Pale, Gasping Black Arowana

[ewurm]

possibly a female?? I know it's to small to breed but maybe like you said it's seasonal an she's in "heat" per say?? I think I would maybe lower the temp to 80F. cooler water will slow her metabolism and hold more O2. Just a thought. If it were me I would also add 1 tablespoon of salt per 10gals and see if it helps. Keep us updated!! Don't want you to loose your blacky

I agree with salt. Maybe lowering temp will help too?

 

[95socalstang]

Just be careful that the gasping doesnt get worse...I had a 15 inch black get an internal parasite and it started off as gasping, then not eating, then swimming funny, and then in a baggy in my freezer. This happened all within like 7 days.

It turned out to be an internal parasite that the person, who happens to be a vendor on MFK, said would have been killed with the treatment that he should have gotten once imported to the US and was said to have gotten when I was researching the vendor. Needless to say my new black got a nice long parasite treatment as soon as he came into my possession...That was a $230 lesson I learned. I also had 2 royal knives go crazy and die from the same vendor.

My current Black from TFD is doing great...The only thing I can say bad about TFD is that my Niger/shovelnose had an anchor worm which he gave to my aro a week after getting my order from them!

 

[StiffMeister]

Is your blacks stomach still a bit big? I had a similar thing a while back, where he was gasping a bit. His stomach was still a bit full from last day's feeding and he wouldnt eat. Next day i do a water change and he starts throwing up: comes out a frog skull, part of spine and bone of one of the legs... after that all was ok.
Maybe yours has something in his stomach thats bothering him and he cant get it out anymore?

 

[DeLgAdO]

Ok, he didn't eat today, but he stuffed himself full during the last feeding. If you've ever seen an oscar eat so much that food is hanging out of it's mouth and it's gasping, that's what it looks like.

Could he have tried to eat too big of a piece of shrimp during the last feeding and injure himself?

was it just meat? no shell?

 

[rallysman]

Are the tanks in the basement or a hot room ?

It's a fairly warm room.

possibly a female?? I know it's to small to breed but maybe like you said it's seasonal an she's in "heat" per say?? I think I would maybe lower the temp to 80F. cooler water will slow her metabolism and hold more O2. Just a thought. If it were me I would also add 1 tablespoon of salt per 10gals and see if it helps. Keep us updated!! Don't want you to loose your blacky

I may try to lower the temp more. It's cooler outside, so it may drop on its own.

Just be careful that the gasping doesnt get worse...I had a 15 inch black get an internal parasite and it started off as gasping, then not eating, then swimming funny, and then in a baggy in my freezer. This happened all within like 7 days.

It turned out to be an internal parasite that the person, who happens to be a vendor on MFK, said would have been killed with the treatment that he should have gotten once imported to the US and was said to have gotten when I was researching the vendor. Needless to say my new black got a nice long parasite treatment as soon as he came into my possession...That was a $230 lesson I learned. I also had 2 royal knives go crazy and die from the same vendor.

My current Black from TFD is doing great...The only thing I can say bad about TFD is that my Niger/shovelnose had an anchor worm which he gave to my aro a week after getting my order from them!

What would you treat it with to be sure that's not it? I've had this fish for over a year so I'm not sure that's it though.

Is your blacks stomach still a bit big? I had a similar thing a while back, where he was gasping a bit. His stomach was still a bit full from last day's feeding and he wouldnt eat. Next day i do a water change and he starts throwing up: comes out a frog skull, part of spine and bone of one of the legs... after that all was ok.
Maybe yours has something in his stomach thats bothering him and he cant get it out anymore?

It still is bulged a little, but not too much.

was it just meat? no shell?

Tail on IIRC. (no shell)


He was basically acting exactly the same when I got up today.

 

[dodgefreak8]

if you can get it to eat soak its food in a garlic solution like seachems garlic product.

 

[rallysman]

if you can get it to eat soak its food in a garlic solution like seachems garlic product.

I have a bottle of that at home. I'll try it tonight.

 

[ewurm]

if you can get it to eat soak its food in a garlic solution like seachems garlic product.

Garlic Guard is good stuff.

 

[Nic]

I stopped using sea chems garlic and now use kent galicxtreme or ecosystems garlich(best imo) levi my small one kinda had a similar problem after smacking the side of the tank really hard few days later the mouth was normal and he wasn't gasping anymore.... best of luck hope it pulls through.....

 

[AwolAngler]

If you're afraid of an enternal parasite or bacterial infection I'd try an pima fix/melafix combo as directed on the battle... keep your water extra clean and use aquarium salt as directed if you don't already. I personally wouldn't lower the temps... I'd probably go aroun 80-82 add extra airstones or a power head if needed. Best of luck!