# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Livebearers >  Is it normal for a male guppy to have a big stomach

## joestoys

Is it normal for a male guppy to have a big stomach??
I notice it's behavior kind of strange always stay right below base area and no movement,, some time it just to the surface of the water.... it has been going on for days.... and finaly it just die like that??? 

very strange ... the reat of the guppies are fine and active everytime I look at them or someone pass by the tank. :Wink:

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## lsz

do you know what is dropsy ? 
can find out from pics in the net. 


can the anus be seen very clearly, and look as if it had been stretched? 
at later stages, perhaps there will not be any feaces at all.

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## Simon

sounds like dropsy.. check the scale.. will defintely see the scales popping outwards.. if so, remove immediately from yr main tank

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## benetay

whenever i see fishes that has drospy i kinna have my hair standing out, i feel so sorry for them as they kinna gotton cancer, i just find that it's very scary.

try to put in medication once u notice sign of dropsy it will still help , but if it's in the later stage no pt it will just be gone.

it will fisrtly ignore food then slowly u can see bloated stomach area, pop eyes, scales flaring.

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## NinjaFly

> ----------------
> On 4/19/2002 3:49:52 PM 
> 
> whenever i see fishes that has drospy i kinna have my hair standing out, i feel so sorry for them as they kinna gotton cancer, i just find that it's very scary.
> 
> try to put in medication once u notice sign of dropsy it will still help , but if it's in the later stage no pt it will just be gone.
> 
> it will fisrtly ignore food then slowly u can see bloated stomach area, pop eyes, scales flaring.
> ----------------


benetay! The moment you describe drospy, it reminds me of my poor guppy with a bloated stomach! Ahhh! My hairs are standing again and goose pimples appears again! Yeeeeee!!!!! 

Anyway, I had to dispose the poor guppy away since it is not longer curable in later stage.

 :Sad:

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## joestoys

OIC.... but what's the cause of this sickness?[ :Embarassed: ] Is anti-bacterial correct medi to use

ALso very strange another female guppy lost weight... the stomach has gone flat... she look so thin... the same happen a my blue neon eyes too... gone flat get even see the stomach??? Can Any doctor help???

I am trying out the garlic recipe :Evil:

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## bclee

Garlic usually used for ich...

I would recommend Sera Baktopur Direct. Potent stuff...

BC

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## Care

joestays, it's a problem of indigestion

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## Care

When you want to keep guppy, try to control the air/water current and also add antibiotic. Then the fish will last longer. When buying guppy, buy a young ones as the life span of guppies are short. You can judge from the body shape in regard to its age. If the guppy is hunched, then dun buy it.

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## Care

And it is impt to use antibiotics to control guppies. And the antibiotics I do have it in my shop.

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## joestoys

thanks guys....

the female is still alive and swimming... hungry for food but she ia bit slow....

CARE- what kind of antibiotics, will it affect other fishes like the neon, pencil?? is the ANTIBIO just for the bloated stomach... what about the flat stomach???

BTW when you shop?? thanks again care.

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## jhseah

Hi joestoys

May I know how long u've been keeping that bloated male ie. roughly how old is that guppy??

I'm also keeping guppy.

For bloated tummy, there might be few reasons.
One, could be what the rest suggested, dropsy with the scales "popping" out.
U can try using Interpet No. 9 Anti-internal bacteria with Epsom salt (from pharmacy) added into your hospital tank. This might work if your dropsy is discovered early.

2nd, could be overfeeding, what are u using to feed your fishes?? Overfeeding will result in big liver = bloated tummy = early death.

3rd, if u keep the guppy for more than a yr, the bloated tummy could be due to old age, can't digest the food that well, try not to feed too much. If this is the reason (old age), there's no way u can save this guppy, eventually, u will lose the fish in around most 2 wks time. U will see white stringy poop from the guppy, sluggish behavior and stay near the top/surface of the water.

Do keep us updated[: :Smile: ]

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## jhseah

> ----------------
> On 4/19/2002 5:17:16 PM 
> 
> OIC.... but what's the cause of this sickness?[] Is anti-bacterial correct medi to use
> 
> ALso very strange another female guppy lost weight... the stomach has gone flat... she look so thin... the same happen a my blue neon eyes too... gone flat get even see the stomach??? Can Any doctor help???
> 
> I am trying out the garlic recipe 
> ----------------



Stomach gone flat?? could it happened to "give birth" to frys?? if not then should be some internal bacteria.[ :Knockout: ]

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## Care

It won't affect other fishes. It can help in various situations for the fishes. You can get it from me at Blk 82 Macpherson Lane #01-15 (Mr Ken @ 67474587).

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## NinjaFly

jhseah,

What is garlic treatment? Crush garlics and throw into the water?

BTW, I saw something weird which I think you may be able to help me.
I was feeding my guppies some tubiflex worms and lots of my guppies were rushing for it. After sometime, I saw the tubiflex worms(or intestine??) appearing at the bottom of one the guppy as though there is a hole and the worms were trying to escape out of the guppy's stomach. 

I had not seen anything like that before. So I quickly remove it and place it in my hospital tank and the next day, the guppy look sick. Tail closing up and seems that some fin-rot is occuring.

Happen to see anything like that before?

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## jhseah

> ----------------
> On 4/22/2002 11:34:36 AM 
> 
> jhseah,
> 
> What is garlic treatment? Crush garlics and throw into the water?
> 
> BTW, I saw something weird which I think you may be able to help me.
> I was feeding my guppies some tubiflex worms and lots of my guppies were rushing for it. After sometime, I saw the tubiflex worms(or intestine??) appearing at the bottom of one the guppy as though there is a hole and the worms were trying to escape out of the guppy's stomach. 
> ...



Ninjafly

Its been said by other aquarist who tried adding garlic juice or minced garlic to mix inside the fishfood eg beefheart to feed the fish. The garlic act to clean the fishes inside.

AS for the worms seen near the anus of the guppy, is it only one fish affected or more than one??
From what u described to me, it should be camallanus infestation!!!
Its my most feared thing tat could happened to my fishes. The worms u saw is a parasite that clings onto the intestine of the fish. Any attempt to pull it out will result in death of the fish cos the whole intestine will be out too. 
I've tried various medication but no use.  :Sad:  eg. dewormer medicine for discus, internal bacteria and even anti-parasite medicated flakes. This parasite is very hard to get rid. Once the fish is agitated or if u medicate the water, the worm will shrink back into the fish. Once no more medication, the worms come out and "play" again!!!

This parasites is very contagious, once one of your fishes got it, the whole tank should be infected too as the worms will lay eggs together out with the poop. Another fish goes nibble, in goes the eggs and wah lah... another worm, another infected fish. The worms get its nutrients from the fish. Slowly, the affected fish will get thinner and eventual death. 
Camallanus found mostly in livebearers but those tankmates will also get it. My own personal experience, my whole tank irregardless of what fish - angelfish, tetras all got infected and I got to clear out all the fishes and sterilise the whole tank.

Think the parasites either came in thru your feed of tubifex worms or your fishes itself when u bought it since u said yours are feeder fishes. When the mother fishes got it, the parasites actually had eggs with the frys and thus your whole batch of frys are not spared either.

If confirmed that the worms are there, I would suggest to you not to waste time finding a cure, dumped all your fishes away, sterilise your tank and your gravels or decor too. If u find too troublesome, get new gravels.

Pls try not to get feeder fishes or unknown source.

Good Luck!!
 :Sad:

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## chris

Hi!
I find tubifex is a great carrier of such parasites... many of my initial fishes died because of the difficulty in curing this ailment. 

Just to add some information.
I suspect that these parasites'eggs can remain dormant even when dried or frozen. I got 2 cases of camallanus infestation even though I don't feed live worms. The fishes are born in my home and raised on dried and frozen foods only.

Some people will buy garlic powder from health stores and mix the powder into their food. Garlic is a proven method in curing internal parasites.

If you are going to sterlize your tank(s), I would advise you to use bleach or a strong agent, seemingly agents like potassium permanganate do not work.

Good Luck.


[: :Smile: ]

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## chris

I don't really like to use antibiotics to prevent guppies from getting sick. They will get weaker and weaker over time and generations. If you want your guppies to last longer, proper acclimatization procedures is very important. You can add salt initially. An alternative is to buy younger fish, i.e. body length about 2cm or below.

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## NinjaFly

Hi Chris/jhseah,

When you say use bleach, do you mean those bleaching agent used for washing clothes?

Oh no! Though I had removed the guppy away, I had yet to see another infected fish in my tank. Hopefully the other fish don't get it.

I had quite a number of fish and dun really want to throw them away. Especially the Gouramis, threadfin rainbow fish and my cute adorable corydoras.

I think the fish had the parasites as you and mentioned coz even though I had placed the guppy in another container, thought it will dies off and then I can throw away (just dun bear to kill and throw away the live guppy lar).
Surprisingly, it is still surviving till now. Just that the guppy is getting weaker each day.

BTW, if there isn't signs of worms crawling out on my other fish, does it mean that my other fish is not affected? I think I will wait again and see if there are other fish that got infected with this parasite. 

Thanks for the advice...

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## NinjaFly

Hi Chris/jhseah,

When you say use bleach, do you mean those bleaching agent used for washing clothes?

Oh no! Though I had removed the guppy away, I had yet to see another infected fish in my tank. Hopefully the other fish don't get it.

I had quite a number of fish and dun really want to throw them away. Especially the Gouramis, threadfin rainbow fish and my cute adorable corydoras.

I think the fish had the parasites as you and mentioned coz even though I had placed the guppy in another container, thought it will dies off and then I can throw away (just dun bear to kill and throw away the live guppy lar).
Surprisingly, it is still surviving till now. Just that the guppy is getting weaker each day.

BTW, if there isn't signs of worms crawling out on my other fish, does it mean that my other fish is not affected? I think I will wait again and see if there are other fish that got infected with this parasite. 

Thanks for the advice...

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## jhseah

Ninjafly

I hope u dun add or mix anymore fishes inside cos when one fish gotten camallanus, chances of other fishes getting it are very high except u probably won't see now. :Sad:

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## joestoys

wow[:0] so scary[ :Knockout: ] 

BTW the male guppy gone case leow..., yes the same sign. bloated stomach with scales folding outward. also notice another male has a bit bloated, but he doing ok... at the moment I use ocean free anti bactiral- cos it says can used for dropsy..

the other female who has flat stomach... is doing fine can see bit of stomach.

I only feed twice, morning and night

So it's safer not to feed worms to them.... or feed them once a month? :Smile:

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## jhseah

Think your flat tummy female gave birth w/o u knowing which explains the flat tummy.

Feed them with Frozen blood worms maybe 3times a wk, other days with flakes? jus a suggestion :Smile:  

For dropsy, besides the anti-internal bacteria medication, also use together with Epsom salt for better results.

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## joestoys

thanks seah but what's Epsom salt? is it alright to put it in my tank with all other fish? i remember someone says get it from phamacy????

tha female guppy was not even pregnant.... strange

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## jhseah

Epsom salt is some kind of mild laxative which aids digestion. Some aquarists even add Epsom salt in planted tank. :Smile:

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## LiquidFX

Yes dropsy is definitely scary disease. All my hair stand up thinking of it.

I ever had a zebra danio that had dropsy. The strange thing is that the rest of the danios and the other fishes aren't affected, only the particular one.

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## joestoys

the flat stomach female guppy gone case.... last night.....

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## Peaches

Hi all.....

There is something disturbing that i have read on this forum and that is cleaning your tank with bleach! It is all good and well at the time, but as soon as you fill your tank up again, the bleach is going to go into the water and will kill your fish. 

Your tank should ONLY be cleaned with water, if you use any kind of soap this will kill your fish

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## toti12345

If you want to dispose of your fish humanely just put some clove oil in its tank which will make it sleep, then put in alcohol, I think alcohol. My male guppy has a large tummy/chest after I have been on holiday for 10 days, most of my fish now have ammonia as I left one of those feeder blocks in there which was not eaten! What should I do about it? It's not dropsy, his scales are not sticking out and he has not been in a cold or frozen tank. I also left the lights off.

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