Rainbowfish with swim bladder

[Cardeater]

Update:

Second round of Kanaplex is finishing tonight. Fish looks the same. I haven't fed since I moved him Saturday. I'm debating on what to do next.

I was thinking of trying peas tonight before the water change. After reading some threads, this is to relieve constipation but Epson salts should have relieved that so it's likely not the problem. After the first day, there were a few small pieces of poop. Nothing until today. Now he's dragging a piece of clear poop. I'm assuming it's just mucus layer from the Epson salt causing him to go.

I'm assuming it isn't internal parasites as i dewormed all fish that I've put in the main tank with levamisole and general cure. I suppose my original 4 fish could have them (but they are 20+ years old) or parasites survived the treatment (I do two rounds of general cure.and levamisole I do twice (two weeks apart) as part of my quarantine. Fish in main tank aren't showing any symptoms (only pleco has long poop but that's what they do I think).

I guess right now I just.do.the full 3 rounds of Kanaplex.

I realize that this swim bladder might just be damage that can't be fixed but I guess I might as well try what I can.

I'll try peas.and then water change and add another round of Kanaplex. I read a thread that suggested possibly not feeding for a week?

I have general cure lying around so I don't know if I should try that.

Thanks for any input. I'm just guessing on a course of action

 

[kno4te]

Would hold on feeding for a week and reassess it.

 

[Cardeater]

Would hold on feeding for a week and reassess it.

Okay. Thanks for quick reply. As stated third and final (Kanaplex says 3 rounds maximum) will be dosed tonight after a water change. I'll post again Saturday as that'll be a week of no food.

 

[kno4te]

Okay. Thanks for quick reply. As stated third and final (Kanaplex says 3 rounds maximum) will be dosed tonight after a water change. I'll post again Saturday as that'll be a week of no food.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Cardeater]

Fish is the same. Swims around the QT tank at a 45 degree angle. I guess this is better than being unable to move off the bottom or being upside down.

What's the plan now? I imagine I should feed him now? When I get up later (Sat afternoon) It'll be a week since he's been in QT with no food and three doses of Kanaplex.

I read in other threads that peas or something with roughage was recommended (but also this probably won't do anything as Epson salt should have cleared his system). I have frozen daphnia, frozen baby brine shrimp, frozen Canadian mysis (Hikari version and the Cobalt one that had Selco Boost), plus NLS float, Probiotic, Grow, and Thera A.

I've been thinking what could have caused this. As I said initially, maybe over feeding but I really didn't feed that much more than usual (but I have resumed the 1-2 days fasting for display.). I think damage from him getting spooked. Also I'm not draining the water too low. I saw the 12" pleco splash around two water changes before I noticed this problem and maybe he damaged a fish then. pleco.flipped out bc water got too low. Also maybe a syphon moved and damaged a fish but I didn't see this happen.

Thanks. I accept that this fish might never recover but I might as well feed him and maybe try something else.

 

[Cardeater]

So after that week of fasting I tried feeding. I saw him try to eat from surface and he seemed to gulp air possibly. Swim bladder got worse because he went from 45 degree angle to more vertical.

I probably should euthanize but it looks like I'm just gonna dump some food in and water change.


He got even worse last week. Went from swimming at that 45 degree angle to splitting his time laying on the bottom and swimming.

I guess it was an injury that caused his issue. Debating if it's worth throwing a round of general cure just as a last ditch effort since I have the meds lying around.

 

[Cardeater]

Just updating for completeness. I know I get frustrated when I do searches and the thread never gets updated with results.

Fish just died. I probably should have euthanized but I don't have clove oil and never have been comfortable with euthanizing them.

I figured when the rounds of antibiotics and Epson salt didn't work that he probably wasn't gonna get better.

After the week of fasting he ate when I fed but he was having a hard time and he gulped air trying to grab the food. As I said above, he started to be even more tilted.

I'm pretty sure he didn't eat after that. I'd leave food in for and hour or two and then water change. I'd hope he ate but probably didnt.

He was laying in the bottom of the tank most of the time and then trying to swim when I got close so I already accepted he was near death.

I assume he got injured somehow. Maybe he jumped into the lid as I've heard splashing in the tank before. Maybe the pleco scared him or ran into him. Also the rainbows chase each other at times and I've seen damage from them running into things.

 

[kno4te]

Sorry for the loss.