Arowana swim bladder after transportation

[Iliketurtles]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If I did not test my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

If I do not change my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

Yesterday afternoon I picked up a 24” albino arowana, a fish I wasn’t supposed to pick up until today. The seller informed me that pond the fish was in had been cold so he had put the fish in a tub with a heater and sponge filter to “warm it up”. Mind you I wasn’t supposed to get this fish for another 24hrs… and was not stoked about the idea of the fish being in a tub he could barely turn around in that long. Changed my plans and went to get the fish a few hours later, when I arrived the fish was upright and looked good, a bit tired but to be expected. 2 hours I’m the tub and I was getting texts the fish is pissed and freaking out, shocker right?? Anyways I was there about 15 minutes and then we carried the tub out to the car. I opened the lid to check on the fish and it was belly up and breathing, he was also shocked and freaking out as he raised this fish, and we both agreed I needed to get home ASAP. After turning a 30min drive into 20min I instantly started pumping freshwater from a pond in my garage into the tub. While doing that I dosed a 55g QT tank that stays running/heated 24/7 with salt and added the fish. Fish was floating head up tail down and would make minor attempts to swim if messed with. I sat with this fish for 3 hours holding it upright at the surface in the water flow in a bit of a devastated/ disbelief state. No progress was made. At that point I took some netting material and created a hammock toward the surface of the water keeping the fish horizontal in the water flow of the HOB with sponge filter and air stones underneath. Called it a night and cut the lights expecting the fish to die. Well it’s still alive and pretty much exactly the same. I’m debating on whether to stay the course in this tank or setting up a kid pool with shallow water and adding filtration to that. When the fish does make minor attempts to swim after being disturbed it stops once it hits glass, which doesn’t take long in a 55g. Have any of you dealt with a similar situation? Any one had the fish actually survive? I know the obvious good water quality, salt etc… Open to any suggestions here

 

[dnz03dw]

hows the eyes looking? is it sunken in? if not you still have a good chance for full recovery.

turn up the temp to 86 and lower the water more and if you can somehow make a contraption to make him stay upright will be best for it for recovery. i would also add anti-bacteria meds if you have any to fight any infection from his body being out of the water.

usually it takes a few days to recover - i experience this many times with buying older aros.

Good luck!

 

[Iliketurtles]

Thanks for the response, I decided to go the kid pool route and currently have the same established sponge,HOB, and heater from the 55 in the pool. I also have the fish propped up under aeration. The eyes are not sunken in at all, slightly cloudy but not sunken in. Fish is still breathing constantly obviously. The only thing I have added besides prime is salt, what medications would you recommend in this situation? I have most stuff carried at stores on hand

 

[dnz03dw]

how is the fish today? hopefully you put some cover because he might try to break free.

I suggest nitrofuranzone - yellow powder. this med is part of furan-2 that API use to sell.

Amazon.com

 

[Iliketurtles]

The fish is seemingly the same today, same position I left it in, still breathing. Also I put a screen over it, if you look close at the pics you can see screws on the edges. I stretched screening across, would def be my luck for this fish to recover and jump out overnight, not taking any chances

 

[dnz03dw]

The fish is seemingly the same today, same position I left it in, still breathing. Also I put a screen over it, if you look close at the pics you can see screws on the edges. I stretched screening across, would def be my luck for this fish to recover and jump out overnight, not taking any chances

as long as the eyes are still not sunken in then your still in good shape, will take time.

 

[Iliketurtles]

You’ve experienced this same thing with larger arowana after transport? Being stagnant for several days on end just breathing? The eyes aren’t sunken in, but are cloudier today and the skin is getting more red and irritated as well. One thing I’ve been wondering, as an avid fisherman that has caught small mouth bass out of deep water, do people in the aquarium hobby ever “fizz” fish? With those smallmouth we would have to stick a needle into their swim bladders and they would turn over and swim down almost instantly, you would think the same concept could work here?? I’m not familiar with the exact internal anatomy of aros and don’t plan on doing such atm but just a thought?

 

[dnz03dw]

You’ve experienced this same thing with larger arowana after transport? Being stagnant for several days on end just breathing? The eyes aren’t sunken in, but are cloudier today and the skin is getting more red and irritated as well. One thing I’ve been wondering, as an avid fisherman that has caught small mouth bass out of deep water, do people in the aquarium hobby ever “fizz” fish? With those smallmouth we would have to stick a needle into their swim bladders and they would turn over and swim down almost instantly, you would think the same concept could work here?? I’m not familiar with the exact internal anatomy of aros and don’t plan on doing such atm but just a thought?

yeah i have experience this many times with older aros, not sure whats the condition of this aro before u got it but when i usually get big aros they were never moved from their tank after since young and get a shock of all the sudden change.

I've seen people do that over seas to aros but never done it myself - it was successful but you will probably need some meds to fight off the bacteria.

the skin getting more red and stuff sounds like bacteria infection is kicking in, suggest you get meds to help fight it since hes at the weakest stage. I zoomed in on your aro pic and notice frayed fins like rotting.