Urgent!

[JRacey]

hey guys! I came home to find my catfish floating like this on the top of the water. He's not dead but he's just floating on top of the water. I can see air in his belly and that's what's making him float. I have never seen anything like this. Please help!

 

[rmiller]

A little more info about your tank will likely get you more help.

Tank size, inhabitants, water parameters, substrate, water change frequency and amount, etc.

 

[molliwopp]

^ yeah the most important of whats just been mentioned would be your water parameters and your water change routine, also how long has your tank been up?

I would do 50% water change right now regardless.

 

[Bichir Bro]

Looks like something a parasite would do

 

[Abiduwhabi]

Looks like a swim bladder issue.

I've heard of people burping them, but I have never done so myself.

 

[Bichir Bro]

A swim bladder issue would severely bloat him?

 

[molliwopp]

Looks like a swim bladder issue.

I've heard of people burping them, but I have never done so myself.

Could be but, dont go ahead trying to do this yet OP without getting information on it, could kill your fish.

 

[JRacey]

It's a 50 gallon tank, all I have in there right now is my red tail and three tiger barbs. My water is near perfect. My tanks been running for almost two years now. I do a 20 percent water Change every week and get my water tested at a pro fish place like every month.

 

[rmiller]

Red-tail catfish?

Please invest in your own test kit. You should always be ready to check you water parameters when something is wrong with your tank. It's one of the most important bits of info we need to help with diagnoses.

 

[Krissycakes]

Oh no, that looks like one bloated fish=( sorry to hear your having a problem.

 

[JRacey]

I know! ): well thanks for the help guys. And I have my own test kits for emergency's such as this. But my test strips are all reading perfectly fine.

 

[JRacey]

And yes, redtail catfish!

 

[rmiller]

You realize they get to about 6 feet right? They are not suited for home aquaria and need to be rehomed.

In addition, test strips are extremely inaccurate. You need to have a liquid test kit to know for certain what is going on with your tank.

 

[JRacey]

You realize they get to about 6 feet right? They are not suited for home aquaria and need to be rehomed. In addition, test strips are extremely inaccurate. You need to have a liquid test kit to know for certain what is going on with your tank.

Yes I do. I keep them and when they get too big I give them to my local aquarium that has somewhere around a 2500 gallon. Somewhere around there. And that's the thing. I don't have any cash to buy my own liquid testing kit. That's why I go to my local place. Cause they have a liquid test kit. And I know that they actually know what they're talking about unlike petco lol

 

[rmiller]

What are your plans when they don't have room to take them?

What happens if you have an emergency and the fish store is closed?

 

[bribo12]

Yes I do. I keep them and when they get too big I give them to my local aquarium that has somewhere around a 2500 gallon. Somewhere around there. And that's the thing. I don't have any cash to buy my own liquid testing kit. That's why I go to my local place. Cause they have a liquid test kit. And I know that they actually know what they're talking about unlike petco lol

For the price of the catfish you could buy a nice liquid test kit. Red tails are not a cheap fish to keep, they need a ton of filtration and are prone to health issues in small tanks like the one you have him in. I would rethink this species in general for your tank.a 2500 gallon tank can only hold so many redtails as they get 4 feet and upwards of 60 lbs.

 

[JRacey]

What are your plans when they don't have room to take them? What happens if you have an emergency and the fish store is closed?

I honestly don't know what my plans would be. But thanks my question was what was wrong with my red tail. Not to be questioned about mindless situations that may or may not happen. Thanks though!

 

[JRacey]

For the price of the catfish you could buy a nice liquid test kit. Red tails are not a cheap fish to keep, they need a ton of filtration and are prone to health issues in small tanks like the one you have him in. I would rethink this species in general for your tank.a 2500 gallon tank can only hold so many redtails as they get 4 feet and upwards of 60 lbs.[/QUOTE
Alright thanks bud! I'll look in to it. Do you have any suggestions on what kind of test I should buy? And if it matters I do have a canister filter on all my tanks.

 

[bribo12]

API makes a freshwater test kit that is good. The canister is definitely a +. I am just not a fan of redtails being house in captivity. It looks super bloated to me and probably has some type of swim bladder problem which is all to common with these fish.

 

[JRacey]

Alright I'll look into that! Thanks a lot for your advice!