Gold(chinese) Algae Eater was starving can I save him?

[GameME]

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this I'm new to the forum...

I have a 10 gallon with two red rasboras, silver scissortail and a golden chinese algae eater(Flippy)... I was given them about a year ago and Flippy has been really healthy until we moved about 4 months ago... I noticed that he was not sucking on the tank walls or on the rocks anymore and that he was getting really skinny (perhaps the water difference) anyways! I had NO idea that we were supposed to buy them waffers! (I feel so devastated that I was starving my poor Flippy) So when I woke up this morning he wasn't moving... He does "play dead" but maybe that was just him being so exhausted from having no nutrition... He was breathing only every 3 seconds or so WAY less then usual... and when I attempted to scoop him out so he wouldn't contaminate the other fish he didn't move... Well when I put him in a glass of tank water he then began to breath more regularly but they were shallow breaths (small gill movements) but he still wasn't moving... I called the pet store bought him some algae waffers but I am so worried it's too late... Any ideas or suggestions? I really love my Flippy and I'm so upset about this I've been crying all day...

Thanks in advance!

 

[saffikeagan]

I hope Flippy is okay. I can't really give you any advise except maybe chuck the wafers into a blender with some tank water to turn it into pulp that all he has to do is suck some water into his mouth and he will get food.

 

[GameME]

Oh that is a GREAT idea... I think I'll try that... But you don't think it'll mess with his gills do you?

 

[saffikeagan]

I don't know...sorry. I'm thinking that the mush would settle down to the bottom of the container maybe pour the mixture into a Tupperware container, let it settle then gently place the Flippy on top.

 

[saffikeagan]

He's nice and warm, right? I just read that if they are too chilly they will stop eating.

 

[GameME]

Hmmm... Well the water temp is 80 I made sure I don't know if maybe it needs to be warmer and I should warm it? Good idea about the letting it settle though... But and update!!!

Flippy has now started to move when I get near him... which is really really good in my eyes because it shows he has more strength then earlier today... I'm gonna try the soup and settle idea and check back in a bit!

Thanks again for your advice!

 

[saffikeagan]

That's great news. Keep me updated!

 

[GameME]

Unfortunately Flippy didn't make it through the night... I do love him and he was old... 5 or 6... I feel like he could have made it longer if I had known how to properly care for him and I think I may get 2 little gold guys so that I can have something to remind me of him... they aren't as big but I will still give them the waffers... Gosh I'm so down about my big guy... I'll miss him a ton!

 

[saffikeagan]

I'm sorry to hear that.