Rainbow Swimming On Its Side

[edward_121]

Please help,,,,,I have a large rainbow, the same body shape a boesmani but gold in colour with a black strip running the length of its body and I have just found it at the surface swimming round and round in circles. It look healthy apart from that but it is breathing heavily and has a small white mark on one side almost like missing scales. Is he a lost cause or can I treat it or should I treat the whole tank. I have loads of fully grown rainbows in the tank. I dont want to lose a load of fish. I am due to do my weekly tank maintenance tonight so could do a large water change if needed! Any advice would be great, sooner rather than later as I am not sure how long the other fish will leave it alone for!!!

 

[WILDER]

The fish is dying sorry.
The white mark on the fish does it look bleached out or fluffy.
Pointing towards bacterial to parasite, any flicking and rubbing.
water stats would be good in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph.
I would issolate the sick fish.

 

[edward_121]

Thanks for your help. All my other fish seem healthy although now you mention it I have noticed one of my loaches flicking against stuff but it has only been a couple of times. I tested my water but I only have those dip in tetratest strips and they say pH6.8 KH 3 GH >16 NO2 0 NO3 25. What should I do with the fish then becasue I have in my main tank but isolated in a breeding trap at the moment.



Thanks Ed

 

[WILDER]

Hows the sick fish doing?
Take s sample of your water to the lfs and tell them to write the readings down for you.
Check the gills for excess mucas and looking pale, or red and inflamed gills.

 

[edward_121]

Thanks for your help,,,,,,just to let you kow the fish got worse and worse and I only have the one tank and I was keeping him in a breeding trap. Anyway it got to the point where I didn't want it to suffer any more as the other fish were constantly having ago through the breeding trap net. I did a bit of research and talked to a friend and he said clove oil would be painless and humane. I bagged the fish put a few drops of clove oil in and put the bag in the dark of the cabinet under my tank. 15 minutes later he was dead. I hope I did the right thing. its the first time I have euthanaised a fish. I just hope I used the right method!!!!

Once again thanks for your help.

Ed

 

[WILDER]

R.I.P.

 

[mark.w.jones]

This is very bizarre but I have exactly the same fish with the same symptoms. Raised scale on side of body which is a discoloured white / pink colour and slightly fragile / flakey looking. Swimming upside down. Not looking good. Isolated him in a bucket with heater and airstone for the time being but he's not got any better. Only started behaving like this at weekend. Seems very sudden. I can't imagine this is a coinsidence either. Is there a common problem associated with Boesemani Rainbows?