Not sure if Ivanacara adoketa male is sick or hurt

[martialtheory]

So I got an lage Ivanacara adoketa male in the mail 2 days ago and I acclimated it. The other females are doing just fine but this male is inactive, lays on its side from time to time and doesn't eat. The seller told me that he used bag buddies which sedates the fish and will take a little while before they get back to normal. But its been 2 days and I'm not sure if this is normal

Its gotten me pretty nervous that it might be a swim bladder problem or that it got hurt in the bag

QT tank so please ignore the ugly ugly gravel

Please help

 

[Judyok]

Bag Buddies sedative last 7 hours so I doubt that's the problem.

 

[martialtheory]

I'm scared that it got hurt in shipment but he was like this ever since he came in

 

[Judyok]

Turn off the lights to reduce stress and wait a bit to see if he improves

 

[ryansmith83]

Chances are something happened during transit. Discus sometimes lie on their sides for a few days after they’re shipped. Unfortunately if he’s not better and eating within a week or so there’s probably no reversing it.

 

[martialtheory]

Sadly, I think your right. He hasn't gotten any better. I think he was hurt in transit somehow

 

[neutrino]

Agree with the previous posts. Was he in his own bag or bagged with other fish? How did he look in the bag on arrival and how did you acclimate?

 

[martialtheory]

He was in his own bag. He has been like this since he was in the bag, laying on his side from time to time.

I used the drip acclimation method. The other 2 ivanacara fishes that was sent are perfectly fine so I don't believe it was the tank or the acclimation method

 

[neutrino]

He was in his own bag. He has been like this since he was in the bag, laying on his side from time to time.

I used the drip acclimation method. The other 2 ivanacara fishes that was sent are perfectly fine so I don't believe it was the tank or the acclimation method

Probably right, though what can happen with the drip method is if pH in the bag is low and ammonia is also present, the ammonia can be changed from a less toxic to a more toxic form as pH goes higher-- you can find charts on this with ratios of toxic (NH3) to less toxic (NH4) forms of ammonia at various pH and temps.

On the other hand, Bag Buddies are supposed to remove ammonia, so not saying that's the issue, just something to know. A lot of people will say get them out of the bag (especially if it's a small bag) immediately for this and other reasons, and even more so if they don't look so good. Two options for doing this ime, one is simply drop them in the tank, not a problem if pH numbers aren't too far apart. Or if you want to be more cautious, what I sometimes do is test pH in the bag, prep a bucket with a reasonable pH facsimile, then raise it over time to near tank ph, then put fish in the tank. An obvious exception is if pH in the bag is way low for the species in which case it's better to get them to a safer pH fairly quickly.

None of which solves your current problem...

 

[Judyok]

Just a thought about the ammonia becoming more toxic once the bag is opened. Can't a person just add a dolop of prime when drip acclimating.