Late last night our Retropinnis bichir began to behave very strangely. I have found some reports of other bichirs behaving similarly while searching online, but no real answers or suggestions to help the guy. He is floating tail up and spinning around the aquarium. He will settle down and lay and rest every once in a while, but then will return to spinning and rolling and laying with his belly up, or swimming upside down. There is no fungus or any external problems that I can see. Please help! We have been bringing him to the surface for air in a net periodically but even then all he does is flip around but stay mostly belly up. Water parameters are normal and all other fish are behaving normally. Thank you!
Retropinnis in distress, help please! Rolling/Spinning/Tail Floating
- Thread starter Scout
- Start date
Try this it worked for me, use your net and catch him and hang it at the top of your tank. Then very gently rub his stomach in a downward direction towards his tail, and you should feel an air bubble in his stomach. You have to keep rubbing his stomach until it passes some of the air, but you have to be very gentle in doing this. Afterwards, add stresscoat and salt and don't feed for a couple days.
I was unaware we had a bichir whisperer here.
Just helping out a fellow member with a problem that I'm familiar with.
Just so you are aware.