Red Tail Catfish In Trouble!

[Sadie B]

Hi Guys!

New to here but need your help!!

I am a owner of 4 clairus catfish, 2 synodontis and a small redtail.

Yesterday I came home to find my housemate had returned from work with a very poorly redtail catfish (around 4 inches) and had rehomed him with our very small baby retail catfish (who has his own tank as he wont even live with Zebra Danios! ) Turns out the poorly RTC had been attached by a clarius catfish (who was alot smaller than him), during the night, he has about 1/3 of his fins left and has some nibble marks on his belly and near his gills.

To our suprise he survived last night, when checked on at 3am he was swimming about as well as he could but seemed quite active, today he is very sluggish, i have tried feeding him tonight bribing him with bloodworm and small prawns as this is our baby RTC's staple diet, he doesnt seem very interested which i can understand with all thats happened, i held in front of his mouth and brushed on his whiskers but he would'nt nibble.(the baby RTC's eating still by the way and doesnt seem bothered by the poorly one at all as we believe they are siblings?? purchased day after each other from the same shop), anyway , hes floating on the top, the right way up mind u! occasionally taking gulps of air but breathing seems regular, i have treated his tank with aquarium salts and a fin treatment to see if this helps.

Anyway i need advice please, what else can i do ? do i leave him for a few days and see if he recovers ? if i do will this have a adverse affect on the other? or do i look at ways of erm... sending him to fishie heaven ?

Any ideas / comments would be appreciated


Thanks


Bryony



OPEN TO QUESTIONS D

 

[fishnovice]

Hi Guys!

New to here but need your help!!

I am a owner of 4 clairus catfish, 2 synodontis and a small redtail.

Yesterday I came home to find my housemate had returned from work with a very poorly redtail catfish (around 4 inches) and had rehomed him with our very small baby retail catfish (who has his own tank as he wont even live with Zebra Danios! ) Turns out the poorly RTC had been attached by a clarius catfish (who was alot smaller than him), during the night, he has about 1/3 of his fins left and has some nibble marks on his belly and near his gills.

To our suprise he survived last night, when checked on at 3am he was swimming about as well as he could but seemed quite active, today he is very sluggish, i have tried feeding him tonight bribing him with bloodworm and small prawns as this is our baby RTC's staple diet, he doesnt seem very interested which i can understand with all thats happened, i held in front of his mouth and brushed on his whiskers but he would'nt nibble.(the baby RTC's eating still by the way and doesnt seem bothered by the poorly one at all as we believe they are siblings?? purchased day after each other from the same shop), anyway , hes floating on the top, the right way up mind u! occasionally taking gulps of air but breathing seems regular, i have treated his tank with aquarium salts and a fin treatment to see if this helps.

Anyway i need advice please, what else can i do ? do i leave him for a few days and see if he recovers ? if i do will this have a adverse affect on the other? or do i look at ways of erm... sending him to fishie heaven ?

Any ideas / comments would be appreciated


Thanks


Bryony



OPEN TO QUESTIONS D

If the injured fish does not appear to be in pain I would wait and see - fish can recover unexpectedly from quite severe injuries. Make sure any medications and salt you add are suitable for this species of catfish as some are quite fussy and can't tolerate chemicals. Clean water with frequent large water changes are the best treatment for wounds and damaged fins

 

[trampas]

Hi Bryony , that was 4 day`s ago , what`s it`s state or condition now ?

Hi Guys!

New to here but need your help!!

I am a owner of 4 clairus catfish, 2 synodontis and a small redtail.

Yesterday I came home to find my housemate had returned from work with a very poorly redtail catfish (around 4 inches) and had rehomed him with our very small baby retail catfish (who has his own tank as he wont even live with Zebra Danios! ) Turns out the poorly RTC had been attached by a clarius catfish (who was alot smaller than him), during the night, he has about 1/3 of his fins left and has some nibble marks on his belly and near his gills.

To our suprise he survived last night, when checked on at 3am he was swimming about as well as he could but seemed quite active, today he is very sluggish, i have tried feeding him tonight bribing him with bloodworm and small prawns as this is our baby RTC's staple diet, he doesnt seem very interested which i can understand with all thats happened, i held in front of his mouth and brushed on his whiskers but he would'nt nibble.(the baby RTC's eating still by the way and doesnt seem bothered by the poorly one at all as we believe they are siblings?? purchased day after each other from the same shop), anyway , hes floating on the top, the right way up mind u! occasionally taking gulps of air but breathing seems regular, i have treated his tank with aquarium salts and a fin treatment to see if this helps.

Anyway i need advice please, what else can i do ? do i leave him for a few days and see if he recovers ? if i do will this have a adverse affect on the other? or do i look at ways of erm... sending him to fishie heaven ?

Any ideas / comments would be appreciated


Thanks


Bryony



OPEN TO QUESTIONS D

If the injured fish does not appear to be in pain I would wait and see - fish can recover unexpectedly from quite severe injuries. Make sure any medications and salt you add are suitable for this species of catfish as some are quite fussy and can't tolerate chemicals. Clean water with frequent large water changes are the best treatment for wounds and damaged fins

 

[england]

Welcome, your are refering to redtailed catfish?

If yes unless you have a exstremely large tank or tropical pond i reccomend you rehome these guys as quickly as possible, they are eating machines, eating tank mates much bigger than themselves, growing at a astronomical rate and there max size is too much for most fish keepers.

For what has happened he was poorly before adding to your tank? Not the best idea, as to what he has, maybe trapped air, maybe bloat, or maybe its eaten something too big,

We will need water stats and tank temp etc...

What size is your tank?