Help out my Jag!! Possible swim bladder issues

[big dovii]

Hey all;

I'm having a problem with my big Jaguar cichlid, who I've had for about 5 years. He's about 14" TL, and is a very thick and tall fish as well. About a month ago he started swimming funny, and I figured it'd just pass, as this happened in the first year or 2 I had him. He is very colorful, he's fed NLS large fish formula, and Hikari Bio Gold.

Symptoms:

He lays on the bottom all day in my 230 gallon, he's very colourful, and only swims when he needs to either, A.) Eat, or B.) chase another fish out of his territory. I think he is having issues with his swim bladder personally, as he sinks very quickly, and instead of just using his dorsal, anal, and caudal fins as a steering mechanism, he uses them to gain speed/momentum as well.

He's in a 230 gallon CA/SA cichlid community, he is the largest fish in the tank, and he has no threats.

My water is USUALLY good, but on days that I have to work more, and am not able to do WC's, they may suffer a tiny bit. I usually do between 25-50% 3 times weekly on the tank, and it usually happens only twice. The filtration is a sump w/ biotower that I created myself, the first drawer being a pre filter of poly wool, and the second drawer is stuffed with biomax and bio balls.

So if anyone has any input, let me know, it's greatly appreciated!!


Quinn

 

[Lupin]

Sinks quickly? This is not a sign of swim bladder disorders. From your description, it has no buoyancy problems at all. It could simply be fat and the fins were unable to support its body weight. Do you have pics? Cut back on feeding to every other day if you cannot cope with the usual routine of three times a week water changes. What are the water parameters?

 

[big dovii]

He swims funny. I know it's not the fish being overweight, if anything he's a bit skinny. The PH is 7.4, it rarely changes. My ammonia is 0 Nitrites 0, and Nitrates are >20PPM. The tank is pretty healthy I would say. I have some pictures in my album on here, the fish looks no different, he just is having balance issues. I only feed him every 2nd day as well, he only eats floating pellets, while the other fish are eating sinking pellets.

 

[Lupin]

Is his belly hollow? How does his poo look? Stop feeding him floating pellets. I'd stick to sinking pellets. Floating pellets tend to give most specimens swim bladder issues as they ingest the air while they eat what is floating around.

 

[big dovii]

Is his belly hollow? How does his poo look? Stop feeding him floating pellets. I'd stick to sinking pellets. Floating pellets tend to give most specimens swim bladder issues as they ingest the air while they eat what is floating around.

He kinda looks a bit skinny, and actually looks sunken in. I'm gonna lay off feeding my fish for a couple days, see what it does. Is there a parasite that could cause a problem? I don't wanna use meds, but was wondering what to you use if I have to.

 

[big dovii]

Anyone?

 

[Lupin]

Use PraziPro or levamisole hydrochloride. It's possible for it to contract internal parasites.

 

[big dovii]

Use PraziPro or levamisole hydrochloride. It's possible for it to contract internal parasites.

Put him in a quarantine tank to do so? I took him out today to look, as he has always had this little lump on his back, and I figured it was either just a deformation, or he broke his back before I had him. He also has a red anus, would could that be a sign of? It looked as if it was about to bleed...

 

[Lupin]

Do you have pics of the anus?

 

[ohhsweetness]

i think mine has the same thing mayb ??