Ornate bichir with fast breathing, help pls

[ganymede624]

Hi there,

I brought home my ornate bichir around 10 days ago. The bichir is approx 15cm. At first, I put him into the tank with the rtg arowana (about 28cm), after he'd got attacked in the tail, I immediately transferred him into another tank with another albino arowana (18cm).
After 2-3 days, he hadn't eaten anything, yet he was active as he swam around the tank, BUT he often breathed fast when staying at the bottom of the tank. I fed him feeder fish, but he didn't take them, so the albino aro had all of the stuff.
2 days ago, he still breathed fast and not eating, and I saw the albino biting him, but not as strong as the rtg aro did it to him before...Anyway, the ornate bichir became quite sluggish as he didn't move much and kept breathing fast with his gills flapping all the times, and he'd got his fins frayed too. Then I put him into a quarantine tank with rock salt and methylene blue to prevent infection to his skin and fins due to the attack. When being in the quarantine tank, he stopped breathing fast, yet he didn't make movement much. After one day, I let him return to the tank with the albino arowana again. Yesterday, he had 1-2 feeder fish for the first time, but he was still "dopey", as he didn't move much, just lay at the bottom of the tank and still breath fast sometimes (well, I still see his gills and mouth open and close all the times).
The tank is approx 100c x 40 x 30, nitrate, nitrite and ammonia levels are normal and the pH is 7-7.5

Please help this ornate bichir!

Kind regards,

P.S: Strangely, I also have another albino bichir, which is smaller than this ornate bichir's, but he gets along well with the rtg arowana and being pretty energetic. I don't understand why this ornate bichir got attacked by my aros when the albino bichir has no problem with the aro?!?

 

[ganymede624]

Please help my bichir, he is still sluggish,doesn't make as much movements as when he came to the tank for the first few days and still breathes non-stop.

Many thanks,

 

[uncwnells]

sounds like your ornate has had a super stressful first few days, to be honest, Im surprised its not already dead.

 

[jacks]

you could try this. cover the tank for a couple of days with a blanket and turn off the tank lights, dosing in a little salt will probably help as it put electrolites in the water apparantly

 

[West1]

I would add aquarium salt (I do this with every water change) and the more you move him, the more you will stress him out.
Bichirs dont swim that much and try to give him somewhere to hide (rock, plants, driftwood) incase the aro (tankmates in general) tries to pick on him again. As for breathing hard, maybe there is not enough air in the water (air bubbles)... just a thought.

Maybe he is just scared as he is a new addition and in a week or so he will be acting normal.

Also, try to stay away from feeders (market shrimp, pellets etc... is way better) cause you risk giving him a parasite

Last but not least, stay away from meds... post your problems before going to meds. Usually it is as simple as waiting or aquarium salt

(this is based on what your saying and what I think)

 

[ganymede624]

Thank bros,

Now I seperated the ornate bichir into a quarantine tank with an air-stone and aquarium salt. As my albino bichir has no problem with the rtg aro, I just wonder if this ornate bichir can have any chance to get along with my aros when he recovers (if he did)?

 

[Bue]

I would guess that they are picking on him because he is not feeling 100%. If other fish sense that one is sick, they will bully him. I think when/if he gets better they should all get along fine, but then again, tranquility between different species of fish depends a lot on each individual's personality.......