New Bichir Floating

[Teeter]

As long as it’s not upside down it should be fine one of my baby delhezis would float behind the filter for the first month or so but was fine

Alright I’ll keep an eye on her. Turned up the temp a bit like the other user suggested as well.

I do have a Senegal that spent awhile floating as well when I got it around 4”, but I’ve read it’s much more common for young ones compared to the age of the Palmas

 

[Teeter]

Well she’s currently on the bottom breathing heavy. She’s half under a piece of wood which I assume is allowing her to stay on the bottom. Sorry im so worried here, the first 2 bichirs I had shipped to me showed no signs of anything wrong. The floating I understand isn’t an issue, this heavy breathing is just worrying me.

 

[tlindsey]

Well she’s currently on the bottom breathing heavy. She’s half under a piece of wood which I assume is allowing her to stay on the bottom. Sorry im so worried here, the first 2 bichirs I had shipped to me showed no signs of anything wrong. The floating I understand isn’t an issue, this heavy breathing is just worrying me.

Is the Palmas alone. If not have you observed any territorial behavior from other fish.

 

[tlindsey]

Ok reread your thread turn the temperature back down and see if that helps the breathing. Also wild caught Bichir can be harboring parasites but hopefully this is not the case.

 

[Teeter]

Ok reread your thread turn the temperature back down and see if that helps the breathing. Also wild caught Bichir can be harboring parasites but hopefully this is not the case.

The other bichirs were chilling with her while she was floating, just floating with her. Nothing that looked like aggression luckily. Turned the temp back down, and I hope that’s not the case with parasites. Seller says it was eating but obviously that could be a lie to get it sold.

 

[tlindsey]

Seller says it was eating but obviously that could be a lie to get it sold.

Unfortunately it's harder to trust people these days.

 

[Teeter]

Unfortunately it's harder to trust people these days.

Agreed. I’ll keep watching her, if she gets worse I’ll post, if everything’s good I’ll update.

 

[Teeter]

Update: She spent Saturday on the tank floor, and (most of) today floating. She was still breathing heavy, so I dosed the tank with aquarium salt just to see if it’d help. Stopped breathing heavy until tonight when it started again.

I think she may have passed whatever air was trapped in her, but I’m concerned about this heavy breathing. Should I just give it some time before I begin looking into treating whatever it is? Thinking it could be flukes

 

[Rocksor]

give it another 3 days.

 

[Teeter]

So she’s acting pretty normal other than the breathing and not eating, which I expected anyway. Was gonna wait until tomorrow to post but I saw this while I was taking some fish pics today. Looks like damaged tissue or something hanging off the gill area. Nothing to worry about? Thought whatever it is may be contributing to the heavy breathing.