help with swordtails quick

[matthew_raw]

my female swordtail has had a loss of apitite became unsociable and isolates herself form the others, she has a shallow looking belly and a curved spine she has not long ago had fry but now she looks really ill any ideas what it could be she looks really thin, but i havens seen any parasites or anything ?

 

[MaffooJ]

My fish usually don't eat and hide when the temperature is too high or low. Whats your temperature at?

 

[matthew_raw]

thermomiter says 29oc

 

[MaffooJ]

That seems pretty high for a fish. I usually keep mine around 21C. Try and put a fan on the water if you have one.

 

[matthew_raw]

okay i have rosie tetras, cherry barbs, a pleco, two swordtails, two angle fish, a golden gourami will these be allright at lower temps ?

 

[MaffooJ]

You should only lower your temperature down to around 24-26C as Rosie tetras aren't that comfortable at lower temperatures if I do believe myself.

 

[Fishfur]

It sounds like she has an infection, and it may not get better. A curved spine is a very bad sign to see.

And yes, the temp is too high. 80 is what you use to treat ich.. fish should be kept well below that unless there is a specific need for high temps. 75 - 76 is a reasonable median. Do not lower the temp all at once. Do it slowly over many hours or a couple of days.

I would take her out of the tank if at all possible, to a hospital tank if you can. She may pass the infection to other fishes. You could try putting some salt in the water with the hospital tank. She might have been weakened by bearing fry. If she does not improve in a day or two, I would consider euthanasia, so she won't suffer.

 

[matthew_raw]

I dont have a hospital tank will she be okay in a plastic box or.bowl, but i dont have a spare heater, i only have a few spare filters?

 

[Fishfur]

Unless your house is very cool, room temp is probably ok, keep away from an air conditioner or drafts, in a warmer room if you have one.

Any container that will hold at least a gallon will do in a pinch, but two gallons or more would of course be better. Got a nice size plastic storage box, maybe ?

Do water changes every day or two in a small container, maybe every 3 days in a larger one, about half of the water. In a container of one gallon size, a level teaspoon of pickling, kosher or aquarium salt will be enough. Dissolve the salt in some water, don't just drop dry salt in with the fish. You'd have to put it in the change water too. So if you change a half gallon, a half tsp. of salt.

 

[matthew_raw]

Do i put a filter in aswell?

 

[Fishfur]

If you have a filter you can fit onto the container, and can put cycled media into it, it will save you having to so so many water changes, but I would test the water to be sure the ammonia is being converted by a newly started filter, as even with old media it can take a few days to cycle. Depends how much old media you use.

 

[matthew_raw]

Ill stick with the water changes, ill keep her in a bucket for two days and see how she goes

 

[Fishfur]

Good luck. It's no fun to have sick fishies.

 

[matthew_raw]

Thanks, last time i moved a fish to a bucket i used tank water and it oly lasted a few hours in the bucket

 

[Fishfur]

You should probably run an airstone if you can, for some circulation and it will improve gas exchange. But if this fish is very ill, simply moving her might be the end of her. If so, it is sad, but at least she is not suffering any more.

 

[matthew_raw]

Okay ill move her now

 

[matthew_raw]

Right so i have moved her to the bucket she seems a little more active and seems to be eating the tiny crushed up flakes i added i didint have an airstone so i ran the air line to the bottom of the bucket and tomorrow.i will change out half the water and replace with conditioned tap water and half a table spoon of rock salt! Does everything sound okay, i should hopefully be picking up an api master test kit tomorrow so i will post water parameters

 

[Fishfur]

So far sounds reasonable. Good luck.

 

[matthew_raw]

Well i moved her to the brackish water bucket last night, woke up this morning to find her back to her normall self eating and swimming around im going to leave her in there for another day or two yo be sure but when i did the water change this morning she loved the new water i added half a table spoon of salt to the water and she is doing good, so far so good, thanks for all your help!