Is it time to euthanize?

[mxmarvelous]

I know there are a lot of threads about swim bladder issues and euthanasia, but I really just want to confirm whether or not there’s anything else to do.

I have a black emperor tetra who is about a year old. A week or so ago, I noticed that he was having to work very hard to maintain his place in the water column—fins constantly moving like crazy to keep from sinking. After a few days of that he started tilting nose-up. At that point I moved him to a hospital tank dosed with aquarium salt and kanaplex. Over the last 3 or 4 days, he’s continued tilting to the point that he’s nearly vertical (at the bottom of the water column) and his fins are still working so hard. I also did the 3 days of fasting followed by a blanched pea (fed about 24 hours ago) with no change.

His body looks as it always has, with no bloating or other visible symptoms beyond his swimming.

Is there anything else I should try? Or does it sound like euthanasia would be the best/kindest course of action? I feel so bad watching him struggle, but I’m also very wary of taking such a permanent step and then worrying that I didn’t do enough to save him.

Here’s some tank data:

Community tank

• 65 gallons
• About 8 months old
• Contains 7 other black emperors, 7 congo tetras, 6 venezuelan cory cats, a pleco, and a gold gourami; they all look healthy (and horizontal)
• Ammonia: 0ppm
• Nitrite: 0ppm
• Nitrate: 10ppm
• Temp: 78F
• Ph: 8.0
• kh/gh: 14/22
• The tank has a 75g Top Fin sponge filter and a Marineland Penguin 350. I also run an air stone for additional oxygenation
• I do 40% water changes every 10-ish days and condition with Prime
• Fish get high-quality flakes in the morning and frozen brine shrimp at night, and sometimes Bug Bite pellets or frozen bloodworms for lunch if I’m home

Hospital tank
Same water parameters except:

• Nitrate: 5ppm
• Temp: 81F
• 10g tank with a 10gpm sponge filter
• Dosed with aquarium salt and kanaplex per package instructions

TIA for any input.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Id give epsom salt a go as opposed to aquarium salt.

Get 2 tubs that each hold around 1 gallon/ 4 litres of water. Fill tub 1 with dechlorinated, temperature matched water and 1 teaspoon of dissolved epsom salt. This is your treatment tub. Fill tub 2 with 1/4 water from first tub and 3/4 water from the tank your fish came from. This is your recovery tub.

Gently place the effected fish in the treatment tub for 5 to 8 minutes. Keep a close eye on things. If the gills stop, the fish starts to float on its side or poops move the fish to the recovery tub.

Keep the fish in the recovery tub for 10 minutes to acclimate the fish back to freshwater, before returning it to its quarantine tank.

You can do an epsom salt bath daily for up to a week before it starts to harm the fish.

 

[mxmarvelous]

Thanks Aiken, I’ll give it a try. He’s gone pretty pale this evening, I’m sure from the stress/exhaustion of his situation. We’ll see if the epsom salt gives us any relief.

 

[Mujtaba]

Id give epsom salt a go as opposed to aquarium salt.

Get 2 tubs that each hold around 1 gallon/ 4 litres of water. Fill tub 1 with dechlorinated, temperature matched water and 1 teaspoon of dissolved epsom salt. This is your treatment tub. Fill tub 2 with 1/4 water from first tub and 3/4 water from the tank your fish came from. This is your recovery tub.

Gently place the effected fish in the treatment tub for 5 to 8 minutes. Keep a close eye on things. If the gills stop, the fish starts to float on its side or poops move the fish to the recovery tub.

Keep the fish in the recovery tub for 10 minutes to acclimate the fish back to freshwater, before returning it to its quarantine tank.

You can do an epsom salt bath daily for up to a week before it starts to harm the fish.

I had treated one of my green tiger barb in this similar manner. While giving the bath I kept the aerator on and also while in quarantine I tried to make a contraption to make it swim in proper position. And strictly kept on blanched pea diet for a week