A little lung issue

[Bogwoodbruce]

I've got a little 3" SA lung in a 32x20x15 with 12 1" Geophagus and i've been watching him and i've seen him eating some bloodworm, but something has worried me. I've seen him hanging around and swimming along the surface and edge of the tank. He caqn swim fine and very fast. I think he's very delicate. So is this ok? I don't want to lose him or anythning,

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

He sometimes just stays in the same place at the top. He seems to be prefectly healthy.

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

He seems to have a little fur (Possibly fungus) On his first 2 feelers. So i've added a weak does of melafix.

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

Could these be his external gills?

 

[santoury]

I have never seen external gills on SA lungs - that "top" behavior is perfectly normal.

 

[E_americanus]

if the fish is frantically swimming at the surface it could very well be stressed. is the geo the only other tankmate with the fish? if so, does it ever bother the SAL?
SAL's will often swim around from time to time, but there is a difference between regular cruising behavior and constantly darting out of the water (which i have observed several times with stressed SAL's). if you can differentiate between these two types of swimming with your lungfish that will help us to better advise you.

as for melafix, i would not put a ton of stock in this helping your fish as opposed to a little bit of salt, increased temp (82F) and increased frequency and volume of water changes (50% changed every other day until the fish gets better will go a long way past what meds will do for a lungfish).

keep us posted on how the fish is doing, and best of luck. they are tough fish, but in treating them, its best to give them a home with non-aggressive tankmates, and treat them with high frequency water changes.--
--solomon

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

if the fish is frantically swimming at the surface it could very well be stressed. is the geo the only other tankmate with the fish? if so, does it ever bother the SAL?
SAL's will often swim around from time to time, but there is a difference between regular cruising behavior and constantly darting out of the water (which i have observed several times with stressed SAL's). if you can differentiate between these two types of swimming with your lungfish that will help us to better advise you.

as for melafix, i would not put a ton of stock in this helping your fish as opposed to a little bit of salt, increased temp (82F) and increased frequency and volume of water changes (50% changed every other day until the fish gets better will go a long way past what meds will do for a lungfish).

keep us posted on how the fish is doing, and best of luck. they are tough fish, but in treating them, its best to give them a home with non-aggressive tankmates, and treat them with high frequency water changes.--
--solomon

He doesn't swim around scared or franticly at the top, he just like hangs around the top, and sometimes floats there, the after a while he will swim back off. I've increased the temp too.

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

I have never seen external gills on SA lungs - that "top" behavior is perfectly normal.

Oh thats good as it was worring me.

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

Well he was at the top again this morning when i got up, and i opened the slider to feed them and see if he was ok then he just swam off.

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

I looked at the link in your sig americanous and i've looked at the SA lungs and i want mine to get like them. He does spend a lot of the time at the sureface. Is this normal for young lungs????? He uisn't getting any trouble from his other tankmates.