help sick Acarichthys heckelii

[outsider1911]

As the title states i have a sick acarichthys heckelii.. he is always on a 45 degree with his head being the top... he wiggles kind of like a snake as if he is struggling. occasionally he sits on the bottom of the tank. He doesn't eat and is breathing faster than normal. He has been like this for over a week now. No one else is the tank is doing anything out of the ordinary just the largest heckelii. i haven't added any medicine as i have no idea what it can be... any ideas on what it could be or what could help? thanks!

 

[outsider1911]

that's how he spends most the days, breathing fast.... occasionally sitting down on the sand.. not at the top of the water like he's struggling to get air...

 

[Charney]

when he is "sitting" how is his body positioned?

 

[outsider1911]

on his belly. not on his sides. today i noticed a red lump under his dorsal fin. i think he has a serious issue.

 

[Charney]

I would put in a qt tank and shot gun treat him. try oxytet and salt

 

[outsider1911]

i ended up putting him down... he didn't get any better with prazipro.. he seemed to be really suffering and with the new addition to the weird red growth under his dorsal fin (somewhat visible in pic above) i figured it was some sort of tumor or something uncurable.

 

[Charney]

sorry about the loss. sounds like the right decision

 

[Jenrn22]

Good info