth to 5 frys.

Rupey

For the guppy w/o the dorsal fin: If you didn't get hurt that way, and you're positive that it's from another fish in your tank having a meal, then I'd put in QT and treat with melafix, unless it's a small tank (around ten gallons) then I'd just dose the meds there.

What type of fish do you mean by sucker? Many plecos grow very large, and some type of algae eaters have been known to grow up and turn nasty. Your fish is prolly too big for your tank anyway, I'd get rid of him asap before he causes anymore damage.

As for the three sulking guppies: Stress? Bad water? Can you post your params? (ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte) I wouldn't doubt that if you put the plant in some sort of snail killer and didn't rinse the plant off before putting it in the tank, that there was some toxin on it lethal to the fish. I believe in killing snails naturally or with the penny method, because it just seems to risky with everything else.

GL...

EDIT: And oh, welcome to FishProfiles Enjoy your stay.

Last edited by Ferretfish at 24-Jan-2005 05:34

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Thanks for your reply and welcome.
The update is:

1. Guppy with eaten fin was too sick to resuscitate. I put in 2 drops of Malachite green/ acraflavine (is that like Melafix?) but I think it was too late. She's doing the death roll and in case she was diseased I had to get rid of her. She leaves behind 5 frys in the breeder pen.

Any suggestions for a replacement algae eater? Sorry - don't know the name and it's too quick for me to take a photo. I have a 26 US gallon tank. 0 ammonia, 0 NO2, 80 NO3, GH 10, KH 2.

re: snails - I'll try the penny method next time! The snail killer was just copper sulphate. I worry that a clown loach will grow big and aggressive.

2. After a water change the 3 look more spritely. I'll do another change tomorrow.

Thanks.

oh and I am hatching some brine shrimp for the frys. Is that right? This is the first batch of frys I have managed to salvage. The others were all eaten up. That's why I got the new plant but I ended up with snails from the last lfs plant.

Last edited by rupey at 24-Jan-2005 06:31

In that size tank, you could go with a school of ottos, or a BN pleco, a clown pleco, or a couple pitbull plecos, whichever you fancy. BNs are the hardiest and easiest to find IME, and come in regular, albino, and many different types. Pitbull plecos are adorable, but hard to find. Clown plecos are pretty hardy as long as your water is okay, and ottos...well they're all luck really. Slow acclimating and lots of algae crops are necessary.

Melafix is an all natural medicine used to help regrow and heal fins that may be torn from war wounds and battle fungus and stuff.

Can't really help you with the fry, you may want to post in the breeding forum for fry food ideas. I've heard stuff about liquifry and egg yolks...but I'm not sure.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Sis is great isn't she? I can help with the feeding problem...truly feeding is easier than you would think...

Take the food that you are feeding your adult fish, and place some (if you feed a mixture, place a little of each) in a ziplock back, seal baggy without air...now grind the flakes and whatnot between your fingers and hands until it is dust/very fine...Then Viola! you have instant fry food.

Best of luck, Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Cheers Heidi.
There are now 6 frys that are isolated in a breeding tank. I am impressed with the brine shrimp because they hatch into miniscue ... well, shrimps. Even the unhatched eggs make nutrituous meals for the frys.

I think the copper sulphate tablet has killed 1 guppy and another one is looking kinda sick. (Uncoordinated when picking up food from the bottom, hidding behind the filter). Will try to do more frequent water changes and hopefully reduce the copper levels. On the bright side - no sign of snails for days.


I am hoping that the 6 will grow up and replace the costly error that I made with the snail pellets.