Vieja Zonatum not taking food?

[goatcrapp]

It's been about a week - he's not at all interested in eating.

This same fish would beg for food within hours of feeding it, prior to this.

the only difference that i notice in the tank's water conditions is that over the past several weeks, the PH has gone from 7.0 to 7.5 - it's been a very gradual increase, and is a result of my tap water. temp is a constant 77

His color has darkened during this process.


everything else is great - no ammonia, no ph crashes, very low nitrates.


I've tried switching up his food a bit - different pellets (shrimp, algae, earthworm sticks, etc) and dumped a few feeders in there (i treat him to minnows every once in a while)

Nothing is jumpstarting his appetite.

OTHER than that - he looks good. Nothing visible inside his mouth, such as fungus or other obvious signs of infection. no drooping fins, nor any rot, cloudiness of the eyes, etc.

He's for the most part still very active, and doesn't appear to have lost weight. Gill function is its normal rate, not accelerated, or etc. The tank is fairly well aerated.

Ideas? I'd hate to lose this fish.

 

[labiatus55]

not sure whats up, I know when my big zonatus goes dark its stressed, but its always ready for its next meal. good luck

 

[goatcrapp]

Update:

Still not sure what's up... water quality meaures out ok, but i took some water to the LFS, just to verify my numbers against theirs (in case my chemicals went bad, etc) and they're the same so that rules that out.

Something is definitely up though, b/c the feeders i placed in there are all developing a curled appearance, and swimming one-finned.

The zonata has grown lethargic - and hangs out at the bottom of the tank mostly.. but livens up every now and then and halfheartedly chases after a feeder.

I've been doing a 1/4 to 1/3 water change every day for the past few days, and am running a secondary filter now loaded with carbon, just in case there's something that made its way into the water.

I've started a regimen of pimafix, in case there's something fungal (the feeders that died have developed a fuzzy appearance very quickly)

Should I also start a melafix dosing, or some other med?

 

[big dovii]

if you are using carbon, it totally defeats the purpose of medicine.
i personally think he has an internal infection

use kanaplex to heal it with epson salts imo
also jack the heat up to like 85

 

[goatcrapp]

update:

He is swimming weird, early swim bladder problems?

More importantly, He's showing some swelling in his vent area... I'm guessing this points at worms.

Are there any GOOD retail dewormers in LFS's - I obviously don't have time to order something and await delivery. Everything i've seen says i have to act quick once the anus starts swelling.

 

[ShadowStryder]

Definitely sounds internal, treat immediately. On many occassions when swelling starts it is getting to late to treat.
Must remove Carbon as Big Dovii stated, it will remove all medication added.

 

[tydus]

Have you tired aquarium salt?

 

[goatcrapp]

yah, epsom salts, brought the SG to 1.020

I've removed the carbon, and have been doing big water changes (1/3 or so)

I've stopped now that i'm getting meds in there, and following the instructions (big water change on the third day)

Anyways, update on the fish - after reading up some more, i'm treating it as bloat.

His vent area swelled up badly, and he's been floating ass-end up ever since. I've been treating with tetra cycline.

I've also been told to start a regimen of clout - is it okay to medicate with both simultaneously? should i avoid clout?

anyways - after 28-30 hours from the first (and second day's) dose of tetracycline, the swelling has reduced, but is not completely gone. He is still floating back end up, but seems pretty active otherwise.. If he gets startled, he'll muscle his way through, and level off until he can't anymore. His gill function seems a little slowed, but still pretty healthy.. not large gasps or uneven.

I've even started seeing some poop trailing from his vent, not much but definitely some.. that's something that i wasn't seeing over the past few days.

So, at this point... can anyone offer me some advice as to when i should start seeing results, and/or what results to look for? Is there a better med/method than what i've been doing... or is a non eating floater unfortunately a case of "too late" in my case?

To be more specific with the timeline here:
as of this post it's been:

10 days no food (8 days refusing food, and the past two days i have not been offering it while treating)

2 days (+ a few hours) floating back end up - he is close to being upside down now (lets call it 45 degrees, tilted backwards) than he was 24 hours ago. 24 hours ago, at the peak of the vent swelling, he was headstanding.

end of 2nd day with medication - tank has received two doses of tetracycline

swelling has decreased in the vent area in the past 24 hours, and most notably in the past 12 hours.

Noticed small amounts of feces 6-7 hours ago. he's still upside down but doesn't seem to be "wasting away" (aside from being upside down, in a tinted brown tank, without having eaten in 10 days.. lol)

 

[big dovii]

'i actually think he'll be okay by the sounds of things.
my argentea was doing this, and finally on the 15th day of not eating
i mushed up peas and some new life with some mysis and dissolved it in water
and shoved a small syringe into his mouth.
the meds you are using seem to be working.
as well turn the heat up and keep his light off.
stress levels need to be at a minimal or he'll just get worse.
ALSO, use a little bit more that prescribed of clout, i always found it to work better.
best of luck!!!

Quinn

 

[goatcrapp]

guys, thanks for all the support and help.

I woke up this morning and he was stiff. Lesson learned, i can't procrastinate a week when they start behaving oddly, such as not eating... i need to act far sooner. what a friggin waste of a good.. no great fish. though i have another tank with plenty of healthy fish, and haven't had major problems until this one - this is the type of loss that makes you want to fold your hand and get out of the hobby.

thanks again for all the suggestions. I was kinda thinking he'd be on his way to recovery too once i started seeing him poop a little.