My approx. 13'' tire-track eel seems to be dying. Water parameters are normal: ammonia 0, water temperature 28 C, nitrate less than 2.5 ppm. I do 40% water changes every two weeks. I realised that something was wrong during the weekly water change which I've just finished. The eel is not hiding in its usual spot and seems to have difficulty swimming. Often, it lies on its back or its side for several minutes, then uprights itself and swims a bit, then the same thing happens. Sometimes it swims normally, sometimes it stays motionless. Help???
Tire Track Eel Dying, Help!
- Thread starter EmrePekdeniz
- Start date
is it fat? skinny?
nitrates at 2.5ppm what about nitrites?
what was it eating prior?
How long as it been ike this?
Your water chemistery may be off.. so I'de double check your readings. and my other guess would be internal parasites, or a compaction.
nitrates at 2.5ppm what about nitrites?
what was it eating prior?
How long as it been ike this?
Your water chemistery may be off.. so I'de double check your readings. and my other guess would be internal parasites, or a compaction.
1. It doesn't look skinny to me, and it has been taking food regularly, several pieces of fish every two or three days.
2. Dunno, I don't have a nitrite kit. I very much doubt this is the problem, though.
3. Mostly anchovy, with the occasional shrimp.
4. The anomaly started this morning.
The eel is still alive, but keeps swimming abnormally and occasionally turning over. Which medication (internationally available) do you recommend against parasites, and what exactly is compaction? Compaction of eggs?
2. Dunno, I don't have a nitrite kit. I very much doubt this is the problem, though.
3. Mostly anchovy, with the occasional shrimp.
4. The anomaly started this morning.
The eel is still alive, but keeps swimming abnormally and occasionally turning over. Which medication (internationally available) do you recommend against parasites, and what exactly is compaction? Compaction of eggs?
Well, I did a larger water change than usual this time. The eel looks better after the extra water change, but that may be just be wishful thinking I guess.
I do not know how you would measure 2.5ppm nitrate, I bVe the most expensive kits avIlable in the uk and it is hard to measure the difference between 10 and 25ppm.
I would test ever parameter and make sure that the test kit is fresh and not a dip strip.
I would not feed for a week and keep up the water changes....are you sure that there is no ammonia or nitrite?
I would test ever parameter and make sure that the test kit is fresh and not a dip strip.
I would not feed for a week and keep up the water changes....are you sure that there is no ammonia or nitrite?
If the water change helped I would suggest increasing your water changes for the next few weeks. Spiney eels are sensitive to poor water quality. and I asked in reguards to the NItrates as well because 2.5 is an odd response. NItrates rarely get below 20ppm in the most well maintained tanks.
If the water change helped I would test all your perameters and keep an eye on them. Something as simple an an ammonia spike or nitrite spike can show almost instant responses in spiney eel behavior.
In reguards to compaction i mean more specifically constipation, I'm not sure what chemicals you can and can't get your hands on where you are. But I generally use Prazi-pro. And have heard good things about the Jungle brand of internal parasite tabs. internal parasites will often build up and over time suddenly exhibit their presance in spiney eel behavior. the fish will contort oddly often times trying to what I'm assumeing alleviate the pain. I've seen a few spiney species now that will "hang" in the water in a horseshoe shape nose and tail on the bottom. Then they will be fine minutes later. only to repeat this behavior minutes or hours later often accompanied by odd undulating of the body or rubbing/flashing themselves against decor.
If the water change helped I would test all your perameters and keep an eye on them. Something as simple an an ammonia spike or nitrite spike can show almost instant responses in spiney eel behavior.
In reguards to compaction i mean more specifically constipation, I'm not sure what chemicals you can and can't get your hands on where you are. But I generally use Prazi-pro. And have heard good things about the Jungle brand of internal parasite tabs. internal parasites will often build up and over time suddenly exhibit their presance in spiney eel behavior. the fish will contort oddly often times trying to what I'm assumeing alleviate the pain. I've seen a few spiney species now that will "hang" in the water in a horseshoe shape nose and tail on the bottom. Then they will be fine minutes later. only to repeat this behavior minutes or hours later often accompanied by odd undulating of the body or rubbing/flashing themselves against decor.
No, I now realise that the extra water changes don't change anything. I thought the first water change ameliorated its condition, but this turned out to be false. The eel is only getting worse. I have smaller spiney eels which all seem fine. I'll check if PraziPro is available. As for nitrates, I have lots of aquatic and floating plants and a strong lighting. I have checked my kit with tapwater, and got no colour, so it seems fine to me. Should I use contra-ichtyo as well?
Do spiny eels ever get swim bladder disorders? I also suspect that the arowana may have gotten aggressive towards its tankmates, not 100% sure though.
Thanks for your help..
Edit: I want to add that there is no visible bloating so far.
Do spiny eels ever get swim bladder disorders? I also suspect that the arowana may have gotten aggressive towards its tankmates, not 100% sure though.
Thanks for your help..
Edit: I want to add that there is no visible bloating so far.
hope he's doing better.. as for swim bladder issues generally no more or less common then other species. Usually if they do it's due to poor shipping and the fish dies a day or so after shipping.
i'm not farmilular with contra-ichtyo.. i'm assumeing it's an Ich medication? it's unlikely to help and ime spiney eels are sensitive to copper based medication which a majority of Ick meds are.
a pic may help as well. but does he flare his gills alot? tank temp may also be a help here. if he is I would suggest either increaseing your surface aggitation in the tank and/or dropping your tank temp to the 70-75 range if it already isn't. lower temps will lower his metabolisim, increase the waters ability to hold O2 which will help him over-all and not hurt your tank.
i'm not farmilular with contra-ichtyo.. i'm assumeing it's an Ich medication? it's unlikely to help and ime spiney eels are sensitive to copper based medication which a majority of Ick meds are.
a pic may help as well. but does he flare his gills alot? tank temp may also be a help here. if he is I would suggest either increaseing your surface aggitation in the tank and/or dropping your tank temp to the 70-75 range if it already isn't. lower temps will lower his metabolisim, increase the waters ability to hold O2 which will help him over-all and not hurt your tank.
I will lower the temperature as you've said, currently it's 28 C. I have some surface movement but maybe it's not enough. Yes, he flares his gills a lot. The eel is alive but did not accept any food so far. Will add pictures.