Don't Want Him To Die

[IridescentSharkLover]

My small iridescent shark has been acting funny, and now he acts like he has a swim bladder problem. Also, when I bought him, he was dark, and now he's about albino in color (he's been this way for a month). The edges of his fins are frayed, too. I tried smushed green beans, (got no peas), but he won't eat. He can swim if he wants to. But he lays on the bottom breathing rapidly. The other fish are fine and my readings are zero. Can he be saved?

 

[tttnjfttt]

Ok, are you saying swimblader problems because he is always lying on the bottom of the tank, or because he can't keep his balance in the water? Are his fins split, or are they eroding away? Is the edges of the fins white, red, or black? Look at his gills, will they close all the way? Do they look red and inflamed?

Also, what other fish are in your tank, and how big is it? (and wher are you from?)

 

[IridescentSharkLover]

Ok, are you saying swimblader problems because he is always lying on the bottom of the tank, or because he can't keep his balance in the water? Are his fins split, or are they eroding away? Is the edges of the fins white, red, or black? Look at his gills, will they close all the way? Do they look red and inflamed?

Also, what other fish are in your tank, and how big is it? (and wher are you from?)

first of all, he was ALWAYS on the bottom second, no because just today he started to swim stupid, by which i mean he can't stay up and swims and turns and all that other junk the fins kind of look eroded, but not to the extreme they are not any particular color, cept clearish-white, like they've always been his gills do close, and no they are neither red nor inflamed

other fish are 4 iridescents and 1 platy in a ten gallon (I know this is too small, plz dont tell me that, i have yet to acquire a larger tank that can fit in my tiny house, but im getting there)

so plz someone help me i really don't want Eridanus (Thats his name) to die thanx

just now he swam to the top like he was gonna get some air and then let himself sink after he did so

 

[tttnjfttt]

Laying on the bottom is an unhealthy behavior. Even bottom feeders swim around and are active.

I think this has gone onto a bacterial problem, but the symptoms are relatively vauge, so you will need to treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic. A combo of maracyn and maracyn 2 is a good choice if you are in the US (not avaliable in the UK). Also, get peas or frozen daphnia as those are good foods to feed a fish with swim bladder problems.

What do you normally feed him? Is he looking bloated at all?

 

[IridescentSharkLover]

Laying on the bottom is an unhealthy behavior. Even bottom feeders swim around and are active.

I think this has gone onto a bacterial problem, but the symptoms are relatively vauge, so you will need to treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic. A combo of maracyn and maracyn 2 is a good choice if you are in the US (not avaliable in the UK). Also, get peas or frozen daphnia as those are good foods to feed a fish with swim bladder problems.

What do you normally feed him? Is he looking bloated at all?

ok he didnt really LAY on the bottom, but he chilled there a lot unless i fed him, and then he was super active, and he was super active at night too (when im usually asleep) and now hes pushing hiself under stuff and getting stuck and i keep having to move it and i usually feed him flakes and shrimp pellets and no he isnt and has never been bloated
and yeah, im in the US

 

[tttnjfttt]

Go ahead and treat him with antibiotics. That is probably your best bet, especially since his fins tend to be eroding.

 

[IridescentSharkLover]

Go ahead and treat him with antibiotics. That is probably your best bet, especially since his fins tend to be eroding.

Well, as of this moment, I have lost Eridanus. He twitched some more, and while I was doing homework, he passed. I looked up to check on him and his gill weren't moving. I will miss him deeply...ok, thanx anyway guys..

 

[tttnjfttt]

I'm sorry. :bye:

 

[IridescentSharkLover]

ok now all my fish have white spots (ick i believe) and i did a water change and im medicating them and i vacuumed the gravel (it needed it) and it only appears to be getting worse, and now half of my fish are spasming at random times. plz help me save my fishies i dont want any more deaths

 

[tttnjfttt]

Ok, you NEED to test your water, and post back ammonia, ntirite, nitrate and pH levels. How long has your tank been set up for? Also, exactly what have you done so far to try to treat this?

 

[IridescentSharkLover]

Ok, you NEED to test your water, and post back ammonia, ntirite, nitrate and pH levels. How long has your tank been set up for? Also, exactly what have you done so far to try to treat this?

Ok, ammonia, and nitr- are 0, and i dont really know what the pH is but i dont think theres anything wrong with that cuz i had my water checked at the lfs two days back and they said everything was normal and it was a guy I personally know who checked it, so i know i can rely on the results my tanks been set up for at least a year, and i have been using ick medication for about three days with a medication that needs to be used for seven days (its only been three days, I havent been skipping any days) everything else i said...i dunno whats wrong, my livebearers dropped like flies, but then again, i got them from an el cheapo store, so i didnt really expect much, but one lived and now the rest of my fish have some other kind of disease...i dunno i really just dont know

 

[tttnjfttt]

Add an air stone to increase oxygenation, that should help. Also, slowly turn up the temperature to 82-84 degreese, as that will speed up the life cycle of the ich. Salt can some times help, but i would be hesitant to add an more meds into the water since they are so stressed out. Leave the tank dark, which will help ease stress.

How long ago did you add the live bearers? Did you quarentine them first?