BikBok Posted March 28, 2010 Report Share Posted March 28, 2010 MY golden girl guppy decided she'd had enough of the male and took some bites from his tail. It looks quite tattered . I didn't see it happen but i have observed her chasing him the few days before the torn tail. I don't want the tail to get worse or develop into finrot so what is the best treatment for this?.. I have taken him out and put him in a lightly salted quarantine tank (2teaspoons to 20L) with some stress coat. He's been there 5 days and has not got worse but doesn't seem all that happy, not as active as he used to be . Will the tail grow back? I'm changing some water every second day to keep it extra clean for him.. it has been cycled with platy fry and there's still a few left in with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted March 28, 2010 Report Share Posted March 28, 2010 Keep the water very clean, daily water changes, lots of good food and slightly warmer temperature. It should heal up fine with no treatment. No need to treat for something you don't have but if you are worried you can add salt or a topical antiseptic like acriflavine but these can be stressful and stress negatively affects the immune system (something you don't want with wound healing). I personally would just give it really good supportive care and if you start to see it going downhill immediately treat with broad spectrum antibiotics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted March 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2010 ok thanks.. I'll just carry on with the salted water and increase to daily water changes. I have acriflavine and furan if things start to get worse. I hate using meds unless I really have to. re food.. what would you suggest? He's been getting tetramin tropical flakes and decap brine shrimp. I have frozen bloodworms if you think he needs more protein, and nutrafin max shrimp flakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted March 28, 2010 Report Share Posted March 28, 2010 Good work. Feed him the best food you can, and a good variety - e.g. fresh foods and high protein. Keep in mind that fresh foods are high in water so you need to feed more in order to get the same amount of nutrients. Try feeding at least twice a day or more (as long as you can keep the water pristine). Nutrition plays a huge role in wound healing as does a warm temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted March 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2010 Time for meds ???? that's not bits hanging off the top right of his tail, just a water mark on the glass.. but his tail is rather tatty looking :-( Water temp is 27oC, salt is 2+ teaspoons : 20L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 29, 2010 Report Share Posted March 29, 2010 I would just keep up the clean routine and the tail will regrow without meds being added. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted March 29, 2010 Report Share Posted March 29, 2010 Agreed Caryl. Whether you treat with antibiotics depends largely on his demeanor. If he goes off his food or his activity levels suddenly go down then he could be getting an infection. Regardless, it will take up to 2-3 weeks before you see any improvement with the wound (it is healing from the inside at this stage). Keep up the daily water changes, keep the water warm and keep feeding him the best food you can get. If you feel like you must use antibiotics then do it but if he doesn't have an active infection then it won't help very much. You've just got to give it time to heal and supporting the immune system is the best way to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted March 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2010 thanks for advice ..will keep doing what I'm doing then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 I'd say up the protein rich and live foods, they helped my Betta get better when his tail was reduced to almost nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted March 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 I'd say up the protein rich and live foods, they helped my Betta get better when his tail was reduced to almost nothing. i don't have any live foods on hand, mozzie population dieing off so probably too late to start a bucket culture lol. he loves the frozen bloodworms but won't touch the dried brine shrimp flakes. There's somethign I've noticed about him though, he is mainly only going after food that floats by him and not looking for the bits that go down to the bottom , though he swims down to the tunnel to sleep at night. During the day he tends to hang around near the top and eat what is directly in front of him an nothing else. He can swim at different depths but in his old tank he was a lot more active . Would putting some young guppy fry (3 weeks) in with him be company or stress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 Not so small that he might eat them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 I would be thinking about his relative activity e.g. is he less active than he was yesterday. He might be stressed or he might be in pain when he swims or if he is suddenly less active he might be developing an infection. If he is developing an infection his appetite might decrease. He might be less stressed to have some company, especially now as he has had a few days to heal up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted March 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 Not so small that he might eat them? lol, they're not too small..growing fast! he's not a big boy and was in with them before I moved him to quarantine. And if he managed to eat them anyway.. well it's live food! would be thinking about his relative activity e.g. is he less active than he was yesterday. He might be stressed or he might be in pain when he swims or if he is suddenly less active he might be developing an infection. If he is developing an infection his appetite might decrease. He might be less stressed to have some company, especially now as he has had a few days to heal up. I wouldn't say he is less active than yesterday, he was less active as soon as I put him in this tank.. at first I thought maybe the pH was wrong or something , but it's only .1 of a difference and everything else is ok. So maybe I'll put some little guppy fry company in with him, the platy fry have gone to new homes and he's all alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted April 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 well I just put in an adult platy with him and even though she's not a guppy he seems to have perked up a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted April 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 it's been almost a month and I'm not quite happy with the guppys progress although he seems perky, eats well etc. I'm not sure if his tail is healing at all or if it's even getting worse. He also seems to have some whitish smudges/discolouration on his body. I followed an acriflavine treatment but he's now back in plain water with a little salt added. I do have meth blue and furan but other than the tail ripped he seems in good spirits. pics I took today: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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