Trevor the flowerhorn needs help!

[CaptainBarouq]

Ok so, I got this guy about 3 weeks ago, and since I've had him he has spent more and more time upside down, with his kok always being the lowest point on his body. He used to be able to right himself really easily, and would be right side up most of the time, but now it seems like a struggle for him.

I thought it was either something to do with his swim bladder or that he was just a weirdo, but I contacted his previous owner and he said he never had any swim bladder issues, and was normally upright, so it might be that I was just overfeeding him. So, I cut back his feeding to 2 pellets a day until he started correcting himself, but that never happened.

I looked into remedies for bloating and swim bladder issues and everywhere I looked said epsom salt baths at 1 tbsp per gallon for 5-10 minutes and they should be good after 4 or 5 days. I've been doing that once a day, for three days, as well as adding a little epsom salt to his main tank (1 tbsp in 67g) and he has continued to get progressively worse. It's to the point where he won't chase my finger anymore, which he did quite readily when I first got him.

I am in canada and there are tons of medications which you have to go through a vet to obtain now and the only aquatic vets in my area are not taking new clients and not giving prescriptions to non clients.

Any advice you can give helps.

 

[Nilsafeller]

Post some pictures... what are water parameters... if its swim bladder... good chance he wont make it.. salt may help and stop feeding him.
What do u feed him anyways? Flowerhorns have terrible track records for sickness from overfeeding.. they have weak genetics

 

[CaptainBarouq]

Water parameters are:
Temp 82 F
Ph 7.4
Ammonia and nitrites 0
Nitrates < 40

I feed him omega one cichlid pellets. This whole time he hasn't lost his appetite and will readily dive at food.

 

[kno4te]

I’d say get it to a vet since u have no access to meds. Atleast it’ll get treated directly. Lower the water level so it can stay upright. Clean water.

 

[CaptainBarouq]

The strangest thing is that he sinks to the bottom regularly instead of floating. Forgive me if I'm wrong (I've only been keeping fish since september) but isn't that the telltale sign of swim bladder issues?

 

[Nilsafeller]

The strangest thing is that he sinks to the bottom regularly instead of floating. Forgive me if I'm wrong (I've only been keeping fish since september) but isn't that the telltale sign of swim bladder issues?

you are correct sir

 

[CaptainBarouq]

you are correct sir

I worded that poorly. Isn't floating the go to sign of swim bladder issues?

 

[Nilsafeller]

I worded that poorly. Isn't floating the go to sign of swim bladder issues?

Not being able to swim or float correctly.. fish can float upside down.. face down... sideways... if they cannot correct themselves it's a swim bladder issue... as far as I know it can be corrected if caught early on and treated but usually doesnt make a recovery... fish could die or be unable to swim correctly for the rest of their life... usually the fish gets put down.

 

[Man-made Monsters]

This flowerhorn looks like he's very old. He might be at the end of his life span. Sadly flowerhorns these days usually only live 3-6 years. If you are lucky and you get one with great genes it might live 7-9 years. Do you know how long the last owner had this flowerhorn for?

 

[CaptainBarouq]

This flowerhorn looks like he's very old. He might be at the end of his life span. Sadly flowerhorns these days usually only live 3-6 years. If you are lucky and you get one with great genes it might live 7-9 years. Do you know how long the last owner had this flowerhorn for?

3 years