Hi everyone, I am new and have a fishy emergency. My baby boy has been acting very sick since yesterday morning. It has been a day and a half so far that he appears to be in distress. He is top-heavy and sinks to the bottom of his tank, and darts quickly to the surface to gulp air often. When he is at the bottom, he is on his side panting. He also tries to climb his log... yes he climbs it! Trying to get on top of it to keep his head out of the water. It is as though that is his only way of breathing. I have never seen this in any of my bed is and I spoke to three different people at a pet store and they have no clue.
Tank details: he is in a 2.5 gallon square aquarium with an LED light above. No filter. He has an under gravel filter and his temperature stays at 80° to 81°F. He has gravel and a fake plant plus a leaf hammoc and his floating log. I got his water tested this morning and there is nothing wrong with it. I did a partial water change just in case.
What I have done so far: at first I suspected constipation ( pressing on his swim bladder) because that had happened to him before. I fed him peas yesterday and this morning but his condition has not changed. I have added some aquarium salt and Melafix to his water as well. Because of his gasping, I'm wondering if it is his gills... I looked at him carefully and he doesn't have anything visibly wrong. No fungus, parasite, injury, etc. He is just very top-heavy and needs to stay at the surface gulping air.
What do I do?? He is suffering terribly and I feel so very bad for him. He is three years old so it could be age, but this happened very suddenly! Please, anything else that I can do let me know. I'll do anything for my baby boy!
Tank details: he is in a 2.5 gallon square aquarium with an LED light above. No filter. He has an under gravel filter and his temperature stays at 80° to 81°F. He has gravel and a fake plant plus a leaf hammoc and his floating log. I got his water tested this morning and there is nothing wrong with it. I did a partial water change just in case.
What I have done so far: at first I suspected constipation ( pressing on his swim bladder) because that had happened to him before. I fed him peas yesterday and this morning but his condition has not changed. I have added some aquarium salt and Melafix to his water as well. Because of his gasping, I'm wondering if it is his gills... I looked at him carefully and he doesn't have anything visibly wrong. No fungus, parasite, injury, etc. He is just very top-heavy and needs to stay at the surface gulping air.
What do I do?? He is suffering terribly and I feel so very bad for him. He is three years old so it could be age, but this happened very suddenly! Please, anything else that I can do let me know. I'll do anything for my baby boy!
