One of my bichirs started displaying lethargy about 2 weeks ago. I moved him to a qt tank, and it became clear that his back half wasn't moving correctly. He's a touch pinker around the head than usual, but no threading on fins. Other inhabitants in his tank (another Senegal and a leopard ctenopoma) are healthy and eating; they've been in a 75g together since winter of 2020.
My tank is sand based, but I was concerned that he may have eaten a ramshorn snail. I dosed his qt tank with metronidazole and salts. He was eating quite a bit so I dosed his food with metro as well.
7 days later no progress on movement but still eating (if offered from tongs right in front of his mouth) so I switched him to kanaplex, in both water and food. He has a decreasing interest in food, even his favorite (thawed shrimp), and his movement control seems to be getting worse. Breathing is looking more labored today as well.
There's a basking platform in the qt tank, so he's in about an inch from the water surface. This video shows how he's moving today when he's not on the platform: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1A3pYPxHcDushWdb8
I welcome any ideas, it's looking pretty dire at this point. Thanks so much for your help.
My tank is sand based, but I was concerned that he may have eaten a ramshorn snail. I dosed his qt tank with metronidazole and salts. He was eating quite a bit so I dosed his food with metro as well.
7 days later no progress on movement but still eating (if offered from tongs right in front of his mouth) so I switched him to kanaplex, in both water and food. He has a decreasing interest in food, even his favorite (thawed shrimp), and his movement control seems to be getting worse. Breathing is looking more labored today as well.
There's a basking platform in the qt tank, so he's in about an inch from the water surface. This video shows how he's moving today when he's not on the platform: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1A3pYPxHcDushWdb8
I welcome any ideas, it's looking pretty dire at this point. Thanks so much for your help.
