Ropefish seems very ill suddenly

CarnivorousFish

Feeder Fish
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Nov 23, 2019
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Have you tested your water?
No
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...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
What percentage of water do you change?
51-60%
How frequently do you change your water?
Every week
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.
I’ve had my ropefish since November. Overall he’s done pretty well. I fed him primarily tilapia as that’s the only thing he want to eat for the most part. I recently switched to cod. The last few days I’ve noticed he was acting rather strange. Choosing to float around at the top of the tank rather than hide like he usually does. I did take out his primary hide recently as rotten fish was getting stockpiled in there and causing ammonia spikes. He has a secondary hide.

today he’s in dire straits. His tip half is floating upward and he’s gasping.
I had some stowaway snails come in on a shipment of water lettuce that have propagated as well as some brown algae that’s been hell to get rid of. I’m worried he may have eaten a snail? I just did a 70% water change so water parameters should be okay? I had a liquid test kit I recently loaned to a “friend” who won’t return it. (Protip: dont loan out expensive liquid test kits because you’ll never get them back).

E9826B3B-81AB-4F7F-B689-44B2ABBC0B50.jpeg
 

CarnivorousFish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 23, 2019
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Edit: wanted to add that I don’t know how much my ropefish has been eating lately. I leave cod in the tank daily and remove it if it’s uneaten. He tends to eat at night and my killifish also tend to eat the cod as well. So it has been disappearing but I don’t know who’s eating it.
 

Hendre

Bawitius
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That does not look good, my two ropefish were lost causes when they started floating. Keep the water clean and perhaps withhold food, ammonia poisoning may be a factor. Perhaps suspend him near the surface with a large net so he has access to fresh air otherwise the fish may not get enough oxygen. Lastly maybe keep the lights off to reduce stress.

Hopefully this helps and the fish pulls through
 

CarnivorousFish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 23, 2019
16
4
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34
That does not look good, my two ropefish were lost causes when they started floating. Keep the water clean and perhaps withhold food, ammonia poisoning may be a factor. Perhaps suspend him near the surface with a large net so he has access to fresh air otherwise the fish may not get enough oxygen. Lastly maybe keep the lights off to reduce stress.

Hopefully this helps and the fish pulls through
Yeah he’s not looking good. Idk what happened because a few days ago he was fine. And he’s pulled through me being a bad fish keeper multiple times. Including the time I accidentally forgot to turn of a co2 canister and wiped out all of my Cory cats. (Rip Cory cats I’m sorry I accidentally killed you all).

he’s always been an extremely picky eater and I have noticed himwanting to eat less and less but hes never appeared super skinny or anything to me. And does eat (usually) once a week. Can aquatic snails bring in parasites or diseases? Also what happed to your rope fish if you don’t mind me asking?
 

Hendre

Bawitius
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Yeah he’s not looking good. Idk what happened because a few days ago he was fine. And he’s pulled through me being a bad fish keeper multiple times. Including the time I accidentally forgot to turn of a co2 canister and wiped out all of my Cory cats. (Rip Cory cats I’m sorry I accidentally killed you all).

he’s always been an extremely picky eater and I have noticed himwanting to eat less and less but hes never appeared super skinny or anything to me. And does eat (usually) once a week. Can aquatic snails bring in parasites or diseases? Also what happed to your rope fish if you don’t mind me asking?
Snails would not bring anything that causes drastic change like that in such a short period of time. Ropefish can breathe air so I can see them surviving co2.

It does not look particularly skinny. I got slack with maintenance during exam periods and they got swim bladder issues
 

Chief Tom

Piranha
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Apr 25, 2020
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Possibly help. Maybe a little more oxygen and movement to the water will help.
 

Hendre

Bawitius
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Jan 14, 2016
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Possibly help. Maybe a little more oxygen and movement to the water will help.
I suggested the netting at the surface, polypteridae get supplemental oxygen from the surface. O2 content does not bother them much
 

CarnivorousFish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 23, 2019
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I suggested the netting at the surface, polypteridae get supplemental oxygen from the surface. O2 content does not bother them much
So I tried scooping him up gently to suspend him neaR the top of the tank and he got very stressed out. I’m going to try again a bit later but don’t want to stress him out too much right now.

my heater looks to be on the fritz so I’m going to try to replace it tonight. The temp is steady at 76 but I worry it’s fluctuating when I’m not actively watching it.
 
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