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Help PLzzzz Help
By guppy1111 from the Greta department, Section Diaries Posted on Wed Aug 29, 2007 at 01:28:37 PM PST Tags: (all tags)

In my ten gallon tank I have two males and one female. One of my males, Gandolf, is not swimming around but is at the top of the tank just shaking like he's trying to swim. His tail is bent. Plz Help. I don't want him to die.

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Help PLzzzz Help | 29 comments (29 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#24)
by Guppies5 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 05:22:42 PM PST

Hey I have a few questions for you that need to be answered in order for me to help. When you do your ten percent water changes do you re add the salt to the tank? Is your females eyes cloudy or clear. I'm not sure but the reason for her laying on the bottom might be she is tierd. But answer my questions so i can know for sure what might be wrong.
Raquel or Rocky

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#26)
by guppy1111 on Sun May 07, 2006 at 11:36:47 AM PST

I do not add slat to my tank. Her eyes are clear.

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#20)
by guppy1111 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 01:08:54 PM PST

my female is just sitting at the bottom on the gravel not moving but she can swim just fine. She is a week pregnant thou. does anyone know what she is doing or what is going on we just did a ten present water change also.

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#21)
by guppy1111 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 01:17:04 PM PST

also it looks like some of her scales are turning black.

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#18)
by lomelindi on Sat May 06, 2006 at 12:36:51 PM PST

Guppy1111.. if you don't mind me asking, how old are you? I get the feeling you're really, *really* new to all this. What I would suggest you do is go out and buy an easy-to-read beginner's guide to aquariums.. they're all over the place. As good as guppylog is, it doesn't quite cater to the *REALLY* untried aquarists. You need some basic information before you go any further with the fish you have. I'm afraid they may not make it otherwise. Maybe you have a friend or relative that knows about keeping fish who could help you?

And Nancy, while I can understand getting frustrated after all this time, I don't think "yelling" at him/her is going to help much at this point. Everyone screws up with their first few fish. It's a rite of passage.

Finding dead fish in the tank *you* are responsible for is a hard and brutal wakeup call. These little creatures are dependent on you. You made a mistake, and now is the time to learn from it. Otherwise, it will keep happening. Okay?

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#25)
by angelhologram on Sun May 07, 2006 at 07:19:42 AM PST

I think Lomelindi is correct that in this case it sounds like you have a problem with your water, but just for those reading who have a well established healthy tank sometimes when you first turn on the light and see all the fish lying on the bottom, don't freak out because they were probably sleeping. I had quite a scare the first time I saw it as did others on here. But in your case Guppy1111 I think she is probably suffering from ammonia poisoning.
*BEFORE you buy fish make sure you understand what "Cycling" a tank means <- quoted from miskaral* ~Trying to make a difference one fish at a time~
[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#27)
by guppy1111 on Sun May 07, 2006 at 11:38:03 AM PST

Thanks

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#19)
by guppy1111 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 12:46:51 PM PST

Ok I am 12 and this is my first tank besides just two goldfish in a bowl when i was six. I am going to study up on them.

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#22)
by lomelindi on Sat May 06, 2006 at 02:41:21 PM PST

*nods* That's fine. As much as other people here might fuss, you can't be expected to know absolutely everything on your first go. It's a good step that you've ended up here and that you're tying to make your guppys better.

The next time you go to the pet store, look for something that will test your water. They make nifty little bottles with plastic test strips inside that will test all sorts of things.. those might be the easier to use. If you can't find them, ask the people at the store to help. Actually, you can probably bring a water sample to the store with you and they will often test it for free.

Judging by the way your fish are acting, there is probably something wrong with the water. Did you use water conditioners on the tap water before you put it in the tank? And if so, how often do you change the water?

Don't let anyone make you feel stupid for asking questions. It's much better than just ignoring your fish's problems altogether. Keep us updated!

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#28)
by guppy1111 on Sun May 07, 2006 at 11:40:32 AM PST

Thanks for the help. I do use water conditioners. I did a ten prestent water change yertserday and the day before.

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#23)
by lomelindi on Sat May 06, 2006 at 02:44:44 PM PST

If you'd prefer, my email address is lolonque @ gmail.com, and my AIM screen name is "herald lomelindi". If you want to catch me on either one of those, I can probably help you there, too.

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#29)
by guppy1111 on Sun May 07, 2006 at 11:41:04 AM PST

Kk Thanks

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#13)
by guppy1111 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 08:45:54 AM PST

Saddly he just died.*sniffles*

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#14)
by Nancy4Fishes on Sat May 06, 2006 at 10:14:25 AM PST

listen. this is getting OUT OF HAND. i am so angry right now! i was first to reply to this, and even after that, instead of answering, you said, "i have a question. why is his tail bent?". don't you realize we were TRYING TO FIND OUT??? we were all doing our best to HELP YOU!!! i am JUST GOING TO SAY IT: HE DIED BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPIDITY!

you have done this MANY TIMES! you post an urgent question, and we try and find out about the situation, and you ignore us! what is the point of posting a question if you don't help us help you? do you just like the way the keyboard sounds when you push the buttons?

you HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GETTING YOURSELF INTO BEFORE YOU BUY A PET!! IT'S A SERIOUS COMMITMENT!

the whole point of this site is to educate people, who are both new and experienced with the hobby. we are here to help each other. that is why there is immediate help. that is why you don't even have to sign up to read posts, just to post your own questions. that is why signing up here is free. we are just here to HELP.

how can we do that when we have no idea what situation your fish is in? are we just supposed to pull the answer out of a hat? we are people just like you, the only difference is that we did our homework before we plopped a couple fish in our aquariums.

i have begged you to answer my questions, and that didn't work. i nearly screamed at you how important they were. didn't work either. so now i just won't ask. good luck with your hobby. i hope for your fish's sake someone is more tolerant of you than i am.

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#11)
by guppy1111 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 07:39:43 AM PST

It is so sad he has no control of his tail:(

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#9)
by guppy1111 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 06:30:12 AM PST

Last night I did about a 10 present water change two hours before I went to sleep.

This morning he is doing a little better his tail sraightend out almost all the way but is still benat down.

he is a little dull colered and just floats at the top but every min or so he swims around.

whenever he trys to go down his tail floats him back to the top its like he cant move his tail.

Now for ur questions. I just left the water sitting out not knowing the proper way ur should do it.

water was 75* when he was put in and now is 73*.

To get the guppies used to the water we just let the bag float on top of the tank. We threw the water from the petstore out.

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#12)
by New Guppy Momma on Sat May 06, 2006 at 08:38:29 AM PST

Do another water change. If you don't have seasoned water use a water conditioner. Keep doing daily changes. If you can do more than 10% that would be better. It would get rid of more of the nasty stuff in the water that is possibly making him sick.
How big is the tank? You may have said before but I can't seem to find it. May be I'm trying to do too much at once. Eat, make a dress and be on the computer.
Sorry about his split tail but if we can keep him alive he may get better with a treatment for fin rot. Fungus clear by Jungle labs is pretty good. And they sell it at Walmart. They also have a pretty good water conditioner called Start Right. I use it in my tanks. It takes the chlorine and chloramines (a fancy name for ammonia) out of the water before it goes in the tank.
Glad he's feeling a bit better. Speaking of water changes I have to go do my daily 20% change. Maybe I'll teach my 9 year old how to do them. She's always asking to help. I have 2 10 gallon tanks so I use a 2 gallon bucket and siphon out a bucket full from each tank. Then I refill the tanks from my stash of seasoning water I keep under my kitchen table in a baby bathtub. My baby is 3 so I don't need the tub anymore. I use the conditioner because I do the daily changes and don't know if all the chlorine gets out. I also think we have the chloramines in our tap water.
Good luck again. I do hope he gets better. Also think of how much you are learning here too.
Before all else fails....do a 25% water change ;)
[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#15)
by guppy1111 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 11:17:53 AM PST

Srry and i think im going to stop using this site. And srry if im so dum.

[ Parent ]

We all have those moments. (none / 0) (#16)
by unclescott on Sat May 06, 2006 at 12:04:18 PM PST

The only dumb things you have done here is to delude yourself into thinking that you knew what a cycled tank is and in not listening to several very patient people.

Many other web forums will not be so patient.

You said your tank was cycled, despite the fact that you have had it only a week, had neither tried the fishless cycling nor had any fish in it.

You have not answered many of the questions asked you. You were asked how you knew your tank was cycled. Nothing.

Forgive me for not being more up front right then, on April 25th, and predicting that since you had no clue what cycling a tank meant and seemingly had no interest in finding out, that you would kill some or all of your guppies and make your self unhappy in the process.

I should have suggested that you go get your money back for your fish tank.

If that is your approach to living things and other possible pets, PLEASE, for your sake and theirs, don't keep any.

Go, have a great and fulfilling life anyway, but leave pets out of it.

Sincerely,
uncle scott

[ Parent ]

Re: We all have those moments. (none / 0) (#17)
by guppy1111 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 12:21:08 PM PST

Srry to everyone for not answering ur questions.

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#10)
by guppy1111 on Sat May 06, 2006 at 07:08:18 AM PST

now his tail is spliting and hes really bad again

[ Parent ]

hope all turns out ok (none / 0) (#7)
by J-ME on Fri May 05, 2006 at 09:08:24 PM PST

I don't know what all to say because I have the new tank problem too.

I hope all is goingt o be ok...

Sorry I don't know what to say just wanted to wish you the best of luck and I hope that he lives....
Happy fish keeping :-)

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#4)
by New Guppy Momma on Fri May 05, 2006 at 06:51:58 PM PST

You need to do a large water change now. At least 50%. Your fish is being poisoned by the amonia in the water. I had this happen with mine when I first got them. The people on this site helped me save them. Because as you said in a previous post you did not properly cycle the tank. You didn't know. Neither did I. After the initial change today you need to get a test kit for ammonia, nitrItes and nitrAres. Or you can do what I did and just change 20% of the water every day until you can get the kits. Please go back to Immediate help and read everything you can about cycling a tank.

So to sum up...50% tonight, right now. If you don't have enough seasoned water use what you have and use the stuff to take at least the chlorine out of the rest. Hopefully this will save your fish. Then do a 20% water change daily until you canget the test strips.
Good Luck. I hope it is not too late for Gandalf.
Before all else fails....do a 25% water change ;)

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#5)
by guppy1111 on Fri May 05, 2006 at 07:03:13 PM PST

thanks and his tail is starting to darken and turn black

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#6)
by New Guppy Momma on Fri May 05, 2006 at 07:35:12 PM PST

Ammonia poisoning. I really can't tell but it may be too late for him. Change it anyway. The rest of them should perk up pretty quick. Also from now on you are going to have to really watch for disease. They will be way more likely to get them.

Good luck and I hope he makes it. Let us know how he does.
Before all else fails....do a 25% water change ;)
[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#1)
by Nancy4Fishes on Fri May 05, 2006 at 06:06:16 PM PST

oh no, he's shimmying! i'm not going to sugarcoat this at all, this entire post. he's VERY sick. if you have another tank where he can be alone, use it. DO NOT set up a little tank now and put him in right away! BAD IDEA BAD IDEA BAD IDEA!!

IF YOU HAVE ONE: take a paper cup. put some food in and wait for him to come up to eat. once he's at the surface, dip the cup in the water and suck him up! hold the paper cup on the surface of the smaller tank for 5-10 minutes to let the temp of the cup water and the tank be the same, so he isn't shocked. gently let him out.

IF YOU DON'T: is there a nearby pet/fish store? go there and get a: breeder net, net breeder, net breeding trap, whatever name it is under. it is a plastic frame with a fine net mesh over it. it looks like this:

http://www.aquaworld.ca/usrimage/net%20breeder.jpg

hopefully that link will work. PLEASE do not get a plastic breeding trap to put him in! we just need to seclude him.

now that he is alone, look for signs of bacterial infection. does he rub/flick himself up against hard objects? can he swallow his food or does he spit it all out? are there any discolered patches on his body? what color is his poop?

as for his tail, does it look snapped? as if it were broken? can he move his tail?

please look back for all the questions.

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#3)
by guppy1111 on Fri May 05, 2006 at 06:22:14 PM PST

I have a question why is his tail bent?

[ Parent ]

Re: Help PLzzzz Help (none / 0) (#2)
by guppy1111 on Fri May 05, 2006 at 06:17:23 PM PST

I am so scared. his tail is just bent like A ten degree angle. He dose not eat he will go up to it and smell it but not eat it

[ Parent ]

Don't put food in the tank. It will only make it (none / 0) (#8)
by unclescott on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:24:12 PM PST

worse I fear, adding more organic stuff. He's too sick to eat. That tail thing could even be muscle spasms. He might be in shock.

This is probably too late at night for you to read it right away. But when you do, I really hope that you do try a partial water change. Had you gathered some water into containers to season it?

It really sounds like that fish could even have been poisoned or suffocated by your water or shocked by the way you introduced him to the tank.
*******
By way of damage control, let us start over.

What did you do to get the water ready for the fish?
What temperature was the water? What is it now?
What did you do to get the guppies used to the water in the tank.?
Did you throw out the water from the Pet Shop and just put the guppies gently into the tank, so you didn't introduce the pollutants and diseases from the shop?

Take the proverbial deep breath. No more "Help PLzzzz Help" because then we ask questions and you ask for more help.
When you get a chance, please answer these. Then we'll see if anything can be done.

Good luck,
uncle scott

[ Parent ]

Help PLzzzz Help | 29 comments (29 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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