Sick Arowana, Can't Figure Out What He Has

[edvedr]

hi guys, i recently just bought a "blue" arowana, or adult black. about 12". had him for about a week now. first few days he was doing fine,he even ate twice. then he became inactive, just stayed in the same spot. after 2 days of not moving much i started noticing a discoloration on his scales. kinda blackish, almost like something was burning him. then he started producing alot of extra slim and it seems like it is just melting off him. and he kinda stays in a locked curved position. ammonia is 0. nitrite is 0. nitrate is 15ppm. ph is 7.2. temp 79. 75 gallon tank. water changes once per week 15 gallons. i use spring water, with a 7.2 ph and 0 nitrates. filters are a magnum canister 350 and a whisper turbo 500. tank mates are a royal pleco 4" and a 7" tiger shovel nose. any ideas of whats up with him? thanks!

 

[WILDER]

Something is up as they produce a lot of slime with parasites and bad water quality.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing against objects or laboured breathing.

Though this is rare so don't panic but have to make sure.

Discus Plague
Large patches forming a reticular pattern

 

[edvedr]

Something is up as they produce a lot of slime with parasites and bad water quality.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing against objects or laboured breathing.

Though this is rare so don't panic but have to make sure.

Discus Plague
Large patches forming a reticular pattern

nope he hasn't done any rubbing or flicking. breathing also seems normal. just the stiffness, discoloration and extra slime. and no large patches like u described. i can't find any pictures of the discus plague to be 100% positive. i did forget to mention he is clamping all his fins together. all tucked up against his body.

 

[WILDER]

I would ring the place you bought the fish from and ask them some questions, it could be a parasite but there is no flicking and rubbing or laboured breathing, i would just add some melafix for now.

 

[edvedr]

well i put some quick cure in there, see if that helps. i grilled the store before i bought him. i made them test all the water in front of me. the only thing was there ph was a 6.3ish. so when i brought him home i took 70 minutes to acclimate him to my ph. they SAID he wass there for 4 weeks and has been great. appetite was there but not aggressive, same thing for me when i first got him home. his colors were perfect, such a gorgeous fish, i was so excited to finally find one. so if he was trulely there that long looking that good, then there has gotta be something in my tank. anything else you think i should have asked them?

 

[WILDER]

That's a big difference in ph, you should of climated him for hours, i wondering now if this is something to do with it.

 

[edvedr]

hmmmm but if he had ph shock wouldn't it have set in right away? he was fine for a couple of days, even ate.

 

[WILDER]

Found this.
Low pH (approx. below 4.5)

Ammonia or Nitrite Poisoning
Dark color, increased skin mucus, infected skin patches, frayed fins, abnormal swimming, rapid breathing

 

[edvedr]

Found this.
Low pH (approx. below 4.5)

Ammonia or Nitrite Poisoning
Dark color, increased skin mucus, infected skin patches, frayed fins, abnormal swimming, rapid breathing

but store was 6.3, mine is 7.2. and both the store and my tank have o ammonia and nitrites

 

[Fella]

With a TSN and a Big plec in that tank, you're quite overstocked. Even with the Aro being 12" there isn't much room for him to move around I'd have thought. Are you planning on using the 75 as a permanent home for him?

 

[WILDER]

I know but you didn't climatise the fish long enough, 70 minutes is not long for a swing in ph like that.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Even though i don't think its pH shock, i think the aclimation was very fast for that large of a change. My theory is the rapid changes caused some stress, which led to him becoming ill. Still workingon what it is though.

 

[WILDER]

Can you post fresh water stats please.

Is the fish layng to one side at the bottom of the tank, was the fish caught well and you haven't knocked him about before he was added to the tank,don't mean that in a nasty way.

Before the dark patches was he darting about banging into things.

I think i would take the fish to the store and have a scrape sample taken from the affected area and looked at under a microscope, to see what you are dealing with.

Keep a look out for signs of this.
hemorrhages in and around the mouth, base of the fins, and eyes.

 

[jakey boi]

hi,
reading from what you have said all your water qualities seem fine however this could be a internal bacterial infection which often does not change your readings. This could explain the darkness of the fish. Also did you let the water out from the bag when you released the fish as this water may have carried a disease.
I recommend that you use anti-internal bacteria and melafix.
Dont give up on the fish i hope that you manage to heal your fish!

 

[edvedr]

With a TSN and a Big plec in that tank, you're quite overstocked. Even with the Aro being 12" there isn't much room for him to move around I'd have thought. Are you planning on using the 75 as a permanent home for him?

it is enough room for him to move around comfortably right now, but in no way is this their perm tank, just a starter. next up will be 250.

Even though i don't think its pH shock, i think the aclimation was very fast for that large of a change. My theory is the rapid changes caused some stress, which led to him becoming ill. Still workingon what it is though.

yeah i guess this is the only thing that makes sense. damn it, i'm so pissed at myself!!!!

Can you post fresh water stats please.

Is the fish layng to one side at the bottom of the tank, was the fish caught well and you haven't knocked him about before he was added to the tank,don't mean that in a nasty way.

Before the dark patches was he darting about banging into things.

I think i would take the fish to the store and have a scrape sample taken from the affected area and looked at under a microscope, to see what you are dealing with.

Keep a look out for signs of this.
hemorrhages in and around the mouth, base of the fins, and eyes.

what do you mean fresh water stats? other than what i posted? no he isn't laying at the bottom, just hanging at the top kinda stiff. if i walk near the tank he will swim and seems to swim fine. also i was extra careful when i netted him. that was smooth right from the bag into the tank. and like i stated earlier he was acting COMPLETELY normal the first couple of days. slowly swimmin along the top, at a nice relaxed pace. did not seem stressed at all, even ate twice.

hi,
reading from what you have said all your water qualities seem fine however this could be a internal bacterial infection which often does not change your readings. This could explain the darkness of the fish. Also did you let the water out from the bag when you released the fish as this water may have carried a disease.
I recommend that you use anti-internal bacteria and melafix.
Dont give up on the fish i hope that you manage to heal your fish!

no i didn't let the water out of the bag. i'm been keepin fish since i was a kid, my father has kept just about every kind. 15 tanks at once in my house growin up, and one of the first thing my father taught me was never to put store water in ur tank. my father is stumped as to exactly what it is too. thinks some type of bacteria must be gettin to him, but he hasn't had a chance to actually look at him yet. and no i won't give up on him, i've wanted one of these guys for a while. i'm just super pist at myself for not acclimating him longer.