Gill curl advice from a vet... just FYI

[justonemoretank]

Hello all --
I wanted to share some information with you that I received from a fish vet today. My RTC has had gill curl for most of his life, and I was always concerned about it because you hear so many varying opinions on it's effects on the fish. I spoke with a fish vet in my area today about whether or not Guido needs surgery. This gentleman is a vet at several public aquariums in the Southeast. He stated that he believes that calcium deficiency can cause gill curl, and that it may be a sign that Guido needs to take his vitamins. He suggested 100 milligrams of a calcium supplement per week. This is to replace the fish bones, scales, etc. that an RTC would normally consume in the wild. He did not advise surgery, as he does not believe the gill curl negatively effects the health of the fish, and believed that it would unnecessarly stress Guido. I'm sure that many of you have differing opinions on the issue, but I wanted to make this information accessible for anyone who may be searching for it. I know his words certainly calmed my fears about Guido's health.

 

[OmniTranz]

What kind/brand of supplement did he recommend? My RTC is showing the same signs...

 

[justonemoretank]

Any capsule or tablet that you can get at the drug store... he didn't say a brand. He did say that the supplement won't reverse Guido's gill curl. It will only ensure he is healthy and getting everything he needs. However, since you are catching it early, it may work to prevent the condition for your fish. Either way, a cheap store-brand calcium supplement should be pretty cheap, and it's good for your fish, anyway.

 

[OmniTranz]

Does it just need to be in the water (i.e. a powder) or does he actually have to consume it? If the later, that may be easier said than done given my Oscars rarely let anything hit the floor! LOL

 

[justonemoretank]

He would eat it. I figured I'd just stick it inside a squid head or something. I hand-feed my RTC, but you could use a pair of feeding tongs to make sure he gets to it first if you don't hand-feed.

 

[OmniTranz]

Tongs are a good idea and he likes BBQ hotdogs as a treat, that would be easy to sneak a cap into...Thanks!

 

[justonemoretank]

I would avoid feeding foods that contain mammal fat. Since fish are cold-blooded, their body temperature is often much lower than that of a mammal. Since mammal fat is solid at colder temps (think of a stick of butter), it could congeal in the fish's stomach, leading to constipation. It is much better to feed foods he would normally encounter in the wild. And, I'm hoping that you don't need the lecture on how large this guy will grow. I may have to build a new pond for my own in a few years, and he's in 1,000 gallons. I wanted to mention his ultimate size, just in case.

 

[OmniTranz]

Yes, I know, like I said, it's a favorite 'treat' not a daily diet (he very much enjoys frozen krill as well). Mine is currently around 14" and is in a 300 gal, so he's got plenty of room for now.

 

[flyin lizard]

You can try vitamin supplament for iguanas,as they are vegetarian and require a large amount of calcium,also the supp. has many other vutamins and minerals in it. Just a thought.

 

[blurock]

If you catch gill curl early, it is easy to reverse with consistent "ultra clean" water, good food and salt and a bit of a higher temp than usual. My old RTC had had gill curl for about 6 months when I rescued him, and I managed to get it to reverse pretty easily.

The calcium is a very interesting idea though... I feed my guys sinking Hikari Cichlid pellets, silver sides, shrimp, and fish fillets. Which, all of them contain calcium (shrimp if you leave some of the shell on, and fillets if they have the belly/ribs left on them.)
Definitely something to think about. Thanks for sharing with us!