Worried About Edwin

[hamfist]

Well I'm starting to get a bit worried about my little 2" green severum, Edwin. he's a delicate soul (emotionally) and has tended to go on hunger strike for a while with changes of environment or new tankmates. However, once he gets an interest in food again, he can be a real guts. he lives with a couple of small threadfin acaras, a BN and a few tetras in a 75 gallon.
Got a new companion for him a week and a half ago (a slightly larger 4" red-spotted gold sev) which prompted the usual sulking. However, now that Edwin has an interest in food again he seems to be struggling to eat it.
Last night I fed some frozen bloodworm (his favourite) and he was definately interested but couldn't seem to swallow it. He kept sucking a worm in, and then sucking on it for a while, and then spitting out the empty shell. He did this for about 4-5 bloodworm and then gave up. His usual technique used to be to get about a dozen inside him within 5 seconds and then sit there looking very smug whilst digesting them.

It could all still be psychological I suppose (humans can certainly get psychological issues about swallowing), but I am concerned about a gut infection of some sort. All the fish in the tank are very happy and healthy with no signs of infection.
There seems to be virtually no bullying in the tank, so I am pretty sure that he is not being stressed out that way.
Any thoughts, ideas ?

For any US readers please remember that metronidazole is pretty much unobtainable here in the UK for fish.

 

[minxfishy]

Can you see inside his throat at all? He could have got something stuck.

 

[hamfist]

Can you see inside his throat at all? He could have got something stuck.

Can't see in without fishing him out and manhandling him quite a bit, which I really don't want to stress him with at this point.
I would be very surprised if he has a foreign body in his throat though, as all his other behaviour is normal, with no abnormal movements of his mouth/throat.

 

[minxfishy]

You say you are concerend he may have a stomache problem, have you seen any bloating or is he skinny, any stringy white poo?

 

[hamfist]

You say you are concerend he may have a stomache problem, have you seen any bloating or is he skinny, any stringy white poo?

No bloating. He is pretty skinny though. Not surprising as he has eaten very little over the last week or so. Not seen him poo.

 

[minxfishy]

If he is skinny and not eating much there is a chance of internal parasites, maybe isolate him and use a good de-wormer of internal bacterial med.

 

[hamfist]

If he is skinny and not eating much there is a chance of internal parasites, maybe isolate him and use a good de-wormer of internal bacterial med.

That was my worry. What decent meds are available in the UK for this ? I thought all our standard LFS meds were pretty much useless for internal bacterial infections.

BTW, this evening's feeding was no better. Edwin is clearly very interested in the food (Daphnia tonight) but just couldn't bring himself to even take one into his mouth. I fear for him.

 

[star4]

Sorry to hear your sev is feeling poorly, I have used Sterazin (made by waterlife) in the past with great results.

 

[hamfist]

Just an update.

Today, Edwin seemed very, very interested at evening feeding time. He ate 4 bloodworm. No spitting them out again either. So I'm very hopefully. It's a real improvement.
Maybe this whole thing really just was a big sulk about his new severum tankmate (who he really quite likes actually !). It seems madness that a fish will starve itself for nearly two weeks merely because of a new (pretty benign) tankmate.