Hi there,
I am brand new and come looking for your help. I have a polypterus senegalus that lives in a 10 g. tank with appropriate filtration and live plants, completely by himself. I’ve had him for a little over 5 years, and he’s grown to be about 6 in., without any issues. His diet consist exclusively of frozen bloodworms, and he has been on the same food brand throughout the whole time.
A week ago, I came home to find him in an upright position: as if his tail was being weighed down, and his head pointing straight towards the top of the tank. He was not floating listlessly around, but somehow remained stationary.
Since I have no hospital tank, I took him out (was able to grab him with my hand, but he did flap his flippers) and placed him in a Tupperware with water from the tank. My concern at the time was that he would not be able to swim up to breathe.
He stayed there for a day, while I did a 75% water change, and started to behave normally in the tupperware the following day. I put him back.
Then, two days ago, I noticed him resting in the same place (in a normal position) where I had left him in the morning before going to work. I nudged him gently with my hand, and he tried to move, but it seemed as if the lower half of his body would not respond. I did a water test and everything came back fine (ammonia, nitrites and nitrates came back within the ideal ranges.) I tried to feed him in the tank, and he ate the worms that landed closest to him, but could not swim to the ones that were but 2 inches away.
Again, I took him out, and placed him in the tupperware (air accessibility concerns). Yesterday he showed no signs of improvement, but his underbelly began showing a very slight redness (due to him remaining stationary the whole day, I believe.) To avoid this, I put him back in the tank, and placed him atop a broad leaf of a plant where he usually enjoys resting.
Woke up this morning to find him on the gravel, on his side. I took him out again and placed him in the tupperware upright.
I’ve looked around and I fear it might be a bacterial infection even though he shows none of the common signs I’ve read about (no bloating, no blood streaks, no reddening of the gills, no worms present anywhere.) I really want to help this guy out, but don’t even know where to begin.
If anyone has any thoughts on this, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
I am brand new and come looking for your help. I have a polypterus senegalus that lives in a 10 g. tank with appropriate filtration and live plants, completely by himself. I’ve had him for a little over 5 years, and he’s grown to be about 6 in., without any issues. His diet consist exclusively of frozen bloodworms, and he has been on the same food brand throughout the whole time.
A week ago, I came home to find him in an upright position: as if his tail was being weighed down, and his head pointing straight towards the top of the tank. He was not floating listlessly around, but somehow remained stationary.
Since I have no hospital tank, I took him out (was able to grab him with my hand, but he did flap his flippers) and placed him in a Tupperware with water from the tank. My concern at the time was that he would not be able to swim up to breathe.
He stayed there for a day, while I did a 75% water change, and started to behave normally in the tupperware the following day. I put him back.
Then, two days ago, I noticed him resting in the same place (in a normal position) where I had left him in the morning before going to work. I nudged him gently with my hand, and he tried to move, but it seemed as if the lower half of his body would not respond. I did a water test and everything came back fine (ammonia, nitrites and nitrates came back within the ideal ranges.) I tried to feed him in the tank, and he ate the worms that landed closest to him, but could not swim to the ones that were but 2 inches away.
Again, I took him out, and placed him in the tupperware (air accessibility concerns). Yesterday he showed no signs of improvement, but his underbelly began showing a very slight redness (due to him remaining stationary the whole day, I believe.) To avoid this, I put him back in the tank, and placed him atop a broad leaf of a plant where he usually enjoys resting.
Woke up this morning to find him on the gravel, on his side. I took him out again and placed him in the tupperware upright.
I’ve looked around and I fear it might be a bacterial infection even though he shows none of the common signs I’ve read about (no bloating, no blood streaks, no reddening of the gills, no worms present anywhere.) I really want to help this guy out, but don’t even know where to begin.
If anyone has any thoughts on this, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
