after many years of not a single problem . even after swaping tanks and tank mates. filters and filtrations systems. even after a move of house and a move to a bigger tank after . i have had a problem resulting in the death of my smaller female.
she has been fine up to the last week . eating searching for food etc.
she was on her own for a period of time before being put in the tank with the others soon as she was in the male took interest. but calmed down after a while
recent weeks she has been feeding but looking thinner although her tail was allways nice and fat no hip bones showing she looked thin
the male would ocasionaly have a go but nothing major . all other tank mates all fine throughout .
the last week she has been mostly at the top of the tank swimming . im not sure if this was to avoid the male or his attentions but just swimming merrily although towards the end of the week she would spend more time at the edges and top of the tank. i dont consider this odd as the others are active and swim on the top often . especially the larger female who likes to give the suroundings a good soaking from time to time .
yesterday was the turning point ,
she was at the top swimming but it wasnt normal
she seemed lazy if that makes sense . progressivly it got worse . swimming near the surface but in the current and increasingly slower.
a few hours later she was "cupping" the surface right way up ,but holding the surface without much movement. at first for jsut a minute or two but then longer a few minutes at a time .
as this happend i removed the male incase she was staying at the top to keep out of the way .
any injuries she had were nothing worse than she has had before . i would say there was very little wrong but moved the male out just in case .
a larger female still in the tank was and is still perfectly fine along with a couple of tank mates who are also fine . over night a small black ghost knife was in the tank too and was also perfectly fine ( talking 3 inch )
this morning things were worse . the lil girl looked terrible slime coat gone end of the tail white where the coating had gone and same on the spine edges of the disk looking terrible and places of friction were very bad .
ive sat and nursed her for the best part of today trying to get her to eat some bloodworm or mashed pellets but to no avail
this afternoon she could no longer right her self and i had to and put her back the right way up , i allways placed her in the direction of the flow rather than against it too . and on the side where it was returning so not a strong flow .
she seemd to come round a bit with but later was upside down again .
i righted her a few times and around an hour ago when breathing was faint i removed her and placed her in a poly box to pass quietly on her own .
a sad day
she has been fine up to the last week . eating searching for food etc.
she was on her own for a period of time before being put in the tank with the others soon as she was in the male took interest. but calmed down after a while
recent weeks she has been feeding but looking thinner although her tail was allways nice and fat no hip bones showing she looked thin
the male would ocasionaly have a go but nothing major . all other tank mates all fine throughout .
the last week she has been mostly at the top of the tank swimming . im not sure if this was to avoid the male or his attentions but just swimming merrily although towards the end of the week she would spend more time at the edges and top of the tank. i dont consider this odd as the others are active and swim on the top often . especially the larger female who likes to give the suroundings a good soaking from time to time .
yesterday was the turning point ,
she was at the top swimming but it wasnt normal
she seemed lazy if that makes sense . progressivly it got worse . swimming near the surface but in the current and increasingly slower.
a few hours later she was "cupping" the surface right way up ,but holding the surface without much movement. at first for jsut a minute or two but then longer a few minutes at a time .
as this happend i removed the male incase she was staying at the top to keep out of the way .
any injuries she had were nothing worse than she has had before . i would say there was very little wrong but moved the male out just in case .
a larger female still in the tank was and is still perfectly fine along with a couple of tank mates who are also fine . over night a small black ghost knife was in the tank too and was also perfectly fine ( talking 3 inch )
this morning things were worse . the lil girl looked terrible slime coat gone end of the tail white where the coating had gone and same on the spine edges of the disk looking terrible and places of friction were very bad .
ive sat and nursed her for the best part of today trying to get her to eat some bloodworm or mashed pellets but to no avail
this afternoon she could no longer right her self and i had to and put her back the right way up , i allways placed her in the direction of the flow rather than against it too . and on the side where it was returning so not a strong flow .
she seemd to come round a bit with but later was upside down again .
i righted her a few times and around an hour ago when breathing was faint i removed her and placed her in a poly box to pass quietly on her own .
a sad day
