Urgent Help Required

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daleteekz

Gambusia
MFK Member
Oct 27, 2011
205
0
16
Sydney, Australia
So I saw my target fish struggling in my breeding setup that I am cycling. So I moved him into my main tank. Only problem is, its mouth looks like it is stuck open, and the gills also stuck open.

I have never seen this before in a fish, what can I do?

He is now struggling even more!
 
Before he was not swimming straight, kind of on a sideways lean. I had 2 others not survive the cycle either, so I wanted to try and make sure this one made it through by moving him into a square breeding net in my established tank. I had been putting in stability every day to help out.

But now his mouth is completely open, like in a big circle, and his gills are puffed out. There is no redness or any other markings on him. But he is also now just on the bottom, upside down. I cant see him breathing, but I can pick him up and force the mouth closed. Then it just opens again like a spring. But after I had him out of the water for 5-10 seconds he kept closing and opening his mouth. So ive put him back in the water, but again, back to completely open and upside down on the bottom.
 
Yes actually. This will take time and a gentle touch.
Keep the temp as it was before he tightened up.
Move him back and forth in the water to get o2 through his gills.
Massage his gills. Open and close them.
Do this for 10 minutes or in till he calms.
Once he is calmed, leave lights out and wait.
Did you do a water change with cold water? Or warm water?
 
Thanks for the advice.

No water change. Just a change in tanks. If anything, the tank he went into was slightly warmer than my cycling tank. Its something I have done previously with no issues at all.

The gills have closed, but I am not getting any other type of response from this fish.
 
I have no idea what went wrong. Maybe just a young fish and did not like the small trip in the net? I dont think it was the water, unless that happens instanteously? It was almost like it happened as soon as he hit the water, or even before.
 
Ok, since the gills are closed....are they moving on there own? If so, then flex the mouth...close them if they atomically open. Keep doing this intill calmed. Once calmed, lights out and wait.

PH shock and temp shock would do this to a fish. If its a dramatic change, this might happen.
 
The gills are closed, but the fish itself is not moving. Cant feel it breathing or anything. No movement whatsoever.

Im assuming some fish might be more sensitive than others? I have done it in the past week with some gold severums with no issues.

Could possibly be PH. This setup it came from is 7.8. I have not measured the other tank, but it generally sits around 6.6-7.0. I did not even think about that since I hadnt had the issue before.
 
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