*Sick* fish...anything I can do?

[zurus]

One of the mozambiques I picked up from Oenology is dying - is there anything I can do to save him? (i'm assuming it's a him)

Right now I have him by himself in a bucket with a bit of new water and an airhose for oxygen. Anything else I can do? All of the other fish seem fine...except another mozambique that is hiding in the corner, could he be the guilty one that possibly beat up the other guy??

Thanks

[darkdep]

Symptoms?  Water conditions?

[zurus]

Well, I'm still a beginner and all but I think I saw some signs of a fight on his body. But then again I could be completly off. I checked PH and nitrites which look normal. All the other guys in the tank look fine.

[darkdep]

No worries about being a beginner; that's what everyone is here for, to learn from each other.

Is he swimming funny or is he just injured?  Torn fins or open wounds?

[zurus]

Well he was swimming around upside down. I moved him to a bucket so he would be by himself. Now he is just upside down and moving around whenever I peak in. I didn't notice any torn fins...no open wounds.. Which is why I am so confused as to what is wrong with him!

[babblefish1960]

Could be a bacterial or parasitic infection affecting the swim bladder.

[zurus]

ich?

What should I do?

I'm thinking I might have to make a trip to the pet store tonight... should I treat the whole tank? What if that's not the problem?? Will I kill more fish?

[PaleoFishGirl]

I don't think ich would make him swim upside down - I would agree that it sounds like something is affecting the swim bladder.

Don't treat the whole tank - that would be very expensive and probably unnecessary.  Are any other fish showing any symptoms? It's probably for the best that you got the fish out of the tank.  You could treat him in the bucket or in a quarantine tank if you have an empty one somewhere.

When you say 'a bit of new water,' what do you mean?

[zurus]

I put some water from the tank and some from the tap.

How can I treat a swim bladder problem??

[babblefish1960]

If you are on Ottawa city water, and you add tap water without dechloramining it, this would have an effect on the fish, are you using a dechloraminator?

[zurus]

Yeah I do add the de-chlorinator. Now I have another one swimming upside down (another mozambique)...I think I should do a water change at least...any other ideas?

[squeeker]

You said both mozambiques are new fish. 

I assume they were healthy when you got them.

How long have they been in the tank?

To me this sounds like shock/stress (temperature, pH, etc.)  How did you acclimate the new fish?  How long has your tank been running?  How many other fish do you have, tank and filter sizes, etc.?

Do a test of ALL of your water parameters (ammonia, nitrItes, nitrAtes, temperature,and pH) and we can go from there.

Also, keep that bucket warm.  Cold water isnt going to help him at all.

[zurus]

They were from oenology so yeah I think they were in pretty good shape. I got them monday night and to acclimate them I left them in the buckets she used to bring them to me and slowly added water over a 2 hour period.

My tank is a 90 gallon with 2 canister filters. I had 36 fish altogether. The mozambiques (3), and 2 others are the only adult sized.

I managed to talk to Oenolgy a few minutes ago and she recommended adding some salt and hopefully these guys will make it...

[Laura]

Hi,
I'm just tossing in suggestions, so please ignore them if they are way off or obvious.

Are you due for a partial water change,
Could the tank be mini-cycling (did you remove all of the original filter media or wash out the filter media in chlorinated water?)

[zurus]

Thanks for all your advice. I gave them a "salt bath" last night and they are looking a bit better this morning. I hope they keep on getting better....

[zurus]

Yaaaayyy!!! They are now doing great...and in fact it is a male and female alone in a 10 gallon now AND after all that the male was dancing around for the female this evening when I checked on them.