Yeah, I have two catfish like that, but it's still early days for them yet so I haven't lost all hope! Do keep us updated 
Let us know how you get on!
Let us know how you get on!Are fish flakes a good stable diet for a baby Bichir?
- Thread starter Ryan029
- Start date
So I unfortunately have a bit on a catastrophe occurring. Or at least is looks that way.... I did a water change in the tank today just like I always do. everyone in the tank seemed fine, now that it's done everyone still is acting normally... except for my bichir... I don't get it. It's been acting normally this entire time but I just looked in my tank and in was flailing around at the top of the water....upside down. It would flit to the bottom of the tank for a moment and then float back up to the top upside down. I'm so baffled. Was it the fish flakes I've been feeding it lately? Currently I have the bichir quarantined within the tank in a breeder container. It's just floating upside down. I have put in a small dose of salt to see if that would help but this certainly looks like a death sentence to me. I just don't get what I've done wrong? For what it's worth here's the tank info:
Chorline: 0
Nitrates: 5 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Ammonia: 0 ppm
pH: 7.5
Temp: Dipped to 75 degrees when I did the H20 change, but now it's warmed back to 78 where I keep it normally.
Chorline: 0
Nitrates: 5 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Ammonia: 0 ppm
pH: 7.5
Temp: Dipped to 75 degrees when I did the H20 change, but now it's warmed back to 78 where I keep it normally.
Ok...update....the bichir is now right side up hangin' out like nothing happened. I swear my last post was not an over-reaction. I've kept fish for years and this was a fish in distress. I'm still a little weary about releasing it back into the tank. What was it that happened? Is it going to happen again, like is this some sort of an illness known to bichirs? I have an airstone in this tank attached to a very small pump made for a 10 gallon aquarium, did it get like an air bubble in it's stomach? can that even happen? Was it something having to do with the water change I did even though all other tank mates seem fine? Slightly relieved that it's at least behaving 'normally' right now, but I'm very wigged out. wtf is happening to my bichir?
hmm...Ok well I'll see if it's interested in eating any of the tilapia I pick up tonight...It's breathing deeply and laying right side up. When I tried releasing it back into the tank, it didn't flip upside down...but it didn't swim very well. It's acting bloated. So as of right now it's sitting back in the breeder container...just chillin
what vitamins do you use?
Make sure to get some vitamins in too, equally as important as protein! Hikari will have more vitamins in than your average flake,but I'm not familiar with your flake brand, I've never seen that here in the UK.
Could you not pre-soak Hikari and give it to him by hand, or drop it in once your other fish are eating? Night is a good idea. Your other fish will be fast asleep!
Don't get stuck with a fish that will only eat fish! As you say, pellets are important for nutrition, but meat is so good for protein, so don't get put off that either!
What a cutie! <3 Let us know how you get on!
really hope your ornate feels better. Good luck and keep us posted.
this is wild! Would pH change also do the same?
