Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Health => Topic started by: Rustle on August 09, 2018, 07:52:21 PM

Title: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Rustle on August 09, 2018, 07:52:21 PM
Hi all i have had a guppy in a tank on his own now for a month doing water changes every other day. I have tried salt and medications and even stress coat, but his tail will not heal and grow back. The rip is like a v shape. I am thinking is he just old and it will never grow back. Any suggestions would be a great help. He do spend a lot of time on the bottom but is not sick and still eats very well.
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Sue on August 09, 2018, 08:00:03 PM
Does the split have nice straight edges or ragged edges? Nice straight edges is usually physical damage and it usually repairs itself with time. Though if he is old, it may not heal. Ragged edges is usually fin rot, which may heal itself with lots of water changes though sometimes it meeds an antibacterial medication.


How hard is the water? Guppies are hard water fish, and if your water is soft it could affect the healing process.
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Rustle on August 10, 2018, 07:20:25 PM
Nice clean edges sue, I think the others nipped him. It goes like a v shape and then squares off. My water is dGH  10 so I am thinking it's age and won't heal.
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Matt on August 11, 2018, 12:47:07 AM
As long as the water quality in your main tank is good, I would be tempted to put him back in there and use some of the time you had been putting into doing waterfall changes on that into upping the water change frequency on the main tank instead. I have personally never had to treat or remove a fish with a fin tear to prevent fin rot.
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Rustle on August 11, 2018, 07:11:29 AM
Thank's matt but do you not think the other guppy's will keep fin nipping him and make it worse. I do two 50% water changes per week on the main tank, a gravel clean on sunday's and just a straight water change on wednesday's.
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Matt on August 11, 2018, 10:25:41 AM
As far as I'm aware they are not know for nipping each others fins... might be worth a try...

He could have damaged his find another way e.g. on the heater or decor
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Rustle on August 19, 2018, 07:28:32 AM
We found him dead this morning which is a tad upsetting as he was still eating last night.but kept resting on the bottom most of the time although being upright and shown no signs of illness.

We don't normally name fish but because we spent a lot of time on him trying to make him better we named him sid because he was a snakeskin. I guess it was old age or a genetic thing,as i have never had a fish die while still eating the night before.

Once i have had my knee replacement in september i am going to have a go at aquascaping the smaller fish tank he was in.
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Littlefish on August 19, 2018, 07:41:03 AM
Sorry to hear that Sid passed during the night.
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Sue on August 19, 2018, 10:09:56 AM
I'm sorry to hear that  :(


Hope the surgery goes well. I know someone who had the same op a couple of years ago and she is running round like a youngster now  :)
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: fcmf on August 19, 2018, 02:46:21 PM
Sorry to read about Sid.  :'(

Best of luck with the knee surgery.

Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Matt on August 19, 2018, 08:49:07 PM
Sorry to hear this. All the best with the op. I also know people it's worked wonders for.

If you want any help with aquascaping your tank then let me know!
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: Rustle on August 20, 2018, 07:29:36 AM
Thank you everyone for the good wishes on my pending knee operation.

@Matt thank you!  that's very kind of you i will take you up on that offer to help aquascape the tank when the time comes. :)
Title: Re: Guppy with torn tail
Post by: TopCookie on August 20, 2018, 12:00:24 PM
Sorry for your loss Rustle...  :(