Dying??

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Hello everyone! I am having trouble with one of my hatchet fish he has been very skinny for the past month or so (and ya i know that hatchets are naturally skinny fish lol) but this guy is wayyy skinnier then all of the others and is loosing alot of scales! I spot feed him about every other or every third day with flakes, but he is still very skinny and lethargic! He never moves from his back corner.... How can i save him?? thanks!

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Any suggestions on how to fatten this little guy up??

 

[absolutangel04]

Sorry about your little guy.
When is the last time you guys did a water test? How long have you had him? Is his spine bent?

 

[Gboy66]

Sorry about your little guy.
When is the last time you guys did a water test? How long have you had him? Is his spine bent?

Tuesday- and came back with 0,0,<10
we have had him for maybe 2.5 months?
Bent spine..i dont think so! He gets chased occasionally, so that could be why the scales are missing.

Water changes every week 50%, although we have done 1 45, 1 30, and 1 20% water change within the last week and a half

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Sorry about your little guy.
When is the last time you guys did a water test? How long have you had him? Is his spine bent?

Thanks! And actually a test was done the other day, i believe it was
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
And less then 10 nitrate
We have had him for probably a few months at least. We had 7 in the begining, but they came with ich and we lost two right in the begining but ever sence then we havnt lost any, and they are all doing good except for him! i do not think his spine is bent...

Edit: oops bro stole the question. Lol

 

[absolutangel04]

Ok, I was asking about the spine because it looked bent in one shot and not in another, so I was just making sure. Its good that its not bent though.
My best guess is that he has soemthing internal going on. I know thats not the most helpful answer, but thats all I have at the moment. I know you guys keep up on your pwc, and your params are really good, and I know the tank is big enough, and I know his tankmates...
Wow, I sound like a stalker. Lol.
But I don't know what it could be other than an internal issue that is beyond me to know how to treat.
Any chance the angels beat him up a bit? But if that was the issue, I would think he would look more damaged.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Ok, I was asking about the spine because it looked bent in one shot and not in another, so I was just making sure. Its good that its not bent though.
My best guess is that he has soemthing internal going on. I know thats not the most helpful answer, but thats all I have at the moment. I know you guys keep up on your pwc, and your params are really good, and I know the tank is big enough, and I know his tankmates...
Wow, I sound like a stalker. Lol.
But I don't know what it could be other than an internal issue that is beyond me to know how to treat.
Any chance the angels beat him up a bit? But if that was the issue, I would think he would look more damaged.

Ya that is probably a good guess, i mean if im getting him to eat alot, and hes still a twig it cant be the food. Maybe i should try to feed him something with more nutrients? Maybe some mysis?

Lol your not a stalker, just a very helpful member! Haha i think it is possible that the angel could be beating him up, or maybe even the other hatchets because the others are so much more active! I hope its not internal though! Thanks for all the help!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

How's his poop? (lol)

 

[absolutangel04]

Every once in awhile, I have had a fish get freakishly skinny for no reason. I usually just call it one of unexplained things because fish can have internal issues with organs and hormones just like people can. Mine have all died when this happened to him, but I do hope your little guy can pull through.
Maybe somebody else will have a better idea for you. Keep me posted on how he is doing please.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

How's his poop? (lol)

Haha that actually got me thinking i cant remember the last time i saw him poop... I guess i should make sure i get morw food to him, but i feel like i hae been feeding him alot.. I will have to watch closer!

 

[Gboy66]

How's his poop? (lol)

Lol! Suprisingly with how much he eats, he doesnt poop much! But then again, hatchets in general dont...

Overall i have never seen him take a #2

 

[TWEDM1]

You said you feed him every other 3 or 2 days?! Man feed that fish everyday a starving fish that's always zippin around to avoid a fight is going to need fuel energy without fuel (food daily) he will burn bodyfat and any stored energy intill he is like the fish you described here.


I rescue feeder comet goldfish from pet stores they start off bent lookin lazy and skinny in a week they're fat zippy happy fish ready to be donated to friends seeking more fish.

Over feeding is murder so is under feeding find that balance tho

 

[absolutangel04]

Feeding every 2-3 days isn't underfeeding. Goldies are different because they don't really have stomachs to store food like most tropical fish do.
I do not think the issue at hand is underfeeding.

 

[Gboy66]

You said you feed him every other 3 or 2 days?! Man feed that fish everyday a starving fish that's always zippin around to avoid a fight is going to need fuel energy without fuel (food daily) he will burn bodyfat and any stored energy intill he is like the fish you described here.

I rescue feeder comet goldfish from pet stores they start off bent lookin lazy and skinny in a week they're fat zippy happy fish ready to be donated to friends seeking more fish.

Over feeding is murder so is under feeding find that balance tho

I see, but when he is fed, he is in a net getting quite a bit. These are 2-3 times weekly of SPOT feeding. Nunu didnt clarify i guess. We take into account the fact the he gets small portions everyday when we feed all of the fish.

Edit: absolut i do think it could be an internal parasite as you suggested. Thats a bummer considering i know nothing about this! What are some things we should be looking for to indicate that it is somthing internal?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

http://www.allabout-aquariumfish.com/2009/03/how-to-detect-fish-internal-parasites.html?m=1

 

[Gboy66]

http://www.allabout-aquariumfish.com/2009/03/how-to-detect-fish-internal-parasites.html?m=1

I like how you just snuck the link in lol!

After reading, the fish
IS:
Lethargic
Sunken belly? Hard to tell
But it ISNT:
A bad bloodworm cube (no other fish affected
A worm, i dont see him poop but i havent seen worms in other gish poop

Any suggested treatments? Do you want to spot feed antibiotics so the harmed fish is the only one getting them?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

If you suspect internal parasite I'd quarantine. Do you still have the 10g spare? If so put him in that and change water daily because it won't be cycled. I'd get a anti parasitic food (don't ask me what kind we have squat in the way of medication here).

 

[Gboy66]

If you suspect internal parasite I'd quarantine. Do you still have the 10g spare? If so put him in that and change water daily because it won't be cycled. I'd get a anti parasitic food (don't ask me what kind we have squat in the way of medication here).

We do have a 10, but im not sure how it would go trying to get the parents to let us set up a 3rd tank..

 

[Mumma.of.two]

We do have a 10, but im not sure how it would go trying to get the parents to let us set up a 3rd tank..

Even for a few weeks? If they know it's not permanent maybe they will agree. If there is room maybe set it up in the stand of one of your 40g.

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, tell your parents its easier to set up the 10g for a couple weeks than to re-stock the 40g if anything is contagious. IME, it may not be contagious, but better safe than sorry.