How to cure guppy tail shrinkage
Guppies are very popular among ornamental fish lovers because of their bright colors and elegant swimming posture, but they may encounter problems during breeding.shrinkproblem. Tail shortening not only affects appearance, but may also be a sign of disease. This article will combine the hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days to provide you with a detailed analysis of the reasons and treatment methods for guppy tail shrinkage.
1. Common reasons why guppies shrink their tails

According to recent fish farming forums and expert discussions, the main reasons for guppies shrinking their tails include water quality problems, bacterial infections, parasites, and environmental stress. The following is a specific analysis:
| Reason | Symptoms | High incidence conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Water quality deteriorates | Fish tail adhesions and reduced activity | The water has not been changed for a long time, and ammonia nitrogen exceeds the standard. |
| Bacterial infections (such as columnar disease) | Caudal fin ulceration and congestion | Water temperature fluctuates greatly and density is too high |
| Parasites (such as trichozoa) | White spots or increased mucus appear on the tail | New fish are not quarantined and the water is hypoxic |
| environmental pressure | Tail withdrawal accompanied by food refusal | Sudden cylinder change, strong light or noise |
2. Treatment methods and steps
For different reasons, corresponding treatment measures need to be taken. The following are the solutions that aquarists have recently tested and found to be effective:
1. Improve water quality
• Immediately replace 1/3 of the water body and useAerated tap wateror dechlorinator.
• Detect pH value (6.5-7.5 is preferred) and ammonia nitrogen (≤0.02mg/L).
• Add nitrifying bacteria capsules (recommended brand: A) to accelerate water quality stabilization.
2. Medication
| disease type | Recommended medicine | Usage and dosage |
|---|---|---|
| bacterial infection | Yellow powder (nitrofurazone) | Add 0.1 g per 10 liters of water and take medicinal bath for 3 days |
| Parasite | methylene blue | Add 1 ml per 20 liters of water for 5 consecutive days |
3. Environmental adjustment
• The water temperature is constant at24-26℃(Optimum range for tropical fish).
• Reduce sunlight to 6-8 hours a day and avoid direct sunlight.
• Add aquatic plants or shelters to reduce stress response.
3. Preventive measures
According to the recently hot-searched "Guidelines for Fish Farming and Pitfall Avoidance", you need to pay attention to the following to prevent tail shrinking:
•Change water regularly: Change 1/4 of the water volume every week, clean the filter cotton but retain some old water.
•Quarantine new fish: Newly purchased guppies are kept alone for 1 week and can be disinfected in a 0.5% salt water bath.
•Scientific feeding: Twice a day, eat within 3 minutes each time, and clean up any remaining bait in time.
4. Users’ high-frequency questions and answers (organized in the past 10 days)
| question | Expert answers |
|---|---|
| Is tailwinding contagious? | Bacterial or parasitic diseases are contagious, and sick fish need to be isolated |
| Can I feed during treatment? | Reduce the amount of feeding and give priority to using allicin soaked feed |
Summary:Guppy tail shrinkage requires early detection and early treatment. Through a three-pronged approach of water quality management, precise medication and environmental optimization, it can usually recover in 1-2 weeks. If symptoms persist, it is recommended to take a video and consult a professional aquarist.
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