Swim Bladder Problem?

[rhostog]

I noticed yesterday that one of my 4 zebra danios is tilting to one side and swimming slowly in the middle of the tank. She ate a flake that sank past her nose, but isn't joining in the usual feeding frenzy. The other female danios look fat after feeding as usual, but this one doesn't so obviously hasn't had much to eat this evening. No signs of redness, inflammation, or other unusual behaviour, but she does have a small mark on one side, like a scratch, white. She seems a little worse today, hanging nose upwards, then swimming slowly around, tilting to one side.

All other fish seem OK at the moment.

Is this likely to be something infectious? Should I treat the tank (with what?), or is it better to wait and see? Should I isolate the affected fish?
Would be very grateful for advice - thanks.

Tank size: 70 litre
Nutrafin liquid tests:
pH: 8.0
ammonia: 0
nitrite: faint trace, definitely less than 0.1 (the tap water contains about 0.2)
nitrate: 20-ish (tap water is about 40)
tank temp: 25.5 C. This has been higher the last few days due to warm weather.
Volume and Frequency of water changes: 10% twice a week (I do small frequent changes due to the tapwater nitrite).

 

[rhostog]

Can anyone advise please? Should I go out and buy some medication? Any suggestions (UK)?
Thanks for any help.

 

[WILDER]

Fish need a varied diet of frozens foods and veg,
Daphnia good at disgesting a fish food, and peas are good for constipation,
I would cook some frozen peas for a few minutes, let cool down and pop out of shell, mush between
fingers into small peices and add to the tank.
What colour is the wound on the fish.
Also what colour is there waste when they go to the toilet.

 

[rhostog]

Thank you very much for the reply and info.

The fish has a small white mark on its side, like a scratch or a few scales missing. It has been there for a few days, not getting bigger or smaller. It's flat, like a scratch, very small, not raised or different in texture. I wouldn't have noticed it except it goes through a black stripe.

I hadn't seen the affected fish go to the toilet until late last night, when it seemed to be a small, thin, white and stringy bit. I've read this could be parasites? Could that affect the swim bladder? All the other fish that I've seen going are doing normal poos.

I usually feed them flake, sinking pellets, algae discs, and the occasional piece of cucumber, very occasionally freeze-dried brine shrimp. The others eat the cucumber, but I've not seen the zebra danios eating it. I had tried peas, but nobody ate them - but I didn't realise they needed to be crushed first - obvious now you've said - I'll go and cook some now.

The poorly fish seems much the same this morning. It was hanging head up in the corner first thing, but when I sprinkled a tiny bit of flake, it came out, still tilting, and was swimming around the middle of the tank, and I think ate a small fragment that sank past its nose.

In case it's useful, the tank is about 10 weeks old, using media from another tank. The danios were the first fish I put in. Testing regularly. Ammonia has stayed at zero since before adding fish. Nitrite has stayed below 0.1 (it's 0.2 in the tapwater so the best I can do).

Very very grateful for your advice and support.

 

[WILDER]

Yes internal parasties can invade the swim bladder.
Try the peas first and if no improvement get back to the board.
Signs of internal parasites are.
Long stringy white poo, clear mucas poo.
Being bloated or skinny.
Bent spines some times.
Worms prutruding from the anus.
Red inflamed anus to enlarged anus.

 

[rhostog]

The poorly zebra danio continues to swim lop-sided. I'd say it's no better or worse, except that I don't think it's eating.

I tried the squished peas, and they all loved them, but I didn't see the poorly danio actually eat anything. It was swimming around trying to eat, but either missed, or spat it out. This morning I've given them some algae disc and a bit of flake. The poorly danio was trying to feed with the others, but every time she grabbed a bit of flake, she spat it out again. She looks thinner than the other females, but not thinner than the male - what I'd expect if she hasn't eaten. I've not seen her go to the toilet since my last post.

I can't see any signs of worms or any other abnormalities.

All the other fish continue to seem normal, and those I've seen are doing normal poos. The other danios are chasing the poorly one away if she gets near them, and she's spending most of her time hanging head up in a corner behind plants, just coming out at feeding times.

Should I isolate her and try to feed her or treat her? All I have at the moment is a very small tank (which used to contain a triops) with no heater or filter, just an airstone. Or should I leave her and treat the whole tank (with what)?

Tanks statistics as before except temp 24.5 C.

Advice is greatly appreciated - thanks.

 

[WILDER]

I would isolate the sick fish.
If one fish is really skinny its a sign of old age, fish tb to internal parasties.
If the fish gets anyn worse or looks like its had enough I would end it's misery.
http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/breedi...bra_Danios.html

 

[rhostog]

Thanks for the info.

The fish is no worse today, but it is still not eating - it tries, but then spits it out again. The lop-sidedness started first, then the fish stopped eating, then it started getting thinner, so I think the thinness is due to not eating rather than anything else. It's still able to swim and doesn't seem to be in distress at the moment.

The other fish all seem fine, and they are enjoying the addition of the occasional pea to their diet, so that's one good thing that's come out of it I guess.

Thanks again for the advice and support, greatly appreciated.

 

[WILDER]

What do his gills look like.
Spitting food out can be many things.
Does he flick and rub as flukes can also cause fish to lose weight.

 

[rhostog]

The gills look normal and the same as the other danios. I've not seen it flicking or rubbing. It ate a small amount of flake yesterday without spitting it out, but not enough to make it look fat like the others. I set up the little tank to isolate it, but tried and failed to catch it (lots of plants) - the best I could do was to remove the male danio for a bit which meant the poorly one could come out to feed without being chased.

It seems no worse or better than yesterday. It doesn't seem to be in distress, and I don't want to give up if there's a chance it might get better - just a bit worried in case whatever it has can spread to the rest of the tank. The other fish continue fine at the moment.

Would there be any harm treating for parasites just in case? I'd be very grateful for advice on this, and any recommendations on what to use.

Thanks again for advice and support.

 

[WILDER]

I think I would try wormer plus I always worms new fish anyway.
http/www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/php/detail62_45492.php