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Guppy Disease? I've Never Seen This Before!

2013 Views 12 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  GuppyGirl, 
G
I have owned guppies for a few years now, and last night, my fish came down with an odd disease. Thier pectoral fins, normally spread gracefully, are now drawn together into little rectangles, and have taken on a thick, cloudy color. Their tails aren't out to thier full spread either. They swim in a slightly wobbly snakelike motion.

I treated with salt & methylene blue, but it hasn't made any improvement. Last night only one fish had it, so I separated her, and treated her separately, but I treated the tank as a safeguard as well. This morning, 3 more females have it. It doesn't seem to be affecting any of the males.

They don't behave any different, except the change in swimming style. They still eat like pigs & swim actively. The only cause I can think of could be some new plants I introduced about a week ago. I am at a loss as to what this disease could be!

Any ideas?
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J
I can only think to do a search on "clamped fins" to see what kind of illnesses might be associated with that symptom. Clamped fins aren't always cloudy though, so the cloudiness must suggest something else...
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mistergreen
I've seen other fish with these symptoms but I've only seen it one at a time. I chalk it up to old age but Yours is global. Check your water params.
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ducky14523
Check the temp, wouldn't this be classic shimmies? That thing that usually happens to mollies due to catching a chill or high nitrate/nitrites? Guppies drop like flies for me under ideal conditions so i question if the strains themselves arent just prone to issues.
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G
Good news- I raised the temperature again, (from 86) & they seem to be doing a little better. Although I don't know how long I want to keep the temp at 90... hopefully in a couple of days the disease will be killed off & I can drop the temp a few degrees.
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M
any better today?
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G
Actually it's gotten worse. :( I must have just temporarily stopped the spread of the bacteria/parasite. Today one of the females had the cloudiness on her head, but it doesn't look like a fungus... I am now treating with a wide range antibiotic, & upped the dosing of AQ salt. It seems like it might have improved in the past 4 hours.
*fingers crossed
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G
Now at least 6 of my females have it, as well as a male. Also, one of the females died last night. :( I have no idea what to do!
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H
What sort of antibiotic are you using? If it's bacterial, raising the temp may just be creating the perfect environment for the infection. Can you try dropping it five degrees?
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G
tetracyclin, & yeah I'll try that right now. I'll let you know how it goes...
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G
I am cautiosly hopeful. After a night of 85*, the disease doesn't seem to have spread. :)
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B
its an old thread

This sounds like what I ended up with in my tank. I had bought 2 gupps but them together thought they where fine. went got two more at the lfs looked very healthy put them in the tank the next day one had that all over its body she ended up dead. a few days later one of the frist ones i bought dyed too. then about a week later the last one from the lfs dyed too. i was treating the tank and all but no help one of the originals i bought is still alive but i think she is a carry of it. so shes in her own one gallon tank. Sorry about the story the stuff that i had look to be like protozoan parasites. i did a google on it and it did look like what i had. and what you decried sounds like it to frist time i have ever seen it. and sorry again.
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G
It might be... but most of the results I saw were ich. I've seen ich before, and it doesn't look like this. I've been using Methelyne Blue, Salt, & heat treatment. The disease slowed down with lower temps. I don't know what to do about it... The death rate is at 7 now. Looks like I might be scrapping this line... but I'll see if there are any survivors. :(
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