Bichirs thrashing about a bit
- Thread starter Ponera
- Start date
I would love to get a video. The problem is the events last ~3 seconds at most. So once it starts I can't even load up the app before it's done. They aren't so common that sitting around and waiting for one is practical or even reasonable. D:
The temps were ~ 78 or so before this.
The temps were ~ 78 or so before this.
You could atleast try to take a few vids...they may be long but you can edit out all the sitting around and doing nothing
That might have been feasible a few days ago but the thrashing has completely stopped. They are kinda just bending in an S shape a bit, very rarely, and resuming normal bichir stuff. All the scratching has stopped. Come on man, I'm doing the best I can here- the violent thrashing isn't something that I can or could've even tried to film reasonably. We would be talking like 4+ hours of sitting for like 2-3 seconds of possible footage.
The thrashing has stopped for 2 days now basically, with a few odd behaviours but they are normalizing. They are also eating literally anything and everything in their path except the one minnow that they seem to let feed with them and last for months. That same minnow keeps gaining size and has been around for about 3 months or so.
So how long after symptoms should I wait? I am scheduled to stop the heat and salt tomorrow but I also am wanting to keep the heat a bit longer with the salt tapering off with water changes. What do you guys think of that, given that the heat+salt has eradicated this behaviour so far?
The thrashing has stopped for 2 days now basically, with a few odd behaviours but they are normalizing. They are also eating literally anything and everything in their path except the one minnow that they seem to let feed with them and last for months. That same minnow keeps gaining size and has been around for about 3 months or so.
So how long after symptoms should I wait? I am scheduled to stop the heat and salt tomorrow but I also am wanting to keep the heat a bit longer with the salt tapering off with water changes. What do you guys think of that, given that the heat+salt has eradicated this behaviour so far?
Keeping the temperature a little higher than usual won't cause the fish any harm, but 28-29°C is efficient.
If the symptoms are gone I'd start tapering the salt out with w/c, like you said.
To avoid the symptoms:
The symptoms you describe are most likely beginning stages of ich. The reason for ich is usually just a little bit too much feeding and/or not quite enough w/c. My advice would be just doing your regular routine, with the exception of doing a bit bigger w/c and/or feeding less.
If the symptoms are gone I'd start tapering the salt out with w/c, like you said.
To avoid the symptoms:
The symptoms you describe are most likely beginning stages of ich. The reason for ich is usually just a little bit too much feeding and/or not quite enough w/c. My advice would be just doing your regular routine, with the exception of doing a bit bigger w/c and/or feeding less.
I added a bichir that was said to be healthy and low and behold I got disease from this store again (they are two for two!) You'd think a guy good enough to breed most of his own cichlids and other fish would be good enough to notice this ****, but hey it's a fish store I won't be going back to again.
Yah it really resembled either ich or some external parasites. So the weakest bichir is still thrashing about a bit, but I'll probably start tapering off the salt at least. I'll keep the heat another few days. It's been about 10 days of the treatment so I think it should be enough.
Yah it really resembled either ich or some external parasites. So the weakest bichir is still thrashing about a bit, but I'll probably start tapering off the salt at least. I'll keep the heat another few days. It's been about 10 days of the treatment so I think it should be enough.
This sort of behaviour is triggered by:
- water change - either a positive or negative reaction to it. If it's obvious uncomfortable thrashing, add more anti chlorine/chloramine. my bichirs are normally v active after a water change (sometimes it induces spawning too)
- hunger
- after a heavy meal
- normal behaviour (you may not expect it, but both lower and upper jaws do love a good swim around and in my limited experience, thrashing is part of it and is normal (so long as it is not prolonged)).
- stress (if it is doing this all the time and threatening to breach the surface / trying to escape the tank, you may want to check your water temperature and parameters)
