Cae Gone Mad

[Joy74]

Ok, going to try and keep this brief. First off I'm not new to fishkeeping, just new to this particular emergency. I have a 55 gallon tank, lightly stocked with a tetra mix and a CAE I've had for about 7 years now. Never had a problem with him, no aggression, he still eats algae, generally content to lay around the bottom and do nothing. I do weekly or biweekly water changes of 40-50%. It's also moderately planted. I did a fishless cycle a few years back. NEVER had a problem, researched thoroughly before I did anything. Penguin 350 & 150 filters, did everything by the book (and not the pet store versions either). Last weekend I did the usual water change, added the aquasafe, normal as usual. Currently other fish seem to be just fine. But while I was walking by tonight I heard a loud thud and turned and it was the CAE hitting the tank lid. He is going nuts. If it weren't for the lid he would be on the floor dead. So I'm in middle of 50% water change right now with python running -- I've turned off the lights to hopefully make things a little more calming. Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what may have suddenly happened to him or anything I can do, I'd medicate but I don't know with what?

Sorry it's brief - gotta get back to tank but wanted to go ahead and throw this out there to see if anyone had ideas. Thanks

 

[Joy74]

Ok, going to try and keep this brief. First off I'm not new to fishkeeping, just new to this particular emergency. I have a 55 gallon tank, lightly stocked with a tetra mix and a CAE I've had for about 7 years now. Never had a problem with him, no aggression, he still eats algae, generally content to lay around the bottom and do nothing. I do weekly or biweekly water changes of 40-50%. It's also moderately planted. I did a fishless cycle a few years back. NEVER had a problem, researched thoroughly before I did anything. Penguin 350 & 150 filters, did everything by the book (and not the pet store versions either). Last weekend I did the usual water change, added the aquasafe, normal as usual. Currently other fish seem to be just fine. But while I was walking by tonight I heard a loud thud and turned and it was the CAE hitting the tank lid. He is going nuts. If it weren't for the lid he would be on the floor dead. So I'm in middle of 50% water change right now with python running -- I've turned off the lights to hopefully make things a little more calming. Does anyone have any other suggestions as to what may have suddenly happened to him or anything I can do, I'd medicate but I don't know with what?

Sorry it's brief - gotta get back to tank but wanted to go ahead and throw this out there to see if anyone had ideas. Thanks

Adding a little more info since water change complete. And yes I added the aquasafe yet again. When he's not darting about he ends up laying on the bottom, typically on his back almost panting. The stocking is as follows - so no one thinks I'm meaning lightly stocked with 100 fish. A school of 10 black/white skirt tetra's, 6 neon tetras and 3 Serpae Tetras (yes I was planning on starting to gradually increase their school.. started when I rescued one from my aunt and then started adding a couple more -- but last time was a month or so back) so no new fish added in at least 2 months. Aside from the erratic behavior I don't notice any marks or anything unusual on the CAE, though I'm worried he's going to hurt himself the way he's bouncing around. And as always the other fish are just swimming about as if nothing is out of the ordinary. Only thing I can think of I did differently is I added a tiny carbon filter to the back of one of my filters - to help with the cycling process, and dropped the biowheel in the water to help accumulate some bacteria. I got a little 5 gallon hex I was going to use as a QT tank before adding more fish. I removed that filter and biowheel as soon as I noticed the CAE darting and before I did the water change. I don't see how it could have affected the CAE and not the other fish, or even what could have happened but that is the only thing out of the ordinary I've done with my tank in ages. So anyway the water has been changed and aquasafed, the new filters removed, so going to go keep vigil and check back here occasionally to see if any suggestions pop up. Thanks all -- he was one of my first fish, had him for several years so even though a not particularly extraordinary fish in aquaria world I am a bit attached to him.

 

[Joy74]

3rd and final update, if anyones even reading this. For past half hour there has been no acrobatics, he's gone inside his usual hangout, a boat ornament, with hole in middle as if it were sunk with cannon. He seems to be wriggling in there, little more active than usual -- but at least not boinging out all over the tank, so I'm hoping it's a sign he's settling down due to water change. Either that or he's dying. Guess I'll know in morning. Still interested to hear any feedback people may have.

 

[neilmcq]

Sounds similar behaviour to my CAE when he gets startled by something.... when i recently tried to net him for a tank move he flew round like a taz and shot out the water a few times.eventially netted and put in a large jug which he jumped out of straight back into the tank lol.... i also find when hes stressed by anything he seems to pant and is very skittish and disruptive. sound like uve done the best by doing another water change and leaving the lights out...

 

[LauraFrog]

This sounds a lot like what's wrong with my new pygmy cory... he was also corkscrewing. Does yours manage to balance okay or does he whirl around onto his back or side in the water when he's darting, and then rest in awkward postures?

People have said mine is probably protozoan. I dunno if that's any help... wait for Wilder to turn up! *waves* In here Wilder!!!

 

[Joy74]

This sounds a lot like what's wrong with my new pygmy cory... he was also corkscrewing. Does yours manage to balance okay or does he whirl around onto his back or side in the water when he's darting, and then rest in awkward postures?

People have said mine is probably protozoan. I dunno if that's any help... wait for Wilder to turn up! *waves* In here Wilder!!!

Yeah, sounds like what mine is doing, swims on his back/side then resting weird. I've been told to just let him go, he's almost 8 years old so it's been blamed on age because that's pretty much near the end of lifespan projection. So I'm keeping lights down. He's darting less and resting more it seems - would be nice if behavior returned to normal and he became ok *sigh*. But not incredibly hopeful, so just keep lights down and try not to startle him. And will let him quietly drift away eventually I suppose. *sigh*.

Sorry that's happening to your new Cory though. Hard when it happens to a new fish that you got excited about... as well as an old fish that you've had knocking around for close to a decade. Thanks for your feedback