Sick/Injured Danio

[Atlanta9]

Hi all, I think one of my danios got nipped or injured...possibly some other illness? This seemed to come on suddenly, maybe happened during feeding time? At first he was swimming at the top of the tank for a few minutes, and then slowly started to rejoin the others, but is still slow. Suggestions for treatment?


Tank parameters:
Established 37 gallon bowfront, fully cycled, nitrates at 5 this morning
6 pearl danios
6 ghost shrimp
4 nerite snails
1 rabbit snail

 

[Andy Sager]

I don't see any disease on the fish but I do see 2 other healthier males in there so this fish probably is " low man on the totem poll" and this is more a psychological thing than a physical thing. Short of placing this fish in a separate tank with no other males, there's not much else you can do. With schooling fish, males have to be strong and healthy to compete for breeding rights. Some will be stronger than others. That means you will always have winners and losers as the fish deal with their position within the ranks. This guy appears to be the loser of his battle. I suspect that the fish will not go back to the " normal" behavior he had before but once he accepts his role in the school, he should be able to recover. If he doesn't accept his position, watch for him sulking somewhere in the tank. If that happens, the best you can do is remove the fish as the others will eventually kill him off. This is nature as it's deigned to do.

 

[Atlanta9]

That definitely makes sense, thank you. I noticed that he is breathing at the surface again this morning, looks pale and isolating more from the group. I'm guessing that the bite/injury is causing difficulty breathing. I will put him in a quarantine tank...any suggestions on medication for the injury? Also if he recovers, should I attempt to put him back in the main tank?

 

[Andy Sager]

That definitely makes sense, thank you. I noticed that he is breathing at the surface again this morning, looks pale and isolating more from the group. I'm guessing that the bite/injury is causing difficulty breathing. I will put him in a quarantine tank...any suggestions on medication for the injury? Also if he recovers, should I attempt to put him back in the main tank?

This is a bit of a different situation. I thought you were pointing to the white line near the tail in pic #2. You need to be more specific than just posting a picture or video. (i.e. Where the injury is. What the injury looks like. Clear close up pics of the area in question. ) You can insert an arrow in your pic(s) or circle areas, etc.
There may have been too much damage to the gills whish is why the fish is at the surface. If that's the case, what I'm going to recommend will probably not work as there isn't much you can do for that. You would need to use an antibiotic to combat any bacterial infection that may be going on. You'll need to know your pH to pick the right one. If your pH is above 7.2, Seachem's Kanaplex would be the antibiotic I would use. If your pH is under 6.8, I would use nitrofurazone green. If your pH is between 6.8 and 7.2, use a combination of them both as directed on each package.
As for putting him back when/if he heals, I would say not to. He is not going to be the lead male with the other males already there. Either create a new school for him in a new tank or trade him in if possible for another female for the main tank after quarantining her.

 

[Atlanta9]

Okay, thank you so much.