Rope fish Floating Issue - Help!!

[tfreema]

I have 2 rope fish and 3 African butterfly fish in a 30g long quarantine tank. I got them 3/15/19 so I am 45 days into a 60 day quarantine period after which they will go into my 120g. The larger one has started having issues staying down. His but just floats up or he lays at the top of the tank unless he is in his cave. He does swim around normally, but seems distressed.

I can get a video if necessary. See picture below. He just stays in that position for several minutes at a time and seems distressed.

My parameters are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrates 15. I perform a 50% weekly water change. The tank was fully cycled when I added the fish as it was a growout tank for pleco juvies.

I am finding conflicting information from it being gas, bloat, bacterial infection, or parasites - all of which require different treatments. I am hoping someone that has had first hand experience is able to help.

My first impression was that he had gotten some air and cannot release it.

I chose to hold off on treating for parasites since I am doing such a long term quarantine period. I am wondering if that was a mistake. The only thing I have seen him eat is meal worm pieces. They have been offered blood worms, red wriggler worms, shrimp pellets, talapia, raw shrimp, cichlid bug bites, and black worm pellets. Not sure if he ate any. I remove uneaten food and the ramshorn snails take care of anything I miss.

 

[kno4te]

Doesn’t look well. Would move to a qt tank with a low water level. Add some Epsom salt 1 tbsp per 5g and kanamycin. Keep the water clean. Reduce stress. Dim lights and hope for the best.

 

[tfreema]

Is a 10g a good size to use? I will have to do a serious seal up. He is an escape risk. Already somehow squeezed into the HOB filter, but thankfully did not push the lid off to go any further (I have a rock on it now).

Would it hurt to put epsom salt in the 30g tank with the other rope and african butterfly fish in there? I think that would be the least stressful for him. Someone else's post suggested metro (which I have on hand). Would that be as effective as kanamycin (have some kanaplex, but expired 9/2018)?

 

[twentyleagues]

Epsom salts won't hurt the others. All ropefish are wild caught and most need debugging at the least. Unless you have a really good lfs that did it on arrival.

 

[tfreema]

Ok, lights are out for tonight. I am debating adding some epsom salt to the 30g tonight and then doing a large water change tomorrow and adding more dosing for the amount I change out and starting the kanaplex even though it is expired. Hopefully it still has some effectiveness. I would add it tonight, but I want to do a large water change first and then every two days before dosing again.

Thoughts?

 

[kno4te]

See this with ropes a lot showing bloat. Usually don’t make it but will hope for the best. Epsom salt won’t hurt ur fish. As already mentioned by twentyleagues. Kanamycin would be a better choice in my opinion for this. Make sure water level is low so the fish can stay upright.

 

[tfreema]

See this with ropes a lot showing bloat. Usually don’t make it but will hope for the best. Epsom salt won’t hurt ur fish. As already mentioned by twentyleagues. Kanamycin would be a better choice in my opinion for this. Make sure water level is low so the fish can stay upright.

So far he is mostly staying upright and actually swimming normally for periods at a time. Then he takes a nose dive trying to get back to the bottom and sits that way for a while. He is draped on the heater right now with his head and tail down. It is a 30g Long so not a deep tank. I will monitor and move to a 10 gallon that is not filled up all the way if he does not show improvement in a day or two.

I have added 6 tbsp of epsom salts to the 30g tank in hopes that will provide him some immediate relief. Plans are to do a very large water change tomorrow, dose epsom salts back up and dose the kanaplex (I hope the shelf life holds well since it is about 7 months past expiration date - I am ordering some on Amazon prime so the next two doses will be with the new stuff). Then large water changes every 2 days with the kanaplex dose.

Thanks to both of you for your quick responses and help!

 

[tfreema]

Well, I checked the tank first thing and saw the big dude laying normally on the bottom and thought yay! Walked back by and he was in the same exact spot.... he was gone.

Now I need to evaluate what I could have done wrong and correct for the little dude as well as the next batch.

My big question right now is, what does this do to my quarantine period. I am 45 days in with the little dude and 3 African butterfly fish. I was hoping to move them to the main tank mid-May and get a new batch. Do I need to restart the quarantine period?

 

[kno4te]

Well, I checked the tank first thing and saw the big dude laying normally on the bottom and thought yay! Walked back by and he was in the same exact spot.... he was gone.

Now I need to evaluate what I could have done wrong and correct for the little dude as well as the next batch.

My big question right now is, what does this do to my quarantine period. I am 45 days in with the little dude and 3 African butterfly fish. I was hoping to move them to the main tank mid-May and get a new batch. Do I need to restart the quarantine period?

Don’t think you did anything wrong.

Don’t think u need to restart ur qt period. Would just monitor for now.

 

[tfreema]

Welp, this is a very frustrating turn. I was getting quite confident especially after passing the 30 day mark.

I guess I will do a large water change as planned this evening, but forgo adding more Epsom salt and kanaplex. I just hope the little dude left in there continues to do well.

Now I will have some non-expired kanaplex on hand in case it’s needed.

Can anyone provide tips on feeding these guys? I only ever saw the large one eat cut up mealworms. I am concerned that contributed to his bloat situation.

The little guy has eaten red wriggler worms, but ignores bloodworms and mysis shrimp. He has taken shrimp pellets in his mouth to just spit right back out. I have also offered talapia and regular shrimp cut up into little pieces. I just bought some silversides to offer.