# Guppy "epidemic"



## amelia (Aug 11, 2005)

The only changes made to my guppy tank in the past week was a tadpole added.

My older guppies ONLY are being struck by this. First it was only the males, now I've had to kill a female with it. 

The fins grow ragged from the base of the tail outward.. It's like they start to be sliced and they loose color and weight.. The fish grows very, very skinny, gets lethargic and dies. It's only striking the oldest, developed fish.. The younger ones are not suffering any symptoms yet. I've killed every fish that has come down with this, since I stuck the first few I found in a quarenteen tank and they died almost immediately. 

I have no idea what's going on with my fish, and at least ten have died (or have been flushed) in the past two days. I am VERY worried. Should I do a massive water change or switch aquariums? Could the tadpole be doing this? I doubt it myself, since it's only the older fish being affected and not the smaller fish or the young fish with developing finnage. 

Are the fish just getting old?


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## amelia (Aug 11, 2005)

If that was the case, I don't understand why the young fish are not being affected at all..


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Where did you get the tadpole? Do you know what kind of frog itwill be? There is a pretty good chance that when it turn to a frog it will eat the guppies.


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## amelia (Aug 11, 2005)

I know that it is a bullfrog tadpole. I also know (I asked as many questions as I could before considering buying it..) that the woman who was helping me had a tadpole of her own that had just sprouted legs two months after she got it. I asked her if there were any kinds of fish it shouldn't go with or if it would be aggressive toward any fish, and she said that she didn't think so, as she had her's with guppies, platies, and other fish like that and had NEVER had a problem. I know that he'll eat guppies when he gets bigger, which is why I've got an aquarium waiting to be set up for him. I've observed him for hours on end in that guppy tank and he really rarely even moves.. he just sits on the rocks until it's dinner time, when he goes poking his little mouth in cracks between the rocks to catch the food that falls.


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## amelia (Aug 11, 2005)

I added QuickCure to the water last night of one of the living BADLY affected guppies in quarentine. This morning he SEEMS to be clearing up.. I've added QuickCure to the water in the main tank to kill off whatever it is and to prevent the rest of the fish from catching it. I'll continue treatment, but I'd really still appriciate any information on this weird disease/bacteria.


And fish_doc--I got the tadpole at Pet-Co.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

All I can say is she has been real luckey.

The bullfrog is known for its eating habits. Bullfrogs are predators. They usually feed on snakes (small ones) worms, insects, crustaceans, other frogs and tadpoles. They are cannibalistic and will not hesitate to eat their own kind. There have also been a few cases reported of bullfrogs eating bats. In fact, they will eat almost anything that they can catch, such as insects, fish, snakes, other frogs, and small mammals. Sometime, bullfrogs are both predator and prey to other animals. For instance, a large bullfrog will eat a small snake, and a large snake will eat a small bullfrog.

Bullfrogs live for months on the food already stored in their body. Sometimes they will even jump out of the water and grab a bird that is flying overhead. They have sticky tongues rolled up in their mouths to catch insects. They can only see and eat their food if is is moving and alive. Otherwise, they cannot see their prey, even if it is right on the end of their nose. Their hunting style is "sit and wait." Bullfrogs wait for some type of prey to come by, then with a flash of the tongue, they grab it and bring it back into their mouths. 

Remember the people are at the store to sell things living or not. If he eats everything in your tank they make more money replacing them. 

I would see if they will exchange it for somthing else that will work better in your tank.


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## amelia (Aug 11, 2005)

Well, I think that quickcure killed the bullfrog. I found the tadpole floating this morning.. 
I think I'm going to set up a different tank, tererrium style.. and get a new bullfrog tadpole or two. I'm really interested in keeping them as pets..


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

The right frogs make great pets. Just remember some will croak all night long. Make sure you read up of the different options and pick one that is right for you. I have a tree frog and it is quiet and small. Bullfrogs will be more interactive but will have a bigger appatite. Let us know when you get everything set up we want to hear more.


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## amelia (Aug 11, 2005)

It'll probably be a while before I get stuff set up. I'm looking for a job now to help me pay for a 150 gallon tank for my goldfish and koi, and I am also looking into buying another 55 gallon, or maybe a 75 gallon. I want to buy an aquarium with more floor space for a frog or two, especially if I get frogs that are going to get big as bullfrogs do. I never had much intrest in treefrogs, but I've had my eye on pacman frogs.. I would love to keep poison aarows, but their sensitive needs might be a bit much for me to take on right now. 

Space is an issue right now. My mother is planning to get married within the next year. We are hoping to have an addition (laundry room and a new master bedroom) to the house within that while. We have three bedrooms now--one that needs to be redone and is just used for storage. My bedroom is only 10x11 feet, so I'm a bit boxed in as it is.. Once the addition is made, though, I'll get my mom's 12x15 foot room with closet area and bathroom counter space.. (If all else fails, I'll stick some ten gallons on the counters.) The 150 would fit in that room, probably along with a 75. I think it would be neat to have the two aquariums make a box around my bed in the room.. The main point is that I'll have lots more room for aquariums if I get the bigger bedroom, otherwise I can kiss my frogs goodbye for now.. since fish aren't my only concern. I have two birds and a rabbit (and i'm planning to buy a flemish giant, a new zealand white, or another large bunny..).. 

There's just a lot to consider altogether, but I will DEFINATELY keep you guys informed whenever I start trying to put together a frog habitat!


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Frogs seem to be the new thing that public aquariums are starting to get into. They are now slowly moving out of the seahorse fad.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Livebearer disease is a growing problem which will easily spread from adult fish. I have experienced it many times and is caused from poor breeding of the fish and also excess nitrates is what sets it off. 50% water changes every day is one of the only cures.


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