Help!

[Irf]

All,

Just noticed late last night that my female blue rainbowfish is swimming with it's head down constantly. I don't just mean a little bit - almost vertical! And it seems to be constantly trying to stop floating to the surface. Almost like it's flotation system is not working.

It's been doing this since last night, and it seems weaker this morning (having been blown around by the filter outlet now and then as well).

What can I do? Anyone had this problem?

Thanks,

Irf.

 

[mcdanielnc89]

I didn't have the answer for ur problem but i did find this.. Maybe someone can "authorize it"
Here is a drastic treatment that worked for me, or rather a fish that apparently had a "swimbladder disease". BTW, Borameer, at the time this happened I had never heard of "swimbladder disease", but someone told me that what had happened was that the swimbladder was full of air told me this cure,being young and trusting I beleaved them and it worked, trapped air or not. Net the fish and grasp it with wet fingers thru the net at the base of the tail, with your other hand hold the net up out of the way over you hand , let the fish hang head down, dunk him into the water head first then raise him up hold him out of the water about 3 seconds then dunk again repeat that 4 or 5 times. Then let him swim out of the net. I did this once a day for three days, the morning of the first his world was right side up again. He may have rcovered on his own without the treatments but they didn't seem to hurt him any.

 

[Irf]

Thanks mate - can anyone verify that this is the likely problem and the above is a valid way of fixing it? I'd like to give it a go tonight (if the poor thing is still alive when I get home....

Irf.

 

[Spooky76]

As with alot of advice on here, its just peoples experience. Its up to you if you take it

I had a look around on googe and cant find anything helpful sorry.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The fish has a swimbladder disorder, these are mostly commonly caused by an internal bacterial infection affecting the swimbladder, or a bad case of constipation causing gases to build up in the fishes stomache which put pressure on the swimbladder, or a bad case of constipation which has led to an internal bacterial infection in the fish, also affecting the swimbladder.

My main advice would be to cut down on dried or high protein foods in the fishes diet, and only feed the fish frozen or live daphinia (which is good for fishes digestion) and cooked de-shelled and chopped up peas (or chopped up blanched spinache) to help move any old food in the fishes gut out. I would also advise treating the fish with an anti internal bacterial med too, mcdanielnc89s method sounds rather stressful for the fish and it would not treat all causes of a swimbladder disorder, so i would personally advise against it.

 

[Irf]

OK, thanks for that advice. I agree the earlier idea sounded stressful, but there were no other ideas. Maybe I might have a go at that as a last resort.

I'll certainly get their diet changed immediately. I vary it normally between frozen bloodworm/mix, cucumber/courgette and normal dried flakes, but I will stop this and do as you say. I'll get some frozen daphnia and also feed them peas/spinach for a while.

I just hope the fish is not so stressed out by the whole thing that it gets some other illness or just dies.

Irf.

 

[mcdanielnc89]