# Dead Guppy Fish



## Starlight_Guide

I bought 4 guppy's. 2 males 2 females. The pet store told me the 2 females were pregnate. So I seperated them from all my other fish. I stuck them in their own bowl. So yesterday I notice the one Momma's tail looks like its loosing fins... kind of peeling like. So I call the pet store to see if they have any suggestions. She makes me feel like it was my fault... but I followed her directions to a "T". Asked me if I had any water conditioner in the bowl, and I told her no. I had used half distilled water, and half the water that she gave me. Thats all she told me to do. So she proceeds to make me feel bad, and the only water conditioning tablets I had was a Beta Bowl Buddy. She said that would be fine to put in there. So I did. Later that night the tail looks worse, instead of peeling, it is completly red. I seperated the female guppys, and now this guppy is dead. I'mworried because if its a parasite or something, its probably affected my whole aquarium because the male guppys are in there.

What could this be? My other fish were fine without the conditioning tablets.... so I dont think it was that.... 

I cant attach this file for some reason, so here is the direct link

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/soccer_angie_18/SS851340.jpg


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## TheOldSalt

It sounds like a disease called, aptly enough, Tail-rot.
It's a bacterial infection.
There is a protozoal version out there as well, but it wouldn't cause the redness, so I think it's regular bacterial tail-rot.

It's not your fault. It takes several days for this to develop, which can only mean they were already infected when you got them. Guess whose fault that makes it?
I wouldn't shop at that store anymore if I were you. Trying to blame you for what they HAVE to know is their fault is just plain wrong.

Anyway, most of the guppies currently on the market are in bad shape lately. There are many ways you can go at this point, but probably the best thing to do is .. nothing. Just watch and see if the other fish continue to do okay. If they do, the other female will soon give you more abies than you'll ever need, and they'll all be perfectly healthy. If you want, set up a second little tank just for those babies, and then you'll have a perfectly clean place to put them when they arrive.


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## Starlight_Guide

*Oh Great!*



TheOldSalt said:


> It sounds like a disease called, aptly enough, Tail-rot.
> It's a bacterial infection.


With it being bacterial, how likely is it that it spread to the other mother and the 2 dads? The 2 dads are in my bigger tank now, with 2 Orandas and Black Neons and a sucker fish. I dont want them to get it too! All the guppies were together in a bag when I brought them home....None of them seem to be affected, but this showed up so suddenly...at least to my eyes. I'm afraid that Ive shocked the other mom from moving her so much...she seems to be acting weird. I hope she doesnt loose the babies. I am going back to the pet store today to take them their fish. I would stop shopping there, but this is the only one in the area, and I sure didnt want to buy the fish from Wal-Mart because they seem to be in worse shape. Its a catch 22... anyways... is there something out there that maybe I could get to treat my other fish just in case? Or just hope for the best?


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## Starlight_Guide

AHH. Now my blue guppy is hiding from everyone. I couldnt find him, and I found him underneath a tunnel we have set up. So I pulled that out and he hid behind the filter, and I pulled that out and that left no other place to hide, so he layed on the bottom of the tank and didnt move. I think he is sick too!


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## Starlight_Guide

Sadly, my blue male has died... but I went back to the pet store, they gave me another pregnate fish and I bought some stuff for fungus's. The lady there said that she didnt think it was tail rot, she thought it looked more like a fungus, because the fish still had her tail. I dont know...Hopefully that will help. I just pray. What can you do for tail rot, and what causes it??

By the way, Ive got a fish bowl set up next to the Mama's fish bowl, and Im just waiting until its time.


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## Louise163

You need a bacterial med for finrot.
Finrot is gram neg bacteria.
How many gallons is the tank as you have goldfish they are massive waste producers,.
Water stats would be good in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
This site is for betta but it's a good article on finrot.
http://www.petfish.net/kb/entry/335/


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## Tim97

Starlight_Guide said:


> AHH. Now my blue guppy is hiding from everyone. I couldnt find him, and I found him underneath a tunnel we have set up. So I pulled that out and he hid behind the filter, and I pulled that out and that left no other place to hide, so he layed on the bottom of the tank and didnt move. I think he is sick too!


Try not to remove the places to hide - it wont save him and might make it worse. 

the fish hide to be away from all the aquarium action, so they can be left alone to try and recover, and in worst cases die.

taking the places to hide away means he cannot get peace and quiet, and he cant recover on his own.

think about having a headache in and trying to wait for it to go away by standing in the middle of a busy train station, doesn't work does it? 

next time, leave the hidding spots in there for them, and if you only have 2, have some more! 

dont worry, we all learn through mistakes so im not trying to put you at fault. when i first began with guppies, the store owner nearly refused to give me any more after my 10/20'th visit, because i would keep loosing the poor fish and returning for more.


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