Silver Arowana Gill Curl?

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hmoobvwj

hmoobvwj

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Feb 13, 2008
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Hey all. I have 9 silver arowanas, all around 7" in a 55 gallon. I couldn't help but notice they almost all besides like 2 are developing gill curl not exactly on the gill but lower where it reaches their fin. It curls outwards and I was wondering what the **** is wrong! My water is perfect:
20 PPM Nitrate, 0 Nitrite and 0 Ammonia, PH around 6.5-7ish. Temp is around 86 or 88. I know its not due to air as I have other fish in there and none are developing this gill curl thingy.

Any suggestions? HELP!!!!
 
I've read somewhere that if Arowanas are kept in a tank too small for them their growth would be stunted and one symptom is curled back gills as they dont have enough spave to swim. I've also read that they need to be in a big tank over 150 gallons or something. Not sure if they will recover if you move them but u can look into it further. Just look for stunted arowana or something on google
 
any pictures?might not be gill curl but like above lack of space,oxygen,water can cause gill curl
 
Pics would help, what happened to the tenth one?
 
The 10th one is why I don't want to but them in my 180 gallon yet. I don't have the things to cover the tubes for the filter inlets so one got sucked up and died from it. I thought they were to big to get sucked but I guess not. I will try and get pictures ASAP, so there is no way to cure this now? If so this sucks as I wanted a community of silvers without any defects...
 
add some flow. it should help..

If not then you will have to knock out the fish and cut the gill off.
 
First of all, your water isn't "perfect" if it has 20 ppm nitrates..
And you having 9 7" aro's in a 55 gallon accompanied by other fish is a bit much.
Just because your other fish in the tank are not getting it, doesnt mean it isnt due to lack of air. How many of what kind of fish do you have in the tank with them? What kind of filtration? any powerheads? I know if I had that many aros in that small of tank (wich I never would), I would have that thing full of powerheads and connected to bookoo filtration.
 
Thanks Hao for the link but I read all of those threads already. :)
Just didn't know if my case was the same case as those I have seen or read of... I just added a powerhead and will only turn it on for 30 mins or so a day to see if that helps.
I also change around 10 gallons of water daily on the 55 if that helps + I might just put them in the 180 and buy the pieces to go over the inlets for the filters. This sucks man I don't want a community of silver with DE and now I'm stuck with possible gill curl....

The video should be up in around 10 mins...IDK if you guys can notice but it is silvery and shiny on the gill is where it curls outward a little. Tried taking pics but pics sucks like heck and can't see nothing...
 
I know it's a little cram but the rule the surface. As for their tankmates it is: One 6" Discus, one 1.5" Dovii, two 1.5" Peacock Bass, and 2 3" Clown Loaches.

My filtration system is two Emperor 400s and a powerhead which is turned on 30 mins a day only for safety of the smaller fish.

BTW why don't I see any other arowanas getting gill curl when they are crammed in the "Asian" style tanks? Or just crammed in a tank in general by other members? Care to explain...BTW you can't really have a perfect reading of 0 Nitrate.
 
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