swordtail problem!!!

elvis332 · 07-16-2008, 03:17 PM

ok my female pinapple swordtail is under some plants at the bottom of the tank and has gotton fatter and her stomack is kinda white but on her stomack u can see like blood i dont know so whats happening?????

here are some pics

justintrask · 07-16-2008, 03:18 PM

what are your levels like? Have you tested ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH at all?

trashion · 07-16-2008, 03:23 PM

I agree with justintrask. Looks like a nasty infection though. Your water parameters could definitely be contributing to it. I'd bet your ammonia is quite high, as this is a new tank.

COM · 07-16-2008, 03:51 PM

She looks like she has been beaten up very badly. I would suggest that you get her into a specimen box (hang it inside the tank so it stays warm) and put in a good amount of Stress Coat. That contains aloe which will help restore her slime coat and then her fins can repair. Make sure to exchange the water about twice a day and feed her well.

This is what starts to happen when you have one male to one female. It isn't pretty.

elvis332 · 07-17-2008, 07:55 AM

ohhh she died and i had 2 females and 1 male

welchrock · 07-18-2008, 01:56 PM

Elvis your chinese algae eater could be to blame. they get very nasty and with just one or two attacks, can put holes in fish very quickly.

as a beginner with a new tank, i would stay away from livebearers entirely. ie your mollies and swordtail.

COM · 07-18-2008, 03:09 PM

Why? Livebearers, aside from mollies, are some of the easiest fish to keep an hardiest?

I didn't notice the CAE in the stock list. That could definitely be the problem, although they usually only get nasty when they are a bit bigger. However, on closer inspection of the picture I think that idea is very plausible.

welchrock · 07-18-2008, 04:36 PM

just my personal experience that livebearers can be harder to keep at first.

trashion · 07-18-2008, 09:55 PM

Yeah, I used to think livebearers were very hardy, but my opinion changed after working at Petco. Fishdeath was rampant, of course, but the livebearers took it the hardest. Every day I was pulling deads from the livebearer wall. More than the tetras or cichlids or anything else, the livebearers were always dropping like flies. Mollies as well as the platies and swordtails.

welchrock · 07-19-2008, 07:29 AM

whew and here i thought i just pulled that theory out of my arse!

elvis332 · 07-19-2008, 07:39 AM

i dont think it was the cae fault all my fish get along with the cae

welchrock · 07-19-2008, 07:56 AM

he may be friendly when you're watching but no one can watch 24/7. they're known bullies, and are also known for leaving holes just like those in your pictures. some seem to be nastier than others.

my theory is that your swordtail was weakened by something (probably stress and some new tank syndrome) and that your chinese algae eater took an opportunistic chunk out of the swordtail's body. once a primary wound was formed, it was easy picking for the CAE or really anyone else who wanted a quick snack. sad but probable!

COM · 07-19-2008, 08:15 AM

Grape Jelly up there is probably right...

I dunno, I've had swordtails and platys for years and years and never any deaths under five years. No ich either.

07-16-2008, 03:17 PM	#1
elvis332 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 211	swordtail problem!!! ok my female pinapple swordtail is under some plants at the bottom of the tank and has gotton fatter and her stomack is kinda white but on her stomack u can see like blood i dont know so whats happening????? here are some pics __________________ 20 gallon 2 dwarf gourmis 2 sissortale rasboras 5 giant danios 1 chinese algie eater 1 pinapple swordtale 1 orange female molly 3 red wag platies

07-16-2008, 03:23 PM	#3
trashion girl anachronism Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,318	I agree with justintrask. Looks like a nasty infection though. Your water parameters could definitely be contributing to it. I'd bet your ammonia is quite high, as this is a new tank. __________________ current setup: 5.5 gallon low-light planted tank -nothing....thinking a mini-community. for reference: my name is Julie

07-17-2008, 07:55 AM	#5
elvis332 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 211	ohhh she died and i had 2 females and 1 male __________________ 20 gallon 2 dwarf gourmis 2 sissortale rasboras 5 giant danios 1 chinese algie eater 1 pinapple swordtale 1 orange female molly 3 red wag platies

07-18-2008, 01:56 PM	#6
welchrock Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 125	Elvis your chinese algae eater could be to blame. they get very nasty and with just one or two attacks, can put holes in fish very quickly. as a beginner with a new tank, i would stay away from livebearers entirely. ie your mollies and swordtail. __________________ 46G Bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 2 pearl gouramis, 12 black neon tetras, 4 panda corys, 1 albino pleco. All gourami's are female as far as I know. Lighting: 78 Watts (1.7 wpg) T5HO Plants: Java Moss, Flame Moss, Marsilea Minutia, Marsilea Quadrifolia, Staurogyne sp., floating Myrio Simulan. Substrate: 80 lbs Eco-Complete.

07-18-2008, 04:36 PM	#8
welchrock Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 125	just my personal experience that livebearers can be harder to keep at first. __________________ 46G Bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 2 pearl gouramis, 12 black neon tetras, 4 panda corys, 1 albino pleco. All gourami's are female as far as I know. Lighting: 78 Watts (1.7 wpg) T5HO Plants: Java Moss, Flame Moss, Marsilea Minutia, Marsilea Quadrifolia, Staurogyne sp., floating Myrio Simulan. Substrate: 80 lbs Eco-Complete.

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07-16-2008, 03:18 PM	#2
justintrask Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Allston, MA Age: 20 Posts: 236	what are your levels like? Have you tested ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH at all?

07-16-2008, 03:51 PM	#4
COM Rebel Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 696	She looks like she has been beaten up very badly. I would suggest that you get her into a specimen box (hang it inside the tank so it stays warm) and put in a good amount of Stress Coat. That contains aloe which will help restore her slime coat and then her fins can repair. Make sure to exchange the water about twice a day and feed her well. This is what starts to happen when you have one male to one female. It isn't pretty.

07-18-2008, 03:09 PM	#7
COM Rebel Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 696	Why? Livebearers, aside from mollies, are some of the easiest fish to keep an hardiest? I didn't notice the CAE in the stock list. That could definitely be the problem, although they usually only get nasty when they are a bit bigger. However, on closer inspection of the picture I think that idea is very plausible.

07-18-2008, 09:55 PM	#9
trashion girl anachronism Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,318	Yeah, I used to think livebearers were very hardy, but my opinion changed after working at Petco. Fishdeath was rampant, of course, but the livebearers took it the hardest. Every day I was pulling deads from the livebearer wall. More than the tetras or cichlids or anything else, the livebearers were always dropping like flies. Mollies as well as the platies and swordtails. __________________ current setup: 5.5 gallon low-light planted tank -nothing....thinking a mini-community. for reference: my name is Julie

07-19-2008, 07:29 AM	#10
welchrock Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 125	whew and here i thought i just pulled that theory out of my arse! __________________ 46G Bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 2 pearl gouramis, 12 black neon tetras, 4 panda corys, 1 albino pleco. All gourami's are female as far as I know. Lighting: 78 Watts (1.7 wpg) T5HO Plants: Java Moss, Flame Moss, Marsilea Minutia, Marsilea Quadrifolia, Staurogyne sp., floating Myrio Simulan. Substrate: 80 lbs Eco-Complete.

07-19-2008, 07:39 AM	#11
elvis332 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 211	i dont think it was the cae fault all my fish get along with the cae __________________ 20 gallon 2 dwarf gourmis 2 sissortale rasboras 5 giant danios 1 chinese algie eater 1 pinapple swordtale 1 orange female molly 3 red wag platies

07-19-2008, 07:56 AM	#12
welchrock Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 125	he may be friendly when you're watching but no one can watch 24/7. they're known bullies, and are also known for leaving holes just like those in your pictures. some seem to be nastier than others. my theory is that your swordtail was weakened by something (probably stress and some new tank syndrome) and that your chinese algae eater took an opportunistic chunk out of the swordtail's body. once a primary wound was formed, it was easy picking for the CAE or really anyone else who wanted a quick snack. sad but probable! __________________ 46G Bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 2 pearl gouramis, 12 black neon tetras, 4 panda corys, 1 albino pleco. All gourami's are female as far as I know. Lighting: 78 Watts (1.7 wpg) T5HO Plants: Java Moss, Flame Moss, Marsilea Minutia, Marsilea Quadrifolia, Staurogyne sp., floating Myrio Simulan. Substrate: 80 lbs Eco-Complete.

07-19-2008, 08:15 AM	#13
COM Rebel Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 696	Grape Jelly up there is probably right... I dunno, I've had swordtails and platys for years and years and never any deaths under five years. No ich either.

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