Skinny male sword

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Deitta

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jan 1, 2004
Messages
175
Location
Anchorage, AK
I have a male sword in my QT that has lost so much mass and is so skinny that I can see his skull through his scales. He is moving around and is eating. He does seem to be afraid of the gourami and the female sword (who are both fine, water parims are just fine) and if they come near him while eating he will run to his log. When he came home, he had mass and I can't find any other symptoms.
I am going to be able to move the female, now that her ick is gone, to the display tank. So I am hoping this decreases his stress and will allow him more eating time. The gourami has to stay, he is too agressive for the display tank. I was able to drop an algae tab near his hidyhole, hoping to be able to get him to eat it in peace. This morn the tab was broken up, but I can't guarantee he was the one to eat it.
Someone suggested getting some of the juice from minced garlic to soak the food in. That this would increase his appatite. But since I do see him eating, I haven't tried this. I am afraid there is something more serious going on.
I am not experienced at giving meds (at least to the fish :wink: ) so truely detailed suggestions would be helpfull.
 
If the fish is wasting away, there is probably not much you can do about it. If he is skinny due to lack of food, get a tank divider and separate the fish so the ill one can eat in peace.
 
I came home yesterday, he was curled into a C. And I decided to just put him out of his misery. There didn't seem to be any real thought as to what may be wrong or how to fix it, I just couldn't keep him that way. :cry:
 
I pulled him out and put him into a cup with mostly water and a little club soda, then into the freezer. I was told that the co in the club soda tranqulizes them and the cold puts them to sleep. I am too squemish to do the banging against the counter thing.
 
Interesting way to put him out of his misery. Granted I'm new to all of this but I've never heard of that before. I'll have to keep it in mind. Can anyone confirm if that's a humane way to do it?
 
Back
Top Bottom