Can a Dying Fish be Saved?

[AKKADIAN]

A few weeks ago I contacted a breeder who was selling off some of his adult stock. I was planning on purchasing a Vieja from him and was going to pick it up on the weekend.
He messaged me later that night (Monday) and told me that the fish had been badly attacked by another fish and that if I went and collected it that night I could take him for free. So I did.

I put the fish into a quarantine tank, but he never got to the point where he started eating. He had open wounds that didn’t seem to heal.
Currently he has lost all balance and has been floating upside down, breathing slowly - this has lasted for about 17 hours.
I now have him in a foam box, with heater and air stone, highly dosed with Seachem Stree Guard and Epsome Salt.

I suppose my question is, at this point, with the stage the fish is in, are my efforts in vain? Are there any methods to bring back a fish that is this far gone?
Or do I need to draw up a bath of water and clove oil and put him out of his misery?

It’s a real shame, because he is about 15 inches.
I knew that he was in bad condition taking him on, so I didn’t have my hopes up.

Thanks.

 

[krichardson]

If the fish is upside down that is not a good sign and it probably sustained some sort of organ damage which is likely fatal

 

[kno4te]

Sounds like it won’t. Can always try. Lower the water level and see if it can right itlself up. Reduce stress.

 

[aria]

sounds like a swim bladder issue to me and yes it can be saved. seen plenty of flowerhorns with swim bladder issues and they have been saved by lower the water level so they can sit up right and have an airstone, and i believe salt but don't quote me on that. i'm sure RD has the answer.

 

[squint]

I've had this happen in the past. I immediately started with antibiotic treatment because there will be infection. The open wounds will also cause osmoregulatory stress so you'll need to add aquarium salt or equivalent. Remember not to change salinity too quickly.

It took several weeks but the fish eventually righted itself and recovered fully.

 

[AKKADIAN]

Thanks for the replies.

It is now day 4 of the fish being in this condition. As it stands, I have him housed in a small 2ft tank treating with Stress Guard (I have been using a syringe to aim the Stress Guard directly at his wounds) and aquarium salts. I am thinking of giving him an epsom salt bath, but I don't want to further stress him out (as I will need to remove him from the tank).

I have used a extra-large rubber band, together with some fishing line to create a sling for him which is holding him in the correct position - with any luck this is giving him a chance to rest and not have to tire himself out as he constantly tries to correct his position.

I have a box of Amoxil (from when I last had the cold):
1. Can I use this antibiotic on fish?
2. How do I administer this to the fish, as he has stopped eating and I know adding antibiotics to the water column isn't effective.

 

[Matteus]

Wow. Hope it pulls through

 

[kno4te]

Thanks for the replies.

It is now day 4 of the fish being in this condition. As it stands, I have him housed in a small 2ft tank treating with Stress Guard (I have been using a syringe to aim the Stress Guard directly at his wounds) and aquarium salts. I am thinking of giving him an epsom salt bath, but I don't want to further stress him out (as I will need to remove him from the tank).

I have used a extra-large rubber band, together with some fishing line to create a sling for him which is holding him in the correct position - with any luck this is giving him a chance to rest and not have to tire himself out as he constantly tries to correct his position.

I have a box of Amoxil (from when I last had the cold):
1. Can I use this antibiotic on fish?
2. How do I administer this to the fish, as he has stopped eating and I know adding antibiotics to the water column isn't effective.

Would just cont with clean water and see if it eats. Hold of on abx. It might stress it out.

 

[squint]

Thanks for the replies.

It is now day 4 of the fish being in this condition. As it stands, I have him housed in a small 2ft tank treating with Stress Guard (I have been using a syringe to aim the Stress Guard directly at his wounds) and aquarium salts. I am thinking of giving him an epsom salt bath, but I don't want to further stress him out (as I will need to remove him from the tank).

I have used a extra-large rubber band, together with some fishing line to create a sling for him which is holding him in the correct position - with any luck this is giving him a chance to rest and not have to tire himself out as he constantly tries to correct his position.

I have a box of Amoxil (from when I last had the cold):
1. Can I use this antibiotic on fish?
2. How do I administer this to the fish, as he has stopped eating and I know adding antibiotics to the water column isn't effective.

I would skip the Epsom salt bath.

You need antibiotics for Gram negative bacteria. Amoxicillin might work but it's mostly for Gram positive infections (very rare in fish) and it has to be injected or fed.

Quite a few antibiotics are effective in baths. Kanamycin, for example, has been tested and found to be absorbed from the water. It's probably the best antibiotic you can find easily.

 

[RD.]

I agree with squint, epsom salt won't help. You need kosher salt/aquarium salt, which will help reduce osmoregulatory stress. Kanamycin is my go to antibiotic, and from what I can gather it generally works best in hard/high pH water, which we have here. Fish will readily absorb it from tank water. Seachem sells it under the name Kanaplex. Good luck.