Feeding and Nutrition

Last edited by Madly on Sat Jul 20, 2013 4:53 am, edited 2 times in total.

A week ago I bought some guppy fish. I put them in another aquarium to quarantine. Because the whole week nothing had happened to the fish and nobody died I thought that I will give her one guppy. At first she didn't care much and went basking..only occasionally looked over the edge of how the fish swims.
So I leaved her alone.
When I got back (about three hours later) my turtle was still basking and the guppy was swimming very oodly...like something was wrong with the swimming bladder. As soon as I opened ATBA door...my RES jumped to the water and ate the guppy. First I wasn't worried but now I'm seeing same strange swimming another tank where are only guppy's.
So my question is...if these guppy's got some kind infection or disease does my RES also get it?

Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 12:37 am **Re: My RES ate sick guppy!**

In the other tank.... are the fish swimming funny or your turtle?

Now don't get scared... Turtles can get sick if the fish is carrying parasites or something. However, it wouldn't happen over night.
If your little one is acting fine, then maybe get rid of that batch of fish.
Just put a note to yourself about the sick fish in case you notice odd behavior in your little one later.
For now, dont stress over it

Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 1:40 am **Re: My RES ate sick guppy!**

Thank you for your response

I will try not to stress...but I'm paranoid

My turtle is fine....begging more food right at this point.
Fish are the ones who swam strangely. So far I've lost two of the seven fish. One yesterday and one this morning.
Guppy's are in different tank and will stay in there. Now I do not have any plans to give her fish to eat at least a month.
Maybe they are stressed and that causes odd swimming? Right now the remaining fishes are okay.

Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 9:14 am **Re: My RES ate sick guppy!**

My paranoia was justified...these guppy's have a parasites.
Right now I'm ading into the aquarium Tetra Medica Contralck for next five days. And after that I'm going to find new home for these fishes.
Now I have to check the turtle poop if there are parasites...

Maybe this is a dumb question but are these fishes still edible after treatment?

I'd keep an eye on him. Do you know the type of parasites the guppies had?
Stop feeding the turtle guppies until they all have been cleared.

If they don't get better and if your not too attached to them I would just euthanize them, disinfect the tank and start over.

She ate only one fish.
Fish are kept separate aquariums.
It was the first and the last fish that she had...no more this pet shop..full of parasites feeder fish for her..it's not worth it.
If she's gonna need vet help, she's gonna get it.

As for the parasite it was a tiny white thread-like worm. Worms head reminded me a mealworm head, but several times smaller.
And when guppy's poop it looks like this:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pHosting/f/8981_Guppy1c.jpg
Found this picture in internet when I was looking guppy parasites.

Yeah I've had bad experiences with "feeder" fish also. They are just not kept in the best conditions. The best quality feeder are those you breed yourself. Skip the fish labeled as feeders and instead pick up some healthy live bearing fish like fancy guppies, mollies, or platies 1 male to 3 females.
In a few months you'll have a thriving self replenishing feeder stock.

Time to say bye-bye to the fish (as far as feeding them to your turtle).
You mentioned that you will go to the vet if you need to. I would vote that you go and take a fecal sample with you.
There may be parasites in her poop that you can not see.

Years ago, I gave Penelope her first batch of fish; like many people I got a crappy batch from a pet store. It led to tons of trouble. She got parasites and the fish would have been the only source since she lived alone, had a parasite check when I first got her and blah blah blah
I don't recommend self-care for parasites.

Here is a link to Penelope's stint with parasites: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17011

I hope your little one gets better real quick!

@ DevilDuck - I can use some info on how to set up a feeder fish breeding tank, because Penelope loves fish; I am just scared to give them to her. I'll search the site, but if you have any hints that will be great!

Yeah...looks like Tetra Medica Contralck is killing the fishes as well.
I made the quick ending for their misery because I can't watch this suffering, swimming lopsided and gasping air. Too painful for me...

Better gruesome end then the never-ending nightmare...this is my opinion.

Also I cheked today her poop (yakk) it was clean. It's hard to get pop sample you know, everything that comes out is recycled immediately.
Tomorrow I have whole day to get poop sample for vet..wish me luck.

Last edited by Madly on Fri Jul 19, 2013 3:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

UPDATE!

My little turtle is parasite free...yay

Great news!

Last edited by Madly on Sat Jul 20, 2013 4:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

The saga continues...

The day before yesterday my RES decided to have little snack and ate a large chunk of camping mat.
I do not know how she managed this...bus somehow she did it..It is still a mystery because this camping mat was under the basking area.
Anyway...somehow she managed to raise basking area up and grab the camping mat it into her strong jaws and drag into the water...well almost into the water.
I called right a way to the vet...no one answered. After tenth time dialing..still no answering I decided to look up other vet clinics. First one that popped into my head was local zoo..I called and they suggested me two...I repeat two vets who are reptile and exotic animal experts. Again I was dialing the numbers...first vet was on a vacation and will be back end of the august. Second one was available and he asked me to come in right away.

In the clinic vet gave my RES mineral oil and said that next friday they gonna to X-ray to se if all has come out or is there something stuck. At same moment my RES pooped and vet took the sample of that poop and said that he was looking for the parasites just in case. I said to him that not long time ago I let another vet to the same test...but since it was not anything to lose I agreed...better safe then sorry...Trust but verify etc.

Today I get a call...the test results was done and vet said to me: "I'm sorry to say this but ....your RES have nematodes. And if you and your RES are coming next friday then we start treatment immediately...but first we gotta get this camping mat out, please remember collect all the pieces, then we see how much has come out. See you and your little one next friday."

I was speechless... :shock:

After that call I went that first clinic where I got answer that my RES is "parasite free" to get some answers. When I got there it was a big surprise to me when I discovered that this place no longer exists.

Back home I decided to to little googeling about that first clinic and these vets that worked there and why and where they left.
I found out that the vets were not just good list among animal owners. One dog owner wrote about how his dog was injected with saline and cat owner wrote an unsuccessful operation due to which his cat died because the wound was inflamed and refuse to treat...and most importantly, they do not know anything about exotic animals. Their specialty is the only cats and dogs...however, their treatment, they also do not want to deal, whatever it takes...they only want money.
Reading all this, I felt the way anger grew in me and right at this moment, when I write this I'm still angry...why...why I ask?!

I wrote a complaint to the veterinary clinic and gave the names of the veterinarians. :evil:

I do not want to think what would have happened if I'd gone in there ... if the animal clinic would still exist, and if someone had answered the phone... maybe they would have given a saline solution to my turtle also :shock:

Here is picture of the camping mat that my RES ate and my little eater.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/36847542/IMG_2118.JPG

I will keep you informed of how things are going.

I am sorry to hear about all the frustrating things. I would be mad too.
Boy! Your little one sure did a job eating that mat!
Mine has taken to eating her fake bamboo so I had to yank it out. The point being that no matter how hard we try, they will somehow get themselves in trouble.
Hopefully your gal will start to pass some of the mat. Just keep the net handy and scoop it when you see it, or she may eat it again.
I hope everything turns out OK.

Good news..

So far she has pooped four times and each time has been a camping mat there also.
I'll let the picture speak for itself:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/36847542/IMG_2125.JPG

But otherwise, he is active as a dog, a moment ago, she ran after me when I went to take a pictures. She had such a look on her face...facial expression said "Give it to me...give it to me!" She only saw the camping mat in my hand :roll:

Yea... my RES will try to bite everything. I can live with bare tanks but it can be ridiculous sometimes. Glad to know she's able to pass it.

Feeding and Nutrition :: My RES ate sick guppy! EDIT: The saga continues

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