Looking for some help - Dorado (Salminus Brasiliensis)

[DB junkie]

Have you tested your water?

No

If I did not test my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

If I do not change my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

Need some advice! Praying someone has seen this - I have a Dorado down - by down I mean not pacing, sitting in the corner. This guy has bulging eyes - very concerning - the color is off. Looks "stiff" I did notice 2 days ago that he looked a lil pinkish in the face and swimming was slightly off. When I approached the tank he darted and fell into formation with the other 2, so didn't think much of it. Now I think of it as the first of noticing anything off with this particular fish.

Has anyone seen anything like this???

I haven't checked water, will be changing once this is posted.

Rest of the tank seems just fine.

 

[DB junkie]

Water change done. Turns out the one that looks to be checking out is a different fish then the one swimming stupid..... Lost a black Aro earlier this year and I'm thinking that fish also swam funny before checking out?!??!

Dropsy? Kanaplex?

 

[duanes]

These fish come from pristine , flowing water with undetectable nitrate, so a very heavy water change schedule is needed to ward off bacterial infections, that often first manifest in the eyes.
If your nitrate level is above 10 ppm (if it were me), I´d double up on frequency and volume of waters changes, to reduce nitrate enough,
to bring nitrate concentration down to lower than 5 ppm. (a regime of perhaps at least 100% per week or more)

 

[DB junkie]

These fish come from pristine , flowing water with undetectable nitrate, so a very heavy water change schedule is needed to ward off bacterial infections, that often first manifest in the eyes.
If your nitrate level is above 10 ppm (if it were me), I´d double up on frequency and volume of waters changes, to reduce nitrate enough,
to bring nitrate concentration down to lower than 5 ppm. (a regime of perhaps at least 100% per week or more)

Thank you for the reply. I'll be the first to admit I've been slacking on the water changes. 2 more rays were added recently I'm sure that didn't help the already lacking maintenance...... That was the first change to stock load in this tank for years, but sadly the maintenance has not grown with the fish.

A harsh reality check I'll be the first to thank you for.

Will try to double up on water changes. I can't up volume as its predetermined (aged vats of RO and tap) and I drop the level in the tank low enough to see dorsal fins out of the water. BUT I can definitely try to do that twice a week........

I do not see any pineconing of the scales..... Could this be popeye and not dropsy????

 

[duanes]

Because where I live (Panama), sometimes the availabilty of waters is iffy.
So what I do, is spread water changes out and do 30% to 40% every other days, so that way I got in about 100% per week, and my cistern is constantly repacing gradually.
I also maintain heavily planted sumps that consume nitrate between water changes.
Below is one such sump.

The 6 ft 125 gal sump, uses Vallisnera and water lilies as submerged plants, and mangrove tree growing above the water surface.

The abilty of these plants to suck up nitrate, offer a little leeway, in case I am prevented by circumstance in doing enough water changes to keep fish healthy,
and I consider them the most crirical part of filtration, once a tank (or tanks) are cycled.