Pacu - Is he dead or just playing dead?

[daveman12345]

Hi I just inherited a Pacu. On the way home, he was upside down and at least breathing through his gils. I read that this is normal behavior and that they play dead. By the time I got home, he was upside down and not breathing through his gils at all.

The air bubbles in the bucket he's in is starting to make big bubbles from the slime, and there's the smell of fish in the air. Is he dead?

 

[Gruff Master]

They act like that when stressed or during water changes some times. But you can still see their gills moving and their eyes looking around. But it sounds like you may have a problem. Slime bubbles and foul smells don't usually have happy endings.

 

[Madding]

I think that would indicate death or dying, yes.

 

[daveman12345]

No moving eyes, no gils, very foul smell within an hour.. please respond before I a) contaiminate tank with dead fish or 2) throw out live fish.

I'm going to toss them guys in the next 5 minutes, any thoughts? No movement at all and it's been an hour.

 

[daveman12345]

They are at the bottom of the tank, does that represent buoyancy of a live fish at all?

 

[Gruff Master]

The fish should have reacted some kind of way while you were taking them from the bucket or while placing them in the aquarium. I'm pretty sure the fish are dead.

 

[smpage]

Have you tried poking it? I've found that most fish aren't fans of being poked.

 

[ScubaChick0121]

lol thats what i do^ poke him!

 

[mqktandy]

yup...poke him with a stick.

 

[GhostShrimpMan]

Lol, I'm pretty sure they're dead, but a poke never hurts.