# Has anyone ever seen this type of damage before?



## Hmongol (May 4, 2011)

Hello, I have a 10 gallon with 4 male guppies and 4 lamp eye tetra along with 3 ghost shrimp and 1 chinese algae eater aka sucker loach. 
My blue guppy became sick that night because I noticed he wasn't swimming around, I figured it was nothing. The next morning I awoke to find him with this huge bite mark which ripped half of his tail body off. 

I posted this on my other website and many folks think the culprit is the chinese algae eater. They say that the sick guppy was probably not strong enough to avoid the Chinese Algae Eater and he got a good sucking out of him. I do believe it was the CAE because the tetras and shrimp would not have good enough teeth to do this.


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## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

All I can say is "Oouuch!" Hope you find out

gwen


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## Eshnon (Apr 13, 2011)

That poor fish... I would remove him from the tank.. gently, and put him in a seperate home for a week.. Get some medicine for cuts, and gashes like that one. Medicine will obviously help heal him quicker. If you leave the gash like that.. the guppy will no question not be strong enough for a second attack from the CAE.. or eventually die from something getting in that wound.. 

Good luck! Intervene before he dies!


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## dfbiggs (May 19, 2010)

Do SAEs take bites like that? Don't they just have a sucker mouth?! Would there be a chance he got caught in that fan in the background or sucked to a filter intake? I am surprised he is still alive.


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## DarkMaster Y0da (Nov 21, 2010)

CAE all the way yea they normally only suck the slim off other fish but with a guppys size i have seen em take chunks. no way he got that from the fan


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

Shrimps could definitely be the culprit. Ghost shrimps could tear fishes easily. but knowing that its a sick or dying fish, its natural for a sucker or shrimp to attack it.


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## Hmongol (May 4, 2011)

dfbiggs said:


> Do SAEs take bites like that? Don't they just have a sucker mouth?! Would there be a chance he got caught in that fan in the background or sucked to a filter intake? I am surprised he is still alive.


No that fan is just a propeller that barely moves on that submarine ornament bubbler. 


Teishokue said:


> Shrimps could definitely be the culprit. Ghost shrimps could tear fishes easily. but knowing that its a sick or dying fish, its natural for a sucker or shrimp to attack it.


Yeah, I thought about them as well... but I've only read that many many people claim it only attacks dead or almost dead fish. I knew he might have been sick but I'm sure he would of been able to escape those tiny claws of the shrimp.


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

off topic: by the way are you hmong?


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Eshnon said:


> That poor fish... I would remove him from the tank.. gently, and put him in a seperate home for a week.. Get some medicine for cuts, and gashes like that one. Medicine will obviously help heal him quicker. If you leave the gash like that.. the guppy will no question not be strong enough for a second attack from the CAE.. or eventually die from something getting in that wound..
> 
> Good luck! Intervene before he dies!


Agree that you should isolate and treat that poor guppy but I say for at least a month or more. Treat him with an antibacterial to avoid infection in that wound. Poor lil guy.

And get rid of that CAE. If your water params. are right for Otos, get some of those instead.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

My money is on the fan if it was running. 
I have a fan /powerhead(KoraliaII) somewhat like the one pictured and have seen my tetra's swim directly into the front of this. If it weren't for the plastic fish gaurd over the front ,I have no doubt that some of the tetra's would be chopped to pieces.Juvenile bristlenose is always glued to the front of this device.
Agree with finding a new home for the chinese algae eater, they really present more problems as they mature than any benefit for community aquarium.


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## Hmongol (May 4, 2011)

Romad said:


> Agree that you should isolate and treat that poor guppy but I say for at least a month or more. Treat him with an antibacterial to avoid infection in that wound. Poor lil guy.
> 
> And get rid of that CAE. If your water params. are right for Otos, get some of those instead.


I did remove him, thanks Romad and 1077. I've read this websites info in them, I just can't believe that a Petco employee would recommend this guy to my guppy and neon tetra community.



Teishokue said:


> off topic: by the way are you hmong?


I am =)


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

Instead of anti-bacterial, I'd use salt to help him heal. (Salt's dangerous, but when it comes to livebearers it's generally a good treatment.)

Be sure to do it in another tank.


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

I wouldnt trust most petco/petsmart or big animal dept stores. if you are going to ask for a fish specialist most likely you should read up on it is the first thing, the second is to ask at a LFS (no other animals but FISH) that way you know thats all they know for the most part, then ask on forums if you still are questioning. as CAE grow they will get more aggressive and eat less algae. are you sure you have a CAE or a False CAE>?


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## Hmongol (May 4, 2011)

Teishokue said:


> I wouldnt trust most petco/petsmart or big animal dept stores. if you are going to ask for a fish specialist most likely you should read up on it is the first thing, the second is to ask at a LFS (no other animals but FISH) that way you know thats all they know for the most part, then ask on forums if you still are questioning. as CAE grow they will get more aggressive and eat less algae. are you sure you have a CAE or a False CAE>?


I'm sure, when I bought him he had a name of just Algae Eater but in parentheses Gyrinocheilus and Gyrinocheilus is also known as a CAE.

Teishokue, are you Japanese?


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

Kuj yog hmoob thiab os.

Im aware most places like that would sell it as Algae Eaters but what im saying is are you identifying it as a CAE or a False CAE. since they are very similar with small differences. It is just like the False Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion Ocellaris) vs the True Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion Percula).... the thing you can tell them apart for sure is that the false one has 11 spines on the dorsal fin while the true has 10.. others have observed more but havent been too consistent. 
in your case there are the species:
_*
A type of Crossocheilus*_ siamensis species
_
Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus
_Garra taeniata
_
Or a type of Gyrinocheilus_ species


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## Eshnon (Apr 13, 2011)

Get some aquarium salt. It helps with recovery, gives electrolytes fish need, AND improves gill function. Your guppy is in a lot of pain right now, but aquarium salt will make it so much easier for your guppy to survive and heal. I put in aquarium salt anyways just because it promotes good healthy fish.


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