Hello to all,
I'm new to this forum and need advice please. My (at least) 15 year old parrot fish, and over 20 cm long, has a problem that might be something to do with his swim bladder. He is in a 120 litre tank by himself as he has in the past been aggressive with other occupants. He doesn't come to the surface any more to take food and just sits on the bottom of the tank. I now feed him small pieces of raw prawns or cooked shelled peas by hand. I have to steady him with the other hand most of the time when feeding him as sometimes he will roll over onto his side. If I flick his tail I can get him to swim round the tank normally, and then he will settle again on the bottom. He may flop over a couple of times and usually manage to right himself, or I will have to help him. He will stay like that until the next hand feed and just watch me when I walk past. I have read that it can be over feeding and constipation, and that one should not feed for three days. I doubt this as I have been giving him the same rations for years. My parrot fish is really quite old now and I wonder if he is just coming to the end of his life. If this is the case. Also, I've read that it could this be a bacterial infection of the swim bladder, in which I would need to know what type of antibiotic to give and the dose.
Any help or suggestions would be so appreciated, I am very attached to my old fish.
Thank you
I'm new to this forum and need advice please. My (at least) 15 year old parrot fish, and over 20 cm long, has a problem that might be something to do with his swim bladder. He is in a 120 litre tank by himself as he has in the past been aggressive with other occupants. He doesn't come to the surface any more to take food and just sits on the bottom of the tank. I now feed him small pieces of raw prawns or cooked shelled peas by hand. I have to steady him with the other hand most of the time when feeding him as sometimes he will roll over onto his side. If I flick his tail I can get him to swim round the tank normally, and then he will settle again on the bottom. He may flop over a couple of times and usually manage to right himself, or I will have to help him. He will stay like that until the next hand feed and just watch me when I walk past. I have read that it can be over feeding and constipation, and that one should not feed for three days. I doubt this as I have been giving him the same rations for years. My parrot fish is really quite old now and I wonder if he is just coming to the end of his life. If this is the case. Also, I've read that it could this be a bacterial infection of the swim bladder, in which I would need to know what type of antibiotic to give and the dose.
Any help or suggestions would be so appreciated, I am very attached to my old fish.
Thank you