Tigrinus looks thin

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
The goldfish were just used to cycle the tank. I havent removed them as they seemed to be irrelevant and dont bother anyone. He does not eat them.

I will pull him from the tank and post photos directly of the spots I see issues with.

He may not now but can at any moment, which, given his condition may not be all that terrible; it's just if he starts eating live, you may have problems weaning him off, plus goldfish are a bad diet (fat + thiaminase, people say).

I'd not put him through any stress unless you deem it absolutely necessary and a risk-to-life situation. He needs stress-free environment and good diet and lots of WCs.
 
Would daily water changes be recommended at this point? Like 20% perhaps? Also how do I keep track of salt? I know it doesnt go away like medication and the salinity will only keep going up if I keep dosing with salt. How do I keep it in check and what level should it be at when medicating?

The box says 1 rounded tablespoon for every 5 gallons. So 7 table spoons for my 35 gallon hospital tank. If I remove 20% do I add 20% of 7 table spoons? (1.4 table spoons) after the change?

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i would change the water daily maybe not quite 20% he is looking extremly thin and as stated close to death power feed anything he will accept.
 
Would daily water changes be recommended at this point? Like 20% perhaps? Also how do I keep track of salt? I know it doesnt go away like medication and the salinity will only keep going up if I keep dosing with salt. How do I keep it in check and what level should it be at when medicating?

The box says 1 rounded tablespoon for every 5 gallons. So 7 table spoons for my 35 gallon hospital tank. If I remove 20% do I add 20% of 7 table spoons? (1.4 table spoons) after the change?

20% daily sounds good.

IDK why you are medicating with salt (for the redness you mentioned?), hence cannot recommend the level either. If just a prophylactic, 0.5 teaspoon per gallon is fine. Same as 1 tablespoon (level) per 6 gallons. This is all approximate.

Your math is right when one aims to replenish the salt taken out with a WC.
 
... power feed anything he will accept.

Absolutely. This is task #1 (needless to say while keeping the water pristine and NH3 and NO2 free). That is why I mentioned that even feeders may be ok too because he really, really needs to start eating something. There is no time for much experimenting with foods.

Salt will make him less comfortable = more stressed = less appetite, just to keep in mind and to weigh pros and cons of what you are doing.
 
Update: he really seemed to round the corner the week. He is eating like a pig and until his belly is stuffed and rounded (like every other catfish I have owned) He is starting to thicken up slightly which wasnt that tough considering how skinny he was. His fins are almost back to perfect and he seems happy as a clam in his cave. He swims around every once in a while but always returns to his cave.

Id like to thank you all for your suggestions and help he might not be 100% quite yet and is still quite a way from being returned into my 180 with the rest of the gang but I believe he is very much on his way!!


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Vertical- Being or situated at right angles to the horizon; upright.

Do some research and you will see that a juruense or tigrinus that swims vertically in one spot is stressed! Do you think it's natural for these cats to swim vertical in one spot in the wild?

Ask anybody that has owned one for a few years.

To prove my point just google "tigrinus catfish swimming vertically"

Here is just one example.
http://aquatictankbusters.blogspot.ca/2012/04/tigrinus-catfish-merondontotus-tigrinus.html

Read the second last paragraph.

this is rubbish tigs swim vertical all the time its not stress they like to swim in theflow of a filter outlet

my tig is 26" and 5 years old and swim like this all the time as soon as food hits the water he will hunt until no food if left in the tank then return to swimming vertical its not stress thats for sure
 
Update: he really seemed to round the corner the week. He is eating like a pig and until his belly is stuffed and rounded (like every other catfish I have owned) He is starting to thicken up slightly which wasnt that tough considering how skinny he was. His fins are almost back to perfect and he seems happy as a clam in his cave. He swims around every once in a while but always returns to his cave.

Id like to thank you all for your suggestions and help he might not be 100% quite yet and is still quite a way from being returned into my 180 with the rest of the gang but I believe he is very much on his way!!


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right your tig is very thin and if you feed salt foods like prawn shrimp or mussel until he is stuffed you will kill him

feed hikari sinking carnivore or massivore at night with the lights off and not unil he is stuffed maybe 1 or 2 massivore per night

once he gets to 12" then salt foods are ok

you need lots and lots of air and water flow in the tank

when tigs are small there hunt area is very small so you will need to drop pellets very close to him
 
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