Cardinal Losing Colour

[WILDER]

Just wanted to make sure. As losing weight and swimming jerky can be a sign of flukes.
Twitching can mean a number of things i'm afraid. It can also mean the fish is dying.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

I don't think it will be flukes as I wormed about 8 weeks ago and nothing new has been in since and I think wormer plus deals with flukes anyway doesn't it? What do you think about treating with Esha 2000 and exit? It will just about cover everything. I know you shouldn't treat all unless there is a definite problem but this is my first loss in this tank and it's been up for 3 years. In fact my only losses have ever been when I have bought new fish and they have died in quarantine.

 

[WILDER]

You could try esha 2000. But the med could finish him off.
Let me know how he gets on.

Just need to rule flukes out that's all.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

I was thinking of treating the whole tank as a precaution in fact. Maybe not yet but if I get another go I definitely will

 

[WILDER]

Ok.

Hows the fish doing?

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Still alive but at the bottom of the tank, not swimming an breathing hard. I was going to euthanise but can't find my clove oil so am now making ice. If he's no better in the morning I will euthanise. I have started treatment on the whole tank with esha 2000 and exit as I spotted the pearl gourami flicking a little, not often but enough to decide to start treatment.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Let ne know how you get on.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Interestingly the cardinal still looks fine, still no colour though!

 

[WILDER]

See how it goes. They can look fine only to go downhill again.
Good Luck.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Amazingly the torpedo is still alive and not completely on the bottom, although he is trying to swim it's all very jerky and not going in any specific direction. I was going to euthanise this morning but I'm going to hold off as he seems a tiny bit more lively. I have the tank covered up so it's fairly dark and hopefully not stressed. The cardinal still looks fine just no colour. The quarantine tank is being treated with myxazin and pimafix. All also looks well in the big tank this morning too, although it's still early days.

 

[WILDER]

Thanks for the update.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Amazingly the torpedo is still hanging on in there, but still can't swim. The main tank is now fine following the Esha treatment, no more flicking. I'm still confused about what's up with the torpedo as there are no visable signs of any problems apart from his inability to swim. I decided to put the quarantine tank on Esha treatment too so I did a 50% water change yesterday and have been running carbon for 24 hours. another 50% change today and I have started the 2 esha treatments. The cardinal is still fine but still no colour!

 

[WILDER]

Could he of damaged his swim bladder.

It's not sounding to hopeful for him i'm afraid.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

I have no idea what the cause could be. just have to keep fingers crossed, but I agree it doesn't look hopeful.

 

[WILDER]

Give him a few more days with the med.
If no improvement I would maybe think about putting him out of his misery.
Good Luck.