Hey guys. I didn't think much of this at first until now, but my severum seems to have a pretty thick slime coat. It's not visibly thick or anything, but whenever he drags his anal fin along the substrate looking for food when I drop in pellets, a lot of the sand sticks to him, and kinds hangs off in strands, taking a bit to fall back off.
I didn't mind it much before because I didn't know if it was normal, my other fish don't get their bottoms close to the ground while looking for food
But I started to worry a little when last night, he was kinda shaking his head like something was bothering him. I don't think the symptoms are related, but I just want to mention everything I can.
I haven't tested the water yet, I've grown lazy in testing due to all my filters being cycled. Chances are I can just say right now "ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 15" and it would be correct (I just did a 60% water change 2 days ago, too.)
I haven't seen him flashing or flicking or rubbing, just the shaking head last night. I just recently treated a ich case (and kept treating 4 days after spots were gone as directed) changing out 25% of the water before every treatment, keeping the tank temp at 82, all that good stuff. Haven't seen any symptoms on the fish since.
I then added carbon (pretty old carbon, though) to the filter with some plastic carbon holding things.
He eats great, and gets very territorial about food, even sticking up to my pleco for stupid algae wafers, he aggressively defends his territory against my GT, and doesn't seem lethargic.
He hasn't shaken his head at all since, I'm probably just being a big worry wart cause I'm overly attached to the little guy and have heard some bad stories about the immune systems of red spotted severums.
Basically, do I just have a healthy severum that was a little bugged by something in the water last night? Not really sure what caused it, but I've heard more often than not that's just a water quality thing? (maybe the meds put them through a short cycle?) Is the sand sticking to fish when they drag along the bottom normal, or is he getting too much slime coat?
And at that, are the things about super red spotted severums being weaker than regular golds and greens and such true? To what extent? Am I safe to stop freaking out at every little remote symptom of discomfort?
Thanks much
I didn't mind it much before because I didn't know if it was normal, my other fish don't get their bottoms close to the ground while looking for food
But I started to worry a little when last night, he was kinda shaking his head like something was bothering him. I don't think the symptoms are related, but I just want to mention everything I can.
I haven't tested the water yet, I've grown lazy in testing due to all my filters being cycled. Chances are I can just say right now "ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 15" and it would be correct (I just did a 60% water change 2 days ago, too.)
I haven't seen him flashing or flicking or rubbing, just the shaking head last night. I just recently treated a ich case (and kept treating 4 days after spots were gone as directed) changing out 25% of the water before every treatment, keeping the tank temp at 82, all that good stuff. Haven't seen any symptoms on the fish since.
I then added carbon (pretty old carbon, though) to the filter with some plastic carbon holding things.
He eats great, and gets very territorial about food, even sticking up to my pleco for stupid algae wafers, he aggressively defends his territory against my GT, and doesn't seem lethargic.
He hasn't shaken his head at all since, I'm probably just being a big worry wart cause I'm overly attached to the little guy and have heard some bad stories about the immune systems of red spotted severums.
Basically, do I just have a healthy severum that was a little bugged by something in the water last night? Not really sure what caused it, but I've heard more often than not that's just a water quality thing? (maybe the meds put them through a short cycle?) Is the sand sticking to fish when they drag along the bottom normal, or is he getting too much slime coat?
And at that, are the things about super red spotted severums being weaker than regular golds and greens and such true? To what extent? Am I safe to stop freaking out at every little remote symptom of discomfort?
Thanks much
