Sick Severum

[HumuhumuFan]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If yes, what is your ammonia?

0

If yes, what is your nitrite?

Unknown (ran out of tests)

If yes, what is your nitrate?

Trace to 5ppm

If I did not test my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

What percentage of water do you change?

21-30%

How frequently do you change your water?

Every two weeks

If I do not change my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

I posted about a week ago about trying to get my sick severum to eat some metro soaked food. Sadly he still hasn't eaten.

Tank: 55g Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: Ran out of reagent Nitrate: Trace - 5ppm Ph: 7.8 Temp: 79
Tankmates: 2 angels, 4 black skirt tetras

About 2 weeks ago noticed a cloudy eye on one of the angels and a few HITH pits on the Severum. I did a 50% WC, and did a round of Furan 2. During the big WC I noticed some white stringy poops, so that plus the HITH pits got me worried about Hex. After that I did 2 rounds of General Cure and another a 1/2 round of Furan 2 (apparently there is a shortage right now, Amazon is saying 6/1 for earliest delivery and my LFS said it was on backorder). I just completed the 48 hours 25% WC after the last dose of General Cure, when I moved some of the plants I saw about a 6" clear poop.

At this point, I can't decide if there are actually parasites or if the poo is clear just because he isn't eating anything. I'm about out of ideas, the only thing else I can think of to try is lavamisole, but maybe all the commotion and meds is what put him off food?

Anyways here's some pictures, be warned: his dorsal fin has looked like that since I got him 6 years ago. Someone dumped him off at a local fish store with almost no scales on his sides and most of his fins gone. Someone had him in a tank with a Red Devil, apparently. He looks dead in the first one, but I just moved all of the plants away from his hiding spot doing the water change. The second and third pictures were taken about 30 seconds later after I backed away from the tank.

At this point I guess my options are treat whole tank with lavamisole, move him to a hospital tank and treat lavamisole, or leave him alone and hope for the best.

 

[Rtc/tsn]

I posted about a week ago about trying to get my sick severum to eat some metro soaked food. Sadly he still hasn't eaten.

Tank: 55g Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: Ran out of reagent Nitrate: Trace - 5ppm Ph: 7.8 Temp: 79
Tankmates: 2 angels, 4 black skirt tetras

About 2 weeks ago noticed a cloudy eye on one of the angels and a few HITH pits on the Severum. I did a 50% WC, and did a round of Furan 2. During the big WC I noticed some white stringy poops, so that plus the HITH pits got me worried about Hex. After that I did 2 rounds of General Cure and another a 1/2 round of Furan 2 (apparently there is a shortage right now, Amazon is saying 6/1 for earliest delivery and my LFS said it was on backorder). I just completed the 48 hours 25% WC after the last dose of General Cure, when I moved some of the plants I saw about a 6" clear poop.

At this point, I can't decide if there are actually parasites or if the poo is clear just because he isn't eating anything. I'm about out of ideas, the only thing else I can think of to try is lavamisole, but maybe all the commotion and meds is what put him off food?

Anyways here's some pictures, be warned: his dorsal fin has looked like that since I got him 6 years ago. Someone dumped him off at a local fish store with almost no scales on his sides and most of his fins gone. Someone had him in a tank with a Red Devil, apparently. He looks dead in the first one, but I just moved all of the plants away from his hiding spot doing the water change. The second and third pictures were taken about 30 seconds later after I backed away from the tank.

At this point I guess my options are treat whole tank with lavamisole, move him to a hospital tank and treat lavamisole, or leave him alone and hope for the best.

I feel so bad for that guy he looks so beat up try isolating him I’m not 100% sure what to treat with but try aquarium salt it’s possible that moving everything around and putting so much medication in the water is stressing him out which will only make his condition worse but after a week of leaving him isolated (please keep him in a dark area I find that it helps relieve stress from the fish significantly) and with a bit of aquarium salt in the water hopefully he’ll start eating again keep a close eye on if he eats or not and maybe try praziquantel food soaks in pellets and try to get him to eat that it’ll kill parasites if any present and that’s all I can think of to do I really hope this guy gets better good luck

 

[tlindsey]

I suggest getting a test kit asap and test all parameters
Also suggest stop all the meds and start on a consistent 50% or more weekly water change. If the aquarium is not planted I believe your Nitrate level is way higher than 5ppm.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

I suggest getting a test kit asap and test all parameters
Also suggest stop all the meds and start on a consistent 50% or more weekly water change. If the aquarium is not planted I believe your Nitrate level is way higher than 5ppm.

Yeah, I'll have to pick up a new Nitrite kit this weekend. As far as the Nitrate levels, in the last 2 weeks I've done a 50% water change and four 25% in following the directions on the Furan 2 and General Cure so I'm not surprised the nitrate levels are so low.

EDIT: You are right though, going forward I am going to increase the water change amount and frequency.

 

[djsaltynuts]

looks like he needs seperated and very well oxygenated clean water to have a chance at making it. stressguard could do wonders just for his current state. while the stressguard wont directly help much itll act similar to a pain killer and reduce his stress and reducing his current stress levels are critical to him surviving any longer. looks like he has a pretty high probability of death so if you want him to make it he probably needs seperated today so he can cope with being moved to a new tank.

my guess is it just comes down to poor water quality and maybe inaccurate tests and now youve over done it with meds.

personally id get all the medication out of the tank he looks really stressed so dont do it all at once maybe 2 50% over the next day or two. and keep the water really clean until he completely heals.

 

[FINWIN]

Poor thing

Nothing to add other than darken that substrate, shade off the surface with fake or real floating plants and scrunch up some plants for him to hide around/behind. Put a small pile of round stones in spots if you have them. Hospital tank should be in a calm area with minimal foot traffic. You want to minimize the "glass box" effect as much as possible.

If you don't have a background add one to the back and sides. taped cardboard (brown) works if you don't have film.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Thanks for all the feed back, I'm going to try to just keep up with the water changes and add some StressGuard. My gut is telling me that moving him to a QT is just going to increase stress, plus I've already treated for both bacterial and parasites. In similar threads I found while looking for answers, I saw aquarium salt mentioned a lot. I've never tried that before, anyone have any experience?

And just to clarify, his fins have always looked like that. He was dumped off at my LFS by someone who had him with a Red Devil. He was missing tons of scales on his sides also. The store gave him to me for free because they didn't think he was going to make it. Of note, he was fully grown at the time and that was in 2015 (I have a Spreadsheet where I keep track of purchase and death dates along with test results). So I've had him for about 6 years and he was an adult when I got him. Other than the brief period I had him in the tank with an Oscar, he has always been extremely shy. I know now that keeping an Oscar in a 55g is not feasible, but when he was with the Oscar he would never hide, he was always out swimming and would even hand feed.

Every attempt I've made at getting him a tankmate that would get him out of his shell has failed. I tried a Firemouth and he they got along but he still hid all day. I tried a Festivum, but the Festivum attacked both him and the Firemouth. I setup another tank for the Festivum and then tried his current Angelfish tankmates when the Firemouth died. They've been in there for about a year and a half but he still hides all the time and the Angelfish and him ignore each other.

 

[FINWIN]

Thanks for all the feed back, I'm going to try to just keep up with the water changes and add some StressGuard. My gut is telling me that moving him to a QT is just going to increase stress, plus I've already treated for both bacterial and parasites. In similar threads I found while looking for answers, I saw aquarium salt mentioned a lot. I've never tried that before, anyone have any experience?

And just to clarify, his fins have always looked like that. He was dumped off at my LFS by someone who had him with a Red Devil. He was missing tons of scales on his sides also. The store gave him to me for free because they didn't think he was going to make it. Of note, he was fully grown at the time and that was in 2015 (I have a Spreadsheet where I keep track of purchase and death dates along with test results). So I've had him for about 6 years and he was an adult when I got him. Other than the brief period I had him in the tank with an Oscar, he has always been extremely shy. I know now that keeping an Oscar in a 55g is not feasible, but when he was with the Oscar he would never hide, he was always out swimming and would even hand feed.

Every attempt I've made at getting him a tankmate that would get him out of his shell has failed. I tried a Firemouth and he they got along but he still hid all day. I tried a Festivum, but the Festivum attacked both him and the Firemouth. I setup another tank for the Festivum and then tried his current Angelfish tankmates when the Firemouth died. They've been in there for about a year and a half but he still hides all the time and the Angelfish and him ignore each other.

Sounds like he may be a 'headcase' from long time abuse before you got him. Maybe try guppies or neon tetras? May have to be solo, it happens. Its frustrating when u have a fish that just can't be with tankmates. Been there!

 

[Tj203]

I suggest getting a test kit asap and test all parameters
Also suggest stop all the meds and start on a consistent 50% or more weekly water change. If the aquarium is not planted I believe your Nitrate level is way higher than 5ppm.

My well water comes out at 5ppm lol I agree I don't think it is 5 ppm or he would not have this problem. Looks like the levels in the tank are high IMO.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

I just took this 5 minutes ago. From L to R: Brand new Nitrate kit, Brand new Nitrite kit, the Nitrate kit that I've been using.