planted29
10-19-2010, 3:27 PM
been a while since i posted here, but always got the best help from you guys, so maybe you can help me now. 29 gallon moderately planted tank. parameters: 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia, 15 nitrate. 4 platy, 12 tetra, 2 cories. One of my cory catfish has been somewhat lethargic compared to usual so i've been watching more carefully and in the past couple of days he seems to have trouble staying upright. he ends up on his back and starts breathing hard, or he'll swim around and look almost drunk and wobbly. i can't find any visible ailments on him other than maybe his little mustache is disappearing? but i'm not really sure it even is. I know 2 isn't enough for a comfortable school for these guys but i'm afraid to overstock and now of all times when one is sick is not when i would add more anyway. for right now i just wanna know how to help him. plleeeeeeaase someone who knows anything about this help me. i love the little guy. the only treatment i've done so far is discontinued feeding for feed of a swim bladder infection.
GuppyGirl1230
10-19-2010, 3:33 PM
It does sound like a swim bladder problem, as for how to treat it, I don't know. I'm sorry. I will do some research and see what I can find.
Maribeth
GuppyGirl1230
10-19-2010, 4:16 PM
The swim bladder (also called an air bladder) is the buoyancy device that helps a fish stay level and at the depth it wants to be: it inflates when the fish wants to rise, and deflates when it wants to sink. In a home aquarium the swim bladder of some fish (especially goldfish, fantails, orandas and black moors) may become over inflated, causing the fish to swim either head up or head down, or even upside down or otherwise unable to stay on an even keel. It may float to the surface and be unable to swim down to the bottom, or it may sink to the bottom and be unable to rise. Swim bladder problems are, one assumes, uncomfortable for the fish, and the fish can become quite distressed.
The condition is often caused by the fish suffering from food impaction. This can be avoided by feeding food that sinks, or by soaking the flakes in water for a few minutes before placing the food in the tank. An alternative is to feed only live food, since this never becomes impacted. An inflated swim bladder can also be caused by over-feeding the fish, and this can be avoided by making sure you never place more food in the tank than the fish can eat in around two minutes. It is also helpful to regularly fast the fish by not feeding them for at least a day. Fish can live quite happily without food for several days.
In some cases there is an underlying condition causing the swim bladder problem, such as infestation by parasites or bacteria. It can also be caused by tuberculosis or cancer in organs near the swim bladder.
If the fish has swim bladder problems, there is a simple way to fix it in many cases. Nobody seems to know why it works, but it doe, probably by loosening food impaction. Take a soft, cooked pea (either fresh, canned or frozen and then cooked), crush it and feed it to the fish. This normally solves the problem within a few hours. If this does not work, do not feed the fish for a few days, since fasting should also clear any food impaction. As with any other disease or medical condition, it is important to always ensure the water quality in the tank is good. A partial change of water is a good idea, even if the pea trick has worked. Also check the pH and temperature and make sure the water is not too alkaline or too cold.
If the problem is caused by a parasite or bacterial infestation, it may be necessary to remove the fish to a separate tank and treat it for these conditions. If none of these measures work, the fish may have a disease such as cancer.
The best way to treat swim bladder problems is in most cases to keep the water quality good and the temperature stable, to give good quality food which is pre-soaked, and to occasionally feed live food and to occasionally withhold food for a day or so. An occasional treat of a pea or two also helps prevent swim bladder problems.
This is from http://www.helium.com/items/1274652-swim-bladder-problem-in-fish
Chrisk-K
10-19-2010, 6:23 PM
Sounds like a swim bladder disease. You already discontinued feeding and if the little fella still has the same problem, an internal bacteria infection is likely to cause it.
I once successfully treated a cory with the same problem with Maracyn Plus.