Snowflake eel sick?

[Rfirman]

My snowflake eel threw up his food and he has only had one small krill after. He keeps swimming around the tank I think he's looking for food or somewhere else to live but he has stopped eating its been 3 days. He is about 8-10 inches. He is also breathing heavier then normal. Any thing I can do?

 

[Sniperhank]

Sounds like he's sick and stressed. Any chance of being able to move him into a QT tank so you can treat him for ich?

 

[Rfirman]

I do not have another tank. What can I do to help treat ich though

 

[Sniperhank]

There are herbal treatments that have no proven effect or help. I tried it and my fish died. There is the hyposalinity approach and there are also copper based medications that work when treating ich. I would avoid the medications since you do not have a QT tank, as the copper will leach into your rock and sand. That leaves hypo as the only options if it is ich. I'd suggest reading up on hypo and snowflake illnesses to see what you can find.

 

[Rfirman]

Ok thanks for help. I also have clownfish and I don't want to do anything to effect them they are fine.

 

[Ga1981]

Copper is not going to affect the clowns,
Is going to affect invertebrate if u have any....
My clown had ich and I left him in 5 gallons fresh water and copper med for 5 min and the ich went away...

 

[melosu58]

Do we know that he does have ich? Breathing heavy coulde be a bacterial thing or messed up water parameters. What are your water test results? BTW you cant treat the eel with copper.

 

[Rfirman]

I got a test kit for ammonia and it's fine I havent tested for any thing else. He almost ate today but despised not to. I had some krill on a stick and he went to eat it and couldn't get it off the stick. After like 2 tries he gave up. I then put the krill in the sand. He knocked it out of the sand with his face, so Idk. He is still breathing heavy. But better than before.

 

[Ga1981]

You should also check ph,nitrite and nitrate at least,salinity too

 

[Rfirman]

My salinity is also fine. I don't have a test kit right now for the other stuff

 

[Ga1981]

I suggest you to get those as soon as possible,you want to know your water parameter,that's really important for your fish healt.
I use API ,not to expensive, but everyone have a different opinion,I think you can buy those for 30. Also I do not know a lot about eels so you may want to ask someone with some experience...

 

[Rfirman]

im guessing the walmarts test kit isnt the best... i go to school in a small town and the local fish store is closing down which has 90% of the supplies i need for a fish tank. so walmart might be my source for a while.

 

[Packohotdogs]

Quite honestly any test kit is better than nothing. Pick up what ever you can and go from there. Post your results, and I am sure people on here can help.

 

[Rfirman]

Well he finally ate last night. Only one piece. I have probably been over feeding idk. He seems to be better and he's even digging under other rocks trying to create a new home.

 

[Sniperhank]

It took awhile for me to see my snowflake eat too. Just saw it for the first time this week. If he wasn't eating before, though I think he was hunting around for it laying around the tank when I wasn't looking. Either way, hunger is the best spice. Glad to hear he's eating.

 

[Ga1981]

That is good news....

 

[bskerrichard27]

U only need to feed him 2_3 times a week and make sure u very it fresh shrimp oysters clams scallops salmon cod u name it longs its fresh and he will be fine ..

 

[Rfirman]

Awesome thanks for the replies!