So Anxious...don't Know Whether I'm Doing The Right Thing.

[Lazerus]

Hi all...

I've been trying to save one of my Cardinals for several weeks now....he came from the shop with odd dark colouring, but was healthy enough for eating and shoaling etc...I didn't choose him, he was put into the bag.

Anyway....his progress has not been good over all, going through phases of shyness, then he had spotting on his caudal fin, which totally disintegrated eventually...but then after two doses of Interpet no.9 for internal bacteria and followed a week later by Interpet no. 8 for cotton wool/fungus and he seemed to show great recovery....

This lasted a good while, maybe five weeks, and his colouring was returning great, but then the other week I noticed more fluff on this back, but this time he was pointing downwards... His spine appeared to be mangled. So back in with the Interpet no.9 and the fluff went away again....

Today, he was missing...I found him resting behind the heater...when I distrubed him, he drifed away, and he's gasping and can no longer swim very well, keeping right at the bottom with his tail pointing straight upwards...he looks dreadful, and the fluff is back on his back.

Is there any hope left for him

I'm so new to this and it really upsets me that I have to 'put him down'....but I think it may be the right thing...I just need to hear it I suppose.

By the way, my other five cardinals are spritely, heathly looking and seem unaffected by this fella....

Any advice?

 

[minxfishy]

If he's having trouble staying upright and gasping for breath then in all honesty I would be inclined to euthanise rather than let him die slowly. By the sounds of it, he doesnt have long anyway. Sorry, you probably dont want to hear that but I dont know what else to suggest

 

[Lazerus]

Hmm, well, if there is definately no hope for him.

I don't know how to kill a fish....

I've read on this site that putting him in a bag & then into the freezer is a humane way of doing it...but then I read on another thread an arguement that this wasn't humane at all.

So, what would you recommend I do to do this humanely?

I can't really bring myself to do it...but I know I have to.

 

[minxfishy]

As harsh as this may sound, net him and then quickly bang him on the head with something heavy. Its quick and he wont know a thing about it.

 

[Lazerus]

Really?...are you serious!!!! I suppose it makes sense....ah, the poor fella.

Ok, well, I definately can't do that myself....I'll have to ask my other half to do it.

I feel just awful about this....but guess this is just part and parcel of fishkeeping.....

Ok thanks so much....

 

[Spishkey]

word of advice though, you may want to wrap him in a paper towel/bag first as i did it that way once (without something round them) and must have hit a bit to hard (better too hard than too soft and you dont kill them) and well, it was a bit messy i'll never make that mistake again

 

[Miss Wiggle]

hi there Lazerus, hope you're OK.

Been on my hols for a few weeks, whats the state of the rest of the tank, water parameters etc.

my gut feeling is to euthanaise would probably be the right choice now for him. But it's a very personal decision and one you have to make for yourself.

There's a topic in the scientific forum discussing ehtuanasia methods which may help you to decide, my view is that whatever method is the quickest will be the best, basically the point is to put him out of his misery as quickly as possible. However you cut the mustard actually dying will not be fun, so just get it over quickly.

So I'd also go for wrapping him up in some tissue paper or something like that and either severing the spinal cord (cut his head off in one swift movement with a v sharp knife) or a hard blow to the head. Basically anything like that will kill instantly. Now you must also consider that this must be done decisivley, get it wrong and you risk butchering the fish and causing a huge amount of pain, so unless you feel confident that you can do this correctly, then don't do it at all and go for something like clove oil.

 

[Lazerus]

Hi all...and welcome back Miss Wiggle...I missed ye!

Well, the fish is around the tank somewhere still although I can't see him.

I had to go out today after my last post and I'm only back now.

I will get my other half to do 'the deed' in a while, when I find and net the fish. Thanks for the advice on the tissue....wouldn't that be just great...after going to the trouble of opting for a fast death only to end up cleaning the poor guy up then....and prolong the ceremony!!!!

Anyway,
My water is fine.
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrite:0ppm

The tank is well and truely cycled now.

So, the other fish are happy enough....algae has returned again in style though...so another clean up job required tomorrow. Otherwise, thats my update for now.

 

[Lazerus]

Ok....this is weird...I simply cannot find this fish....its only a 10gal with a few small hiding places ....where could he be?

I've checked the log & the barrel, he's not in there, I've looked around the top of the outside of filter, heater & plant....He has vanished?

Tetras don't eat other tetras....do they?

 

[Lazerus]

Ok....found him.

He's dead.

He was under the barrel somehow. I checked his body and he really was in dreadful state. The most prominent thing was his tail seemed to be disfigured...and his body was bigger, yet his tail looked like it didn't really grow full size properly. His colouring had gone very bad too.

Oh well.

Poor little guy....he really fought it for 8 long weeks, and I honestly though I'd beaten it, He only really deteriated in the last few days. I just hope my other guys won't be effected.

Thanks for all the advise.

I wonder should I replace this fella tomorrow so that my cycle won't be altered?

 

[waterdrop]

little cardinal.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Miss Wiggle]

poor little guy

no don't replace him just yet. if you loose a fish you should always leave the tank a week or two before making any new additions, means if there is a disease or something lurking in the water there's time for it to manifest in other fish. If you add new fish and there's somethng there they're just gonna get sick as well.

adding 1 cardinal a few weeks down the line shouldn't cause any cycle.

 

[Lazerus]

Ok, so.

I suppose I was thinking that after 2 months of this fish in my tank having these symptoms that the others would have got it by now too, and they haven't....so I thought it would be safe enough.

I got up this morning feeling sad that he's gone, but relieved that I don't have to watch him anymore and feel totally helpless.

I may do a water change anyway, and clean up that algae and stuff. This algae appears to be brown rather than green....I'll have to adjust my light timer I think?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yep I accept your point, you're probably right that they would have got it by now if they were going too. however for me, when dealing with living creatures it's a better safe than sorry thing.

i can only advise on what i would do if it was my tank, personally i would wait a week or so before replacing. However if you do replace sooner it will most likely be fine. Your choice

 

[Lazerus]

Nice Pic Miss Wiggle...was that when you were on your holidays

Anyway, I didn't buy another fish....its a week on and all of them seem ok...I am watching one lad though who appears to have something on his tail....it looks like perhaps a tiny chunk was taken out it.

I notice the biggest fish is bullying the others....perhaps he nipped this fish?

(This big fish is bully the others alot actually...he's always chasing the others around the tank and showing aggressive behaviour...I'm wondering if this had something to do with my other fish dying as he was the weakest???)

Anyway, I'll watch the smaller fish for another few days in case the tail thing develops into anything.