I hope the Severum fully recovers.
Severum not eating/lethargic
- Thread starter cmsbthebest
- Start date
I hope the Severum fully recovers.
It seems to have gotten better from the original description. Has it gotten better? Don’t see much red except for a small area. Could be from lip locking. Clean water and make sure it eats. Should recover. Is it eating?
Fo an injury like that I wouldn't use API General Cure. I would either wait it out another couple of weeks, or use an antibiotic like Seachem Kanaplex.
Have you tried feeding softer foods like frozen bloodworm or spirulina infused brine shrimp (stuff that can be swallowed whole without much mouth movement)?
It is a bit better, definitely not worse. I can't get him to really eat yet. He actively backs away from pellets.
Bloodworms are an excellent idea. I tried those just now and he actually immediately went for them. However after he got one in his mouth, he immediately backed off, looked really uncomfortable and then violently shook, just like he did when he ate the pellet a few days ago. I think its because of the pain of biting down on something.
You are right about General Cure since I highly doubt this is a parasitic issue. My plan right now is to keep feeding bloodworms this week and see if he still goes for it and eats some. If by Friday he is still not improved at all, I'll go pick up an antibiotic.
Thank goodness he's a large Cichlid, so I'm confident that he'll be fine without eating for 2 weeks.
A 6" total length torpedo like fish can go 1 month without affecting its health. It's good it is wanting to eat.
So just an update:
2 weeks in and still not eating (other than a few bloodworms). No visible signs of stress and still a lil lethargic, but nothing too crazy.
Water changes have continued to be more frequent and larger, with salt added in. It's looked about the same now for the past 3 days (slightly worse than the photo I took previously), I'll try and get a photo a little later today.
I've been really trying to avoid treating the tank with antibiotics because its gonna cost me $100-$200 to treat the whole 125, and I don't have the ability to set up a quarantine tank at my current place
, but honestly it seems inevitable at this time, unless some miracle happens and he starts eating in the next day or two.
2 weeks in and still not eating (other than a few bloodworms). No visible signs of stress and still a lil lethargic, but nothing too crazy.
Water changes have continued to be more frequent and larger, with salt added in. It's looked about the same now for the past 3 days (slightly worse than the photo I took previously), I'll try and get a photo a little later today.
I've been really trying to avoid treating the tank with antibiotics because its gonna cost me $100-$200 to treat the whole 125, and I don't have the ability to set up a quarantine tank at my current place
, but honestly it seems inevitable at this time, unless some miracle happens and he starts eating in the next day or two.
Finally time for a positive update!
Mouth still looks pretty bad (but doesn't seem to be getting worse anymore), two days ago I was on the verge of buying antibiotics, but I wanted to give him one more chance at eating. I went to feed the tank, and he showed a ton of interest in food for the first time in a while, but didn't take any. I then fed bloodworms and he aggressively went after and ate a few! Yesterday he again ate bloodworms, so while its not the most nutritional meal, at least he's getting something in him everyday again! He also seems to have more energy again and isn't hiding a bunch anymore.
This is giving me hope that clean water and salt is working and antibiotics aren't necessary! If he stops eating bloodworms and gets more lethargic again, I'll immediately treat the tank, so fingers crossed he continues to progress in the right direction!
Mouth still looks pretty bad (but doesn't seem to be getting worse anymore), two days ago I was on the verge of buying antibiotics, but I wanted to give him one more chance at eating. I went to feed the tank, and he showed a ton of interest in food for the first time in a while, but didn't take any. I then fed bloodworms and he aggressively went after and ate a few! Yesterday he again ate bloodworms, so while its not the most nutritional meal, at least he's getting something in him everyday again! He also seems to have more energy again and isn't hiding a bunch anymore.
This is giving me hope that clean water and salt is working and antibiotics aren't necessary! If he stops eating bloodworms and gets more lethargic again, I'll immediately treat the tank, so fingers crossed he continues to progress in the right direction!
