I Think My Fish Is About To Die!

[xxxpinkladyxxx]

We have four pink widow fish and a couple of months later, we bought two of the fish that clean the tank (they look a little like mini crocodiles). Anyway one of them just disappeared about about two months. We do have cats but I don't see how they could have got hold of it because them fish are very shy and are generally swimming along the bottom. We couldn't find it anywhere and still haven't found it.

Now our other crocodile fish looks like it is about to die. We have had this one for about 6 or 7 months and I just looked at the tank and it was just sitting at the bottom and I thought it was dead. It isn't but I think it is on it's last leggs (or fins should I say). Is there anything I can do? Or could it just be it's dying of old age? My boyfriend tried to lift up the crocodile fish to nearer the surface in case it needed oxygen but it didn't seem to improve and then just floated back down to the bottom. Is there anything I can do to save my little fish?

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph.
To me is sounds like a bacterial infection, any swelling on the body, sounds like he has no energy, is he laboured breathing, and has his colur changed in any way, pale or dark.

 

[kowgirl_kate]

Wilder, what does the laboured breathing, no energy & the colour going dark mean as my peppered cory has just got all these symptoms?

 

[vancouver]

Whats a crocodile fish?

 

[black angel]

Its a sucking loach, i think a chinese or siamese algae eater.
Ive seen this post on another forum, but cant remember where.

 

[WILDER]

Wilder, what does the laboured breathing, no energy & the colour going dark mean as my peppered cory has just got all these symptoms?
Bacterial infection, but once they labour breath they are dying sorry.

 

[kowgirl_kate]

Bacterial infection, but once they labour breath they are dying sorry.

Damn I wonder how that happened. He's the eldest & biggest fish I have in that tank.

I noticed some guppies & neons rubbing themself on objects a little bit over the past few weeks. Could this be related?
I just put melafix in the water too to mend some guppy tails that were split from fighting. Could the meds be making him rapid breathe?

The other cory's know something is wrong with him. They're sitting next to him & occasionally give him a nudge or cuddle. It's so sad.

 

[WILDER]

Need to look at your stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, and ph, as flicking and rubbing can mean poor water quality to parasites.
Check the gill area to see if there pale or red and inflamed, notice any change in the body area.

 

[kowgirl_kate]

He died during the night.
It's very strange as he had no leading up symptoms, just bam those full on symptoms and then he was gone.
I checked all my stats as soon as I noticed something wasn't right and they all were their usual, fine self.

He looked fine apart from the rapid breathing, not eating & had gone a bit darker in colour.
Guess he just must of had something wrong inside.

GRRR I really hate that! When there's nothing you can do cause you don't really know what's wrong & you just have to sit back & wait & watch & just hope & pray it gets better or you get a sign as to what's wrong and therefore know how to treat.

 

[WILDER]

Not eating, going dark in colour and heavy or laboured breathing seems to fit to a bacterial infection.
R.I.P.