# Male Guppy Looks . . . PREGNANT?! O.o



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I have 4 male guppies in my 10 gallon along with 5 lamb-chop rasboras (I need to bump up their school, I know. :-?). One of them looks very pregnant. I was certain it was a male, but it has this massive lump on it's belly. I noticed one of the other males harassing it, then all of a sudden it had this massive lump . . . Maybe it's a tumour? I'm lost. I'll post some pics later.


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## shadowpony (Apr 15, 2012)

Are you sure he hasn't gotten a little extra food? Or is it more like a growth?


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

It just looks like he stomach has been inflated. :/


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

You know.... Some females are pretty lookin'. Like MALE pretty lookin'. Can we see a pic?!


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## Fabian (Dec 16, 2011)

Take a look at the anal fin.If the anal fin has a small projection,it's a male.If the anal fin looks like a fan,it's a female.(this is the easiest way of telling)


> You know.... Some females are pretty lookin'. Like MALE pretty lookin'. Can we see a pic?!


Yes females do look like males sometime.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

yes!!! :lol: Some of the females have wicked awesome coloring and patterns.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I checked his anal fin, it is like a sword. 

I'm off to take a video. :/


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

He could also be a piggy when he eats?


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

It's INFLATED, like I mean HUGE. He eats just as much as the other guppies.

I realized I have to wait for my phone to charge to take a video. -.- I'll probs have one up within an hour.

I checked, and he has no gravid spot, so it can't be pregnant.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I would take a photo, but it's impossible as the little fish never stop moving.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Hmm,,,, I've seen enlarged guppies, male and female. They looked like BALLOON MOLLIES, and their spines ended up distorted - it's more common in guppies coming from or in a bad water quality tank. Where I got my pleco, all her guppies - even the babies - were huge bellied like that, because of the harsh environment.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I do a 40% water change with gravel siphon once a week. I do miss the odd water change.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I tried looking it up and apparently "dropsy" :roll: but it's not.

Anyways, intestinal infection, may be a cause... Epsom salt may help.

In that case immediately remove him. Actually I suggest removing him immediately anyways just in case, especially if he dies and the others become ill from him dying.

Or, it could be bloat, which being ravinous eaters they may gulp air (like goldies too)....

Another thought, what do they get food? Food that is rich in certain things can cause problems..


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

They get a mix of Aqueon Tropical Flakes and Tetra Min Tropical Flakes. I chrush the flakes up and miz the two brands together.
I have no-where to remove him. :/


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

VIDEO - - - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XspsFx7u9X0&feature=youtu.be
He is the one with the red tail, black and yellow body. Sorry about the terrible filming. :/ 

We've been having some fin nipping issues. -.-


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## Leeniex (Aug 14, 2011)

Oh wow, ya he is really bloated. Don't know what to tell you, but the tank is beautiful.


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## SarahandOscar (Apr 30, 2012)

Maybe try fasting them for a day and see if he passes whatever is making him so bloated?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

do you have a bubbler and a pail/bucket/container you can float in the tank? Epsom saly may do him good.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

So he is just very bloated? 

I have a breeder net that I used when I had to seperate another guppy as he was being aggressive. So should I just feed the rest of them like normal, and fast him?


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Leeniex said:


> Oh wow, ya he is really bloated. Don't know what to tell you, but the tank is beautiful.


Thanks!!!


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Sorry for the triple post, but would you say the rasboras in there are lamb-chops?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I think I was on another thread with you about that, and they would be lambchops, as they are smaller and not as "tall" as regular harlequins.

I thought he was SEVERELY bloated, like...infection/over eating/exploding big which I've seen in neglectful cases (not that you are  but you know how pet stores are!!!) he just looks like a piggy :roll: :lol:


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

So what should I do?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I'm not sure about the pea method, as I don't do it... But if you got the bloated boy into the breeder's net (rearrange decor and re-add the bully one, now it's not his territory) maybe you could try that if fasting doesn't work?


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Bully was re-introduced a month a go . lol I was saying I had used it for that.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

ohhhh ok :lol: well have him in there, that way you can always find him!


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I had a good idea - instead of putting him in the breeder net where he is separated from his buddies, I'll just cup him when the others are being fed, so he doesn't eat and is still with his buds.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

that'll work :lol:


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I tried it this morning - and it worked fine. 

Thanks for all of your help, Sena!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

No problem  hopefully he gets better! I'm getting some breeder guppies from a local around here, hopefully they aren't suicidal like the store guppies :roll:


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

Hey maisy.... It's possible that it is fishy tuberculosis... Apparently it is extremely common to find guppies with it, and one of the symptoms is extreme bloating that doesn't really go away.


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## Fabian (Dec 16, 2011)

It could be a new strain.My country has some that may look like yours,my lfs call it balloon guppy.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

It was never like this before - I've had it for around 6 months and only in the last week did he start to look like this. 

I don't think it's fish TB.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Well if it just started, it wouldn't be a balloon guppy.

How is the fella doing anyways?!

Hey, balloon guppies are hybrids, right? Much like balloon mollies. I had problems with the mollies because their births were so much more difficult, and I found the black marbles often died during or after birth :/ The closest thing we have here to balloon guppies are overfed, SBD, pregnant, or constipated guppies :lol:


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

Hmm, well this points to tuberculosis...

If not, does he just pig out too much when eating? Guppies don't seem to know when enough is enough XD. Have you tried qt-ing him or feeding him seperately?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Weird question but can't fish TB come from bad environment if it is a bacterial infection making the bely swell? I've seen hundreds of guppies with it.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I stopped the fasting after 2 days as it wasn't doing anything.  He's getting slightly bigger. When I went to check on him this morning he has developed a tumour/sore ON the hugely swelled belly.  It's like a lump with a red outline on it.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I have a question - can humans contract fish TB? I read a site that said never to reach into a tank with TB with my bare hands. I just did a water change last night. with gravel siphoning. ;(


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

Sena... I'd guess so. I mean, apparently it's a freakishly common issue, and in the link I posted, Diana Walstad was talking about how even some breeder guppies might have it. :/

Maisy: I dunno.... From what I read, the only way you could get it is if you have open cuts or sores on your hands and you forget to wash them afterwards. Personally, I have a feeling that you'll be alright.  Immune systems are wonderful things~ Oh, and the poor boy... does he seem in pain or distressed? Because if he is, you might want to consider humanely euthanizing him


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Well I say always wash your hands after handling amphibians/animals/tank water anyways 

And wow. So basically... in the last 2 years the TB for the fishies has become literally 80% of guppies -.- ouch. That's not a good thing. I just thought they were overfed, but they never deflated o_o


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Poor Sunset has gotten even larger. I'm going to have to euthanize him.  How should I go about it? I heard putting them in between a towel then hitting it with a hammer is a good way to go about it.


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

Personally, I use the clove oil method, and when I don't have clove oil I use the freezing method (though some people say it hurts the fish sort of how it hurts humans). I've only had to euthanize a few bettas, and they were large so I didn't want to do the hammer method. But, since he's such a tiny thing, you could probably do that... just make sure to aim for the head... so long as you hit hard, it'd work and it'd be painless for him


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

He's been euthanized (hammer).  I buried him with all of my other fishies under a flowery bush. 

Thanks so much for all of your help - I really do appreciate it.


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

*hugs* I'm sorry...


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

awww, sorry to hear! And dang you're brave for the hammer method x) I couldn't do it.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I got my dad to do it. :/


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

x.x bwaha that's what I did once D: got someone else to do the terrible dirty work.


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