Hi,
So i have a Kamfa F2 Flowerhorn since 1.5 years old which is going though illness since past week,but im very confused if it is Hex or anything related to Swim Bladder or just stress.
Water change is weekly 40%. Have a Cannister filter and Heater in tank maintained around 28-30 C. I feed Hikari Bio Gold plus and CZ Aqua.
This might be long,but Im sharing full details-
Last Sunday afternoon 12-11-2023,I noticed the fish seemed to be floating on the top corner of the tank and seemed very inactive. The colour had darkened. The behaviour seemed very unlikely. I thought its just stress so added a Stress relief. Also checked the bottom of the tank ,had normal poop.The day before and on Sunday morning everything was fine, fish was active and was eating pellets.
By evening when I checked the tank back the fish was sideways
PANIC,the fish trying to move but just floated sideways and was just not able to balance itself suddenly.I knew it was Swim bladder Disease. The fish had Positive buoyancy meaning it was not able to a swim below in water,just floating on top of water. Now I knew something is very wrong and tried to help the fish by trying to correct its position with hand,it helped a little ,it hold up its position but upright vertically.
Did a 30% water change.I added Epsom salt,turned off all the lights.Added a partition,where it would not float sideways and help it stay upright.
At night on recommendation from my Flowerhorn vendor, he asked me to lower the water and turned off the filter and add a airstone.
It seemed the fish would not survive,as till Sunday night the condition had become worse the fish turned from red to black/white faded colours.The fish was still upright.His part of HUMP was getting exposed to air being in that position.The fish did not respond to fingers or anything around like pelletes.It was in too much stress.
Next morning ie Monday, the fish was still in upright position,the exposed part of hump started to dry. From the body of the fish except the colour everything seemed normal,no swollen belly noticed poop still normal brown colour.
So my diagnosis was Swim Bladder. I refilled the tank to normal level,turned the filter back. Added a medicine called "Bubbles and Troubles Swim Bladder Control" on recommendation from the LFS. This medicine specifically for SBD has Anti Bacterial properties and helps with Bowel moments as mentioned on its labels.
Nothing changed on Monday,fish was still upright and dark.No food intake since Sunday, I decided to continue the fast for the next 48hours according to medication.
On Tuesday,the fish was responding to the medicine,it now became a little active and was able to balance it self. But now i noticed stringy white poop around the filter intake.
On Wednesday,fish became more active,colours started to comeback.Buoyancy and Swim Bladder was fully resolved. White poop was still there but less than day before.As the part of hump was exposed to air for around 36hours, it started to form bubble like blisters on exposed part after being in the water back. I applied some stress heal on the exposed part to help with recovery.
Did a 40% water change on Thursday, added half of recommended dosage of medicine of SBF.Tried feeding 2-3 pellets. Initially ignored,but checked back the fish had eaten them all. Thursday night normal brown poop.
Was happy, fish was responding and on the way to recovery.
Friday was perfect. Feeding pellets and moving around tank.
Now comes today Saturday, checked the tank on morning, to my horror the fish was back to being upright, showing stress signs, turned all faded and black.Same condition when it all started on Sunday.(Like the second image in thread)
I added Epsom salt again but not that much,did not add any medication as the tank is already dosed with it.
This time added the horizontal partition just at the water level,so the Kamfas head wouldn't be exposed to air.As the fish was intimated of the partition above,it sunk a little but still upright.
Saturday has passed,it was in middle level of the tank whole day,but inactive. When tried to move,it loses its balance a little but gains its position but only being upright.Added Hikari pellets soaked in epsom salt(Got the knowledge about it from RDs Hexamita pinned thread),it ate 3 out of 4 pellets.
Is this something actually SBD (Swim Bladder Disease)? Or anything else like Hexamita(HITH)?or Kidney or Liver related?
Other related info:
The fish has a single small lesion on its head above eyes,for the past 3 months. I thought it got from scratching with filter intake or glass,but now I think this maybe Hole in the head,hence Hexamita? As still it has not healed up.
Update : As of posting this thread late Saturday midnight ,the fish has regained its buoyancy since morning. Colours are back.
Attaching a photo from the same time.
Also Lesion on head in picture,just in case.
So i have a Kamfa F2 Flowerhorn since 1.5 years old which is going though illness since past week,but im very confused if it is Hex or anything related to Swim Bladder or just stress.
Water change is weekly 40%. Have a Cannister filter and Heater in tank maintained around 28-30 C. I feed Hikari Bio Gold plus and CZ Aqua.
This might be long,but Im sharing full details-
Last Sunday afternoon 12-11-2023,I noticed the fish seemed to be floating on the top corner of the tank and seemed very inactive. The colour had darkened. The behaviour seemed very unlikely. I thought its just stress so added a Stress relief. Also checked the bottom of the tank ,had normal poop.The day before and on Sunday morning everything was fine, fish was active and was eating pellets.
By evening when I checked the tank back the fish was sideways
PANIC,the fish trying to move but just floated sideways and was just not able to balance itself suddenly.I knew it was Swim bladder Disease. The fish had Positive buoyancy meaning it was not able to a swim below in water,just floating on top of water. Now I knew something is very wrong and tried to help the fish by trying to correct its position with hand,it helped a little ,it hold up its position but upright vertically.Did a 30% water change.I added Epsom salt,turned off all the lights.Added a partition,where it would not float sideways and help it stay upright.
At night on recommendation from my Flowerhorn vendor, he asked me to lower the water and turned off the filter and add a airstone.
It seemed the fish would not survive,as till Sunday night the condition had become worse the fish turned from red to black/white faded colours.The fish was still upright.His part of HUMP was getting exposed to air being in that position.The fish did not respond to fingers or anything around like pelletes.It was in too much stress.
Next morning ie Monday, the fish was still in upright position,the exposed part of hump started to dry. From the body of the fish except the colour everything seemed normal,no swollen belly noticed poop still normal brown colour.
So my diagnosis was Swim Bladder. I refilled the tank to normal level,turned the filter back. Added a medicine called "Bubbles and Troubles Swim Bladder Control" on recommendation from the LFS. This medicine specifically for SBD has Anti Bacterial properties and helps with Bowel moments as mentioned on its labels.
Nothing changed on Monday,fish was still upright and dark.No food intake since Sunday, I decided to continue the fast for the next 48hours according to medication.
On Tuesday,the fish was responding to the medicine,it now became a little active and was able to balance it self. But now i noticed stringy white poop around the filter intake.
On Wednesday,fish became more active,colours started to comeback.Buoyancy and Swim Bladder was fully resolved. White poop was still there but less than day before.As the part of hump was exposed to air for around 36hours, it started to form bubble like blisters on exposed part after being in the water back. I applied some stress heal on the exposed part to help with recovery.
Did a 40% water change on Thursday, added half of recommended dosage of medicine of SBF.Tried feeding 2-3 pellets. Initially ignored,but checked back the fish had eaten them all. Thursday night normal brown poop.
Was happy, fish was responding and on the way to recovery.
Friday was perfect. Feeding pellets and moving around tank.
Now comes today Saturday, checked the tank on morning, to my horror the fish was back to being upright, showing stress signs, turned all faded and black.Same condition when it all started on Sunday.(Like the second image in thread)
I added Epsom salt again but not that much,did not add any medication as the tank is already dosed with it.
This time added the horizontal partition just at the water level,so the Kamfas head wouldn't be exposed to air.As the fish was intimated of the partition above,it sunk a little but still upright.
Saturday has passed,it was in middle level of the tank whole day,but inactive. When tried to move,it loses its balance a little but gains its position but only being upright.Added Hikari pellets soaked in epsom salt(Got the knowledge about it from RDs Hexamita pinned thread),it ate 3 out of 4 pellets.
Is this something actually SBD (Swim Bladder Disease)? Or anything else like Hexamita(HITH)?or Kidney or Liver related?
Other related info:
The fish has a single small lesion on its head above eyes,for the past 3 months. I thought it got from scratching with filter intake or glass,but now I think this maybe Hole in the head,hence Hexamita? As still it has not healed up.
Update : As of posting this thread late Saturday midnight ,the fish has regained its buoyancy since morning. Colours are back.
Attaching a photo from the same time.
Also Lesion on head in picture,just in case.
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