Madagascar Rainbowfish hovering

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AquaticAustin

AC Members
Sep 29, 2011
1,170
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Orlando, Fl (UCF)
Hello everyone, so I did my tank move and one fish hurt his eye and now just yesterday I noticed one of my 2 madagascar rainbowfish is hovering. The wierd part about it is it is hovering about 2/3 the way up the tank... not at the top and not at the bottom and when its "friend" (other rainbowfish) swims near it it kinda follows it for a little bit then returns to its hovering place. I have seen it swim around some and it swims normally but not much. Also yesterday when I was really looking I saw it has really long, clear poop. Another odd feature is that Madagascar rainbow fish have long horizontal stripes but this one has developed these weird vertical dark bands. I call them bands because they are kinda wide on the fish and there are two or three around its mid section.. never noticed it before and seemingly appeared now. Iv done my research and am still confused... it does not have scales protruding (note the tank is currently being treated for fungus which the treatment also cures many other ailments). But it just sits there hovering, breathing maybe slightly faster but the other one appears to be about the same cant really tell. I read it may have reabsorbed eggs (long clear poop) but idk why it would be hovering. I thought/think it may be constipation??? Or the only other option iv read is internal parasite... note that besides my fish with the injured eye and apparent fungus growing from the eye all other fish are healthy (approx 20 community fish in my 75 gal... of which the rainbows are the biggest fish). Please help with input//possible solution I really like these fish and I have no idea where the person I got them from obtained them I have never seen them around here.
 

AquaticAustin

AC Members
Sep 29, 2011
1,170
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Orlando, Fl (UCF)
ALSO the fish is not eating and has no interest in food. Problematic but the fish isnt skinny so I do have some time before it starves
 

Jannika

MTS Survivor
Mar 17, 2010
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N. California
Hmm..I know nothing about rainbowfish, but sometimes a fish will hover above or below their regular level to avoid harassment by another fish, and will also stop eating. Another random thought, have you checked your water parameters and increased aeration while medicating the tank? Perhaps try an air bubbler or lower water level to create more filter 'splash'.
 

AquaticAustin

AC Members
Sep 29, 2011
1,170
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Orlando, Fl (UCF)
Unfortunately the fish died today... The fish wasnt picked on and would always swim side by side with his buddy. Also I am running 2 sites of UGF which both produce bubbles and I have another bubbler (decoration) hooked up to a 20gallon bubbler so the rated power of them combined in my tank is 60 gallons (a 40 rated one and a 20). Also I did lower the water level by approx 5 gals... I dont think it was the oxygen as he is the only fish with a problem all others including the other rainbowfish are fine. I did check water parameters first to rule that out and they were perfect. I really think it was an internal parasite... which is a shame because I was going to the store literally today to get him some medication. I didnt expect him to die so quickly he wasnt skinny and it has only been 3 days since it started. Bummer I lost him I dont know that I can replace him with LFS stock and his buddy will certainly be lonely. I did however go to the store today and buy fungus guard, parasite guard, and ich guard so if anything happens again there wont be a delay in treatment.
 
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