Rope Fish Sick. Will Not Eat

[jgray152]

I bought a angle fish and a rope fish from a LFS and both had parasites, I usually study the fish in the tanks at the LFS so this doesn't happen but I guess I was in a hurry after seeing to fish I wanted for a long time.

Angel died within a few days. The rope fish I think I caught in time. I have been using parasite clear from jungle and he is swimming a lot better then before. Still not very active. I have tried 3 different types of food. Freeze dried tubaflex worms, Mysis Shrip and froozen blood worms. He refuses to eat and I know he is getting weaker as days go on. He has not eaten the whole time I have had him which has been almost 2 weeks now.

25% watter changes every 48 hours due to the medication, Specs are good. He is in a 29 gallon, I will eventually have him in a bigger tank. I have had an adult rope fish in this 29 gallon about 6 years ago. Had him for about 7 years till he got ick and died.

I am thinking of getting a small seringe or something to squirt some mushed bloodworms into his mouth or throte so he gets something. Should I attempt this?

 

[WILDER]

What parasite did you think he had, can you explain more.
Parasites can cause bacterial infections on top.

 

[fry_lover]

cant force him to eat, i have rope fish, they can be quite nocturnal, whos to say he isnt eating some of the left over food when you are in bed?

I doubt that him physically getting food into his mouth is the problem, although i do understand your desperate measures

 

[jgray152]

What parasite did you think he had, can you explain more.

At first he looked good but after looking at him for a while in my tank he would swim sideways and spiroll through the water and dart from one side to another. He does not spiroll through the water anymore and doesn't swim sideways much anymore. Just the eating issue now. I have been repeating the treatment 4 times so far so tomarrow I will change the water again and not add treatment to see how he does.

I doubt that him physically getting food into his mouth is the problem

I doubt that too, but I don't doubt that he has no appettite due to the parasites. I have had parasites in my 55 gallon before as well and they would loose their appettite a little. Jewel fish seem to be horrible at getting parasites when new.

 

[The-Wolf]

to get him to eat try prawn(shrimp) muscle or cockles soaked in a garlic extract.
I find Seachem Garlic Guard to be one of the better ones on the market but
failing that buy a garlic clove crush it in a pestle and mortar and pour the oil on the food
allow the food to soak it in for a few hours and then feed to the fish.

 

[LauraFrog]

lol, the fish must be like me, garlic bugs!

I don't know if this will help, but I have a platy not eating. When she comes to the surface and hides in the plants, I drip water containing crushed flakes into her mouth. She spits out some of it but I think some of it is getting into her.

 

[WILDER]

Can you post your water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, and ph.
Has the platy gone thin.
Check the gills over to see if there pale with excess mucas or red and inflamed.
What does it look like when she goes to the toilet.
Any flicking and rubbing or laboured breathing.

 

[CentricOregon]

Can you post your water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, and ph.
Has the platy gone thin.
Check the gills over to see if there pale with excess mucas or red and inflamed.
What does it look like when she goes to the toilet.
Any flicking and rubbing or laboured breathing.

Hi, i have a gold severum that has some of the problems you mentioned there, all of my other fish are fine except the severum. he has gone really thin because he hasnt eaten anything in 2 weeks or so, i've tried to check the gills but am not sure if anythings wrong, i havn't seen him go to the toilet yet but his breathing is pretty heavy , he opens his mouth quite far when breathing and the gills move about twice as fast as the other fish. any ideas??? i took pictures but i can't upload them as the files are to big so if you need them i'll need to send them to you're email or something. also the fish has lost its goldy colour and looks pale compared to my other gold severum.

Can you post your water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, and ph.
Has the platy gone thin.
Check the gills over to see if there pale with excess mucas or red and inflamed.
What does it look like when she goes to the toilet.
Any flicking and rubbing or laboured breathing.

Hi, i have a gold severum that has some of the problems you mentioned there, all of my other fish are fine except the severum. he has gone really thin because he hasnt eaten anything in 2 weeks or so, i've tried to check the gills but am not sure if anythings wrong, i havn't seen him go to the toilet yet but his breathing is pretty heavy , he opens his mouth quite far when breathing and the gills move about twice as fast as the other fish. any ideas??? i took pictures but i can't upload them as the files are to big so if you need them i'll need to send them to you're email or something. also the fish has lost its goldy colour and looks pale compared to my other gold severum.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry bless him but its sounds like he's in a very bad way and he's not going to make it.
The symtoms you describe point to a few things.
Can you post your water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
If he's not eating he won't go to the toilet,
Any signs of flicking and rubbing against objects.
You also say hes pale any excess slime.
It could be bacterial, external parasites, to internal parasites.