# Please help diagnose my guppies - fin/tail rot?



## Nastenka (Dec 6, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I've had my tank since the beginning of November 2009. It's a 63 litre tank with a mixed community. Everything has generally been going well. However, for some time now my male guppies (I have four) have had rips and tears in their tails. At first I thought this was fin rot and treated them with Interpet's Anti Fungus and Finrot (Number 8) as recommended by my LFS. This didn't seem to make any difference, however. I then let it be for a while as it didn't get any worse, as far as I could tell. However, I can now see that two of the male guppies in particular have quite jagged edges around their tail fins. The others have rips and tears, rather than jaggedness. The pictures are attached with the post. Please excuse the bad quality. It's really hard to capture them! 

I'm treating them with Interpet's Anti Fungus and Finrotn (Number 8) at the moment again (since Monday) as the LFS insisted, but I'm not sure this is the right thing to do so I would absolutely love some advice to get my guppies better.

The LFS suggested that the rips are due to othe fish attacking etc (though I've never noticed behaviour like that). I haven't noticed any unsual behaviour. I do regular (one a week) 15% water changes and test the water both at home and occasionally at the LFS - there appear to be no problems. I have an aeration stone, which is on constantly during the period of medication.

Please let me know whether you need any more information. Thank you very very much for your help!


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Nastenka said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I've had my tank since the beginning of November 2009. It's a 63 litre tank with a mixed community. Everything has generally been going well. However, for some time now my male guppies (I have four) have had rips and tears in their tails. At first I thought this was fin rot and treated them with Interpet's Anti Fungus and Finrot (Number 8) as recommended by my LFS. This didn't seem to make any difference, however. I then let it be for a while as it didn't get any worse, as far as I could tell. However, I can now see that two of the male guppies in particular have quite jagged edges around their tail fins. The others have rips and tears, rather than jaggedness. The pictures are attached with the post. Please excuse the bad quality. It's really hard to capture them!
> 
> ...


 Guppies, like most all of the livebearer's prefer hard alkaline water with ph values between 7.5 and 8.0. as you prolly know,water must test zero for ammonia and nitrites and nitrAtes which help to lower alkalinity should be ket at 20 ppm or lower. temp. around 78 degrees F to 80 degrees F would suit them.
I agree with fish store that Male guppies ,especially fancy ones,, will nip at each others tails, have kept many of them and usually seperate the best looking males for that very reason.


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## Nastenka (Dec 6, 2009)

My stats are all just as you say in your post (I do water testing at home myself, as well as at the LFS occasionally). I do regular water changes (15% every week, or every two at the most), so I think my water quality's pretty good  So do you think it just looks like they're being nipped then?

Thank you


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Is what male fancy guppies do with other males. Maybe try changing 25 percent during water changes each week for a while and give the medications a rest.


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