EMERGENCY - my bichir needs HELP!

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T

Tendou Souji

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 5, 2009
353
1
0
Singapore
Guys, I just saw my lapradei flipped belly side up and when I tried to help it back, it swam away in that tilted position. Currently, it's breathing heavily and remains in a slightly tilted position. It was fine yesterday and when I turned on the lights today, I saw it in a pretty awkward position but didn't think much into it, until my brother realised it flipped over! I desparately need some advices on how to save it, so please render any form of help you can. Thanks in advance:(
 
Ammonia and Nitrite levels?
 
Tankmates are all bichirs of smaller sizes. No abnormality regarding the water condition and no other bichirs exhibit such a behavior. Also, large air bubbles escape from its gills and it curls up opposite side down occasionally. When it goes into this state, it is even possible for me to touch it with my bare hands, so you can imagine the seriousness of its condition.
 
Here's its present condition: occasionally it turns upside down(not sure why, but my hypothesis is that it cannot control the amount of air in its body) and it'll try desparately to turn itself over but to no avail. Hence, I'll have to flip it up myself manually and when that happens, bubbles will escape from its gills. The amount of air inside its body then returns to the norm, and then it can remain in its original position facing up. If my hypothesis is right, the air is trapped in an organ at the lower part of the bichir. When it is overfilled with air, it will result in the bichir flipping over and me manually flipping it over allows this excess air to escape through its gills. If this is the case for my lapradei, what can I do to alleviate this problem? Has anyone experienced something like this before? Thanks.
 
Never seen anything like this before. Hope somebody here actually does!

Take care bro!
 
could be a messed up bladder problem.
 
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