Angel fish, not eating, floats at the surface upside down, tries to swim.

[Jgray152]

This happend within a day. Not to sure why.

One day he was fine, the next he wasnt eating. and started to swim weird.

I was thinking "maybe" it was internal parasites but he is not darting or scratching, no clinched fins.

On the outside his body looks fine except for him swiming upside down, he tries to turn him self over, If he makes it to the bottom of the tank, he floats very quickly back up to the surface. He doesn't eat at all.

I had some Parasite clear from Jungle Labs so I put one does of that in the tank and that was a couple days ago but he is not getting better and only worse.

I have done a 80-90% water change before the meds and cleaned the filter.

Water parameters are all fine. No other fish is effected. Only he is. All eat like heck and swim around just fine.


Any Idea? Swim bladder infection?

 

[Jgray152]

his stomach or bladder or something in that area seems to be getting larger. Kinda looks bloated. Larger than a 24 hours ago.

 

[Aquanero]

Could be constapation. Try an epsom salt bath, If it will eat feed green peas (only a couple) make sure you take the skin off frist. Then fast for 24 hours.

 

[Jgray152]

He doesn't try to eat at all.

Can you use Epsom Salt with medication? I bought a 10 gallon tank and heater, I have a small internal filter. I set the tank up arount 1:30 this afternoon.

I added Maracyn Two. Thinking it could be a bacterial infection causing a swim bladder issue?

I will throw a little bit of epsom salt in if I can add that with meds. Is that the same as Aquarium Salt you find for treating fish?

 

[Jgray152]

I just read this from here
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_constipated_fish.php

Diagnosis - Constipation
Constipation is caused by feeding too much protein and hard-to-digest matter to a fish. Things like too much bloodworms or "people food" can cause it, due to excessive protein and fat content. Some simple signs of constipation are: bloated belly, loss of appetite, reduced activity, upturned fish...

Bloodwarms I feed to my Elephant nose, recently I ran out of flake food and put one or two cubes of bloodwarms in the tank for everyone to munch on. It happend after that!

I also found info on Epsom salts for constipation here
http://www.ehow.com/how_4544495_detect-treat-constipation-aquarium-fish.html

 

[Aquanero]

Use an Epsom Salt bath of 2 teaspoons desolved in a gallon of water. Let the fish soak in it for about ten mins. If it is constapated which is common in Angel fish that should do the trick. Then fast it for 24 - 48 hrs and start feeding lightly. Feed peas (skined) weekly. He should be fine. Epsom salt is not aquarium salt you get it in the drug store.

 

[danny2875]

swim bladder infection.

 

[Jgray152]

I'll pick up more meds today. Epsom salts bath are not doing the trick. He is still going strong though. As weird as this sounds, im proud of him. lol.

I have meds in the tank now, he seems to be getting a tiny tiny bit better. I only say that because although his belly area is still large, he is not floating up to the surface as quick as he was before. He floats up slower. So some good is coming from something.

I have 2 table spoons of Epsom Salts in the 10 gallon Hospital tank. I have put in stress coat as well. I have had great luck with stress coat for damaged fins which he has from the other fish before I pulled him out.

 

[Jgray152]

GOOD NEWS!

After 7 Days of medicating, Angle is now swimming in the 10 gallon at any level and no longer floats to the surface.

Seems to have been a bladder infection like I first thought. Although, constipation seemed a very likely cause as well because of the food I fed him and the others around that time.

Still no appetite yet but I think that will soon come. Tomarrow I will do a water change as I want him in the medicated water for another 24-36 hours. After the water change I will add some Stress Coat and start healing his external body tissue/scales and fins. I already have stress coat in the water but I also have meds and a tiny bit of Epsom Salts (1tbsp per 5 gallons)

I will continue to update. This would be the first time I have had a successful bacterial infection recovery.

Angle meant a lot to me since my other one that I had for years died during a power outage in the winter a couple years ago. I found this one at a pet store, whitish-gold just like my previous one for $5. I looked in my wallet, I had 1 $5 bill. It was meant to be. So I have to make sure he comes out of this all well and healthy.

 

[Aquanero]

Congrats! Glad to hear he's doing better. Good Job!