Wolf Fish Help!

[zoso3]

Hi Everyone

Newbie here with a question on Wolf Fish (hoplias malabaricus).

I've owned a Wolf Fish for about 10-11 years he is living by himself, he doesn't like to play with other fishies, in a 75 gallon tank. The temp is usually between 75-82 degress F.

Normally a Wolf Fish is a bottom dweller, but for the past 10-12 months he has been hanging out at the top of the tank. It's rather odd, because he such a stoic fish that sometimes I have to look really close to see if he's even breathing.

About a year ago he knocked off the bottom part of the filter and then proceeded to get himself stuck on it. So picture if you can a fish sucked onto the filter. It was at the base of his back finn. I was able to dislodge him but ee had a bruise there, he heals very quickly and it soon disappeared. But ever since then he has this tweek to him, he's like crooked in the back and it seems to be getting worse.

I feel so bad for him and don't know if he's crooked because of being stuck on the filter or if he's being stunted by being in the tank (in the wild they can grow up to a little less then 3 feet.)

He eats fine but his behavior (being on top all the time) doesn't seem right to me and I don't know what to do? I don't know if he's dying or maybe the crookedness of his back finn doesn't let him stay on the bottom?

Anyhoo, I'm at a loss as to how to help him. Any help or advice would be very appreciative.

Thanks in advance!

Holly

 

[WILDER]

It sounds like he damaged his back while in the filter, and now it's getting worse, never heard of that type of fish, how big is your fish at the moment.

 

[zoso3]

Well before he became crooked I measured him roughly almost at 12".

 

[jflowers]

lovely fish, what do you keep it with? you may want to ask this in the oddball section, not many of us keep wolf fish.

Jon

 

[zoso3]

He's my baby so it's very upsetting to see him like this and not know whats the what.

Maybe I will upload a picture and post in the oddball forum.

 

[zoso3]

Unfortunately he doesn't play well with others so I can't keep anything in the tank with him, he'll pretty much eat anything.

 

[SirMinion]

I don't know the life expectancy of Wolf fish, but a crooked spine is a classic sign of old age in many fish.

You've had him quite a while, could he simple be elderly?

 

[WILDER]

Your tank size is right for him, maybe he injured himself quite surverly while he was stuck in the filter.

 

[sylvia]

They're not called wolf fish for nothing... Honestly, I think you need a much bigger tank. 75 gallons simply isn't enough for such a big fish. As for the crooked back, I would agree with Wilder - probably that injury getting worse. The behaviour though is worrying... have you checked your water params lately? I'm thinking you might be neglecting weekly water changes after 11 years... I'd do them a lot more often (25% twice a week) and get him a new tank very soon as he should have grown up by now. 12" isn't a lot for an 11 year old wolf fish so I would suppose his growth is being severly stunted.

 

[zoso3]

He was just a baby when I got him and he was about maybe 3" long. And I have had him for a long time, he's outlasted every other fish I've owned, or he's eaten them. So he could very well be old I guess. Since there aren't too many of them as pets I always have a hard time finding out info on him.


Good point about his back broken I guess that could make it difficult for him to stay on the bottom right?

He does swim a little crooked but he has no problem catching his food.

He's been one hell of a fish though, very resilent sometimes I think he's going to out live me.

 

[zoso3]

I do water changes about every two weeks and he gets about 20-30 goldfish every two weeks, with cichlid pellets (which he seems to like) in the interim.

Unfortunately I have no room for a larger tank so I wouldn't' be able to do that.

I had thought of contact my local aquriam to see if they would be interested in taking him. Because the thought did pass my mind that he was being stunted.

I would hate to give him up but I want him to be healthy and happy.

**shrugs**

 

[WILDER]

http/species.fishindex.com/species_3246.html

 

[WILDER]

According to that profile the are agreesive and eat other fish, so he lives up to his kind.

 

[zoso3]

Thanks I saw that site yesterday. It says min tank size is 75 so maybe he is being stunted. And yes he certainly does live up to the description of an aggressive fish. lol he even ate the sucker mouth cleaning fish I had.

I fed him today and I was just watching him, he went to swim down and then he bouyed right back up to the top. It was like he couldn't swim down.

I guess the back injury is impeding him being able to do that and that's why he's always at the top.

I just wish I knew if he was in pain...stupid question right, he'e probably in pain. I don't know what to do, should I just continue to feed him and see what happens or do I put him out of his misery, if he is in misery, or do I contact my local aquariam to see maybe if they would take him...lol I just don't know!

 

[WILDER]

See how he goes for now, if he deterates any further you might have to think about putting him out of his misery, good luck.