Please help...my FM is acting strange???

[Lady G]

I agree with mystix. How much do you have in the tank for hiding places? If the fm is the biggest in the tank, then he's probably gonna be on the devil/midas' list for one the first to knock off.

I have quite a bit of driftwood, and rock, then a big plant he likes to be in the most.
Here is how the driftwood is set up

Then this is the way the tank itself is set up.

Here is the plant he likes.

Any suggestion as far as the tank is set up??
The only other tank I have that he (the RD) could go in would be my tank with my oscar, but he is pretty big (about nine inches).

Your nitrates are a 10?
Is he the smallest fish?
If so possible nitrate poisoning - the nitrates will replace oxygen when binding to red blood cells. The fish could be in perfectly aerated water and still be suffering from a lack of oxygen. Also if he is the smallest fish, it will affect him first and also the worst. Check to see if the others are not breathing normally. Perhaps drop the temperature a couple of degrees (but not too low) to increase oxygen saturation.

No, aside from my Gold Sev's he is the biggest in the tank.
My tank always has some trates, even after a water change. I don't remember how much but it is in my tap from the start. I use Prime as a conditioner.

Nitrates at 10 being a problem?

My tapwater has 5ppm Nitrate straight from it.

See, mine always has some trates in it too no matter what. If it is over 10 I freak a little and do a water change, but 10 is pretty norm for my tank.

 

[Lady G]

Guys he isn't doing any better, and he is not eating now either...I am very worried about him

 

[japes]

I lost a Firemouth from something that didn't appear to be physical, but after much research, it was the only explanation unless he just 'died'.

Was heavy breathing, his pelvic fins were extended most of the time, and he wasn't eating, but was aware of his surroundings.

Hopefully yours can pull through, he's a fair bit bigger than my poor little guy was.

 

[japes]

I lost a Firemouth from something that didn't appear to be physical, but after much research, it was the only explanation unless he just 'died'.

Was heavy breathing, his pelvic fins were extended most of the time, and he wasn't eating, but was aware of his surroundings.

Hopefully yours can pull through, he's a fair bit bigger than my poor little guy was.

 

[Mystix212]

If I could keep any of my tanks at a steady 10ppm nitrates, my self-esteem would skyrocket. My tapwater is 6ppm and my tankwater is about 35-40ppm by the end of the week on my heaviest stocked tank. A 50% water change brings it down to 10-15ppm on average.

Apart from not eating and a high breathing rate, is there anything else irregular with the firemouth? Just for the record, by the looks of the tank on the right there is absolutely NO chance of a lack of oxygen

 

[Lady G]

I think I'm loosing him guys, he is laying at the bottom of the tank, just breathing really hard. Gets up and swims for a second then lays back at the bottom!!!

Mystix-No, I see nothing at all wrong with him. His fins look fin, his color even looks normal, no gashes in his sides or tears or anything..I'm very confused on this one. Everyone else in the tank is normal too, no one is acting funny, just him????

 

[Headrush]

have you seen him poop? SOunds like a funny question but he could be bloated?

Check for white poo = bacterial infection.

Maracyn worked very well for me when I had a problem with this

Look inside his gills also for "Flukes" Possibly a parasite. Just throwing out some more ideas...would hate for you to lose him. Will check back later as I can't view the pics here (at work...shhhhhhhhh)

 

[Lady G]

As far as poop, I have no idea..I really haven't seen him poop. I looked at his gills, not sure what "flukes" are but they are really red inside. I did notice on his bottom lip, he has a red spot, my battery is charging for my camera then I can take a pic.

 

[Mystix212]

Maybe its just his time...? A bad batch of eggs?

 

[Liam]

When I saw the title for this thread I imagined a FM smoking weed, lol.

IMO i think he's stressed