Seeking Experienced Insight

[mindwarpstudios]

I am looking for an opinion of experience...  First, a bit of background:
 
I have a Female Cockatoo Cichlid who has had a bit of a troubled existence recently.  About two months ago, she lost a few scales directly in the middle of her forehead.  Fearing HITH but suspecting a collision, I verified my Nitrate/Nitrite/Ammonia Levels (10-20ppm/0ppm/0ppm respectively at that time) and watched her closely.  She didn't develop any additional scars either on her face or lateral line, and while the scales didn't grow back, she didn't pick up either a bacterial or fungal infection around the wound and it stayed the same size.  She behaved normally, was very active and fed eagerly.
 
About two weeks ago, she suddenly (over the period of the 4-6 hours between feeding and bedtime) began exhibiting symptoms of a swim bladder disorder.  She floated with the current of the tank unable to stay in any position (forget about swimming upright).  Since she was breathing well and moving her fins strongly, I hoped that this was disorientation was a complication caused by improper diet; from reading various sources, I learned that the JBL food my LFS had recommended didn't have the proper levels of fiber/nutrition that she requires and hoped that she wouldn't pay the ultimate price for my mistake. Since then, I have been hand-feeding her better food and she has progressively regained her swimming abilities.   She can now move well about the tank.
 
Now comes my question: She's still swimming in a slightly disoriented fashion that is best characterized as gently running into the glass or plants, not necessarily noticing other fish until they brush by her, being stuck for a while under a leaf before finally figuring out she only has to back away from it a little to swim freely.  Could she be (partially?) blind as a result of the collision that may have caused her missing scales?  Could Lateral Line erosion (as part of HITH) cause this kind of behavior even without any visible scarring?  There is absolutely no cloudiness in her eyes and my Nitrate/Nitrite/Ammonia levels are presently 10/0/0 (they have been maintained that way since I first started monitoring her two months ago).
 
Also, could this be a lasting effect of her swim bladder issue?  She is getting stronger each day, but I would still characterize her as exhibiting general exhaustion from the effort of fighting her unnatural buoyancy for the recent past.
 
Finally, Are there any illnesses / parasites that cause this kind of behavior without clouding the eyes or obviously scarring the body somehow?
 
She isn't pineconing and her eyes are not inflamed, so I feel that internal overpressure is probably not a possible cause of visual distortion...  I guess I'm looking for things to watch for that may not already be on my radar.
 
Thank you very much.

 

[Wills]

Ah this sounds quite a predicament! Nothing is really jumping out at me as she is still eating and has improved.
 
How old is the tank she is in? What are the other fish she is in with? And how long had you had her before the trouble started?
 
Fishes eyes are generally not that important to them (harsh as it sounds) most of it is in the lateral line which is what sounds like its damaged.
 
Just wondering what your test kits are as some are not very accurate - the reason I ask is long term issues with the lateral line can be caused by ammonia or nitrite poisoning.
 
Also ph could be an issue what is your tap water like?
 
Has to be said though what you have done is really great When a fish looses bouyancy it is often very hard to get them feeding and swimming again! Well done!
 
Wills

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I am going to vote for the head bang as the likely problem. I had a discus that got frightened and bolted head on into the glass very hard. Soon after it lost its balance. It wound up only being able to live facing straight down. Normally I would euthanize a fish like this but its mate has just died and it had an entire tank to itself, do I let ot live for as long as it could.
 
The fish never regained the ability to right itself. it did live for another 7 months or so before it died.

 

[mindwarpstudios]

Thank you for the thoughts. I had not replied, simply because i didn't get a chance to log in before now... Please know that your comments were appreciated: i got them on my phone immediately.

Update:
Hand feeding was working for a while, but she got progressively less aware of her surroundings. I got her to eat only by syringing food-soup directly (gently) toward her mouth... But even then only about one bite/mouthful per day. She became so unnerved by the "sudden" arrival of her tankmates that she would take refuge in the leaves of her two favorite plants. She became quite dark (nearly black), when she used to be bright-bright yellow.

Then, after being unable to feed her for several days, watching her become totally listless when left alone, seeing her freak out when encountering anyone (including my nerites and the amano)... I chose to euthanize her. It was sad, but I feel that recovery was no longer possible.


I should answer your questions regardless, there may be something telling in them after all:
- I was checking my stats at my LFS and they use a JBL liquid test... I had Tetra test strips before, but don't trust them.
- The tank was initially set up 8 months ago and is planted moderately.
- She was introduced 4 months ago and managed a successful spawning/brooding/release of fry.
- Tankmates are Neon Tetras, a smaller Cockatoo, two Otocinclus, two Zebra Nerites, one Amano Shrimp.
- As for pH, my tap is 7.0 but i keep a hefty hunk of driftwood to push it down a little: it reads as low as 6.8

Thank you again.