Sick Mudskipper

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Tommerz

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Sep 20, 2006
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My alpha-male mudskipper is ill. Reciently he has been isolating himself from the other mudskipper I have in my tank, and has been attacked by him as well (which is not normal, seeing as though the one being attacked is the Alpha Male).

Three nights ago he suffered a bite on the eye, and is now suffering pop-eye symtoms. Today, after I got back from work, I noticed him swimming around oddly, seeming to have trouble swimming with his gills enlarged with air. At the moment he is acting rather docile and struggling to hop up onto the land I have provided for them.

I have divided the tank in half so both mudskippers can not interact with one another. The other mudskipper seems healthy, but isn't eating as much as he normally does (which I believe is a reaction to the anti-biotics I put in the tank to treat the pop-eye).

5 months ago, my eldest mudskipper died to these symtoms (isolation, lack of appetite, unable to swim well), and it's happening again. Seeing as though he was 3 years old, I put it down to old age. But this male is only 1 1/2 years old, so I am debating if it's an illness of some sort.

Currently he has made his way out of the water and taunting himself in the mirror with his fin, which isn't something I have seen him do these past few weeks. I changed the water when I got home to remove the anti-biotics, putting his life ahead of his inflamed eye for the time being.

There is no sign (that I can see) of gill infection. They are a soft pink colour. Other than the symptoms I listed above, I can not tell what is wrong with him to treat him.

PH and Salt levels are fine. 2 days ago I had my water tested at the local petshop, no immonia, nitrate, metals, etc was detected in the water, and it is I was told it was ideal for the type of fish I own, and his sickness should not be a result of the water.

Does anyone have any experience with mudskippers, and could help me figure out what is wrong with my mudskipper?

Thank you.

- Tommerz.
 

Tommerz

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Sep 20, 2006
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No problem on the move. I was searching the internet for a forum looking for someone that could help. Didn't know which section to put it in, so general chat seemed close enough.

Unfortunately, my mudskipper died during the night. This is the second time I've had one die (within a 3 month time slot).

I don't know if it's a coinsidence that they died of similar symptoms, the ones listed above seem to be what a creature does when its sick (Isolating itself from predators, and starvation).

Other factors seem to be this mystery illness seems to be targeting the eldest fish first. The fish that died first from it was a matured Mudskipper. The one that died tonight was in between juvinile and adult as his fins where developing a pretty paturn.

The youngest mudskipper I am unsure of if he's ill or not. He hasn't eaten (much) this week. He did alot of eating over the past month to try and compete with the other mudskipper for dominance. As far as behavioural paturns go, they are the same over the duration of a year and a half that I have owned him. Being the lest dominant mudskipper, this one has always hidden away from the other two.

Anyways, if anyone can help point me out to a website, book, or person that could help me with preventing this from happening again or anything in reguards to mudskippers your help would be very much appreciated.

Thank you.

- Tommerz
 

plah831

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Apr 29, 2006
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hang in there, Tommerz. The brackish forum doesn't get as much traffic as, say, the General FW forum. But there are knowledgeable folks here at least every day or so. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. But you're providing a lot of info, and that can only help the diagnosis! :)
 

Pufferpunk

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Are you doing regular water changes on the tank? What's the SG & are you using marine salt? What have you been feeding them? I'd treat the tank w/Melafix for now.
 
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Tommerz

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Sep 20, 2006
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I change 20% of the water every weekend. PH levels are usually between 7.0 and 7.5 . Salt, the nearest fish-shop recommended baker's salt (its like big chunky shards of salt). I mix in around 1 1/2 table spoons of salt (grounded up) with every 8 litres of water (8 gallons). I treat the water from Chlorine, Ammonia and Nitrate with "Prime" from the Seachem company.

I am unsure what an SG level is, so I can't respond to that at this time.

Food, I have been feeding them Crickets, Frozen Bloodworm, Frozen Brine Shrimp, Cockroaches and frozen Beef-heart mix provided at the local fish shop.

The water has been treated the same over a year and a half. With a full tank clean-out every 5-6 months (depending on how much grime has accumulated in the gravel).

Googling that "Melafix" product you listed, it seems to be a good little thing to keep around the house. It seems to have a few good purposes. Not sure if we have that in Australia, but I'll be willing to take a trip into the city to find out.

My remaining mudskipper seems to be doing better, the lack of appetite must of been from the antibiotic. The apple-snail that I have in the tank also is doing fine (and laying eggs up the side of the tanks walls every few nights). The fresh water change seems to done them some good, but unfortunately the eldest mudskipper didn't live through that change.

I have frozen the poor little fellow incase I deciede to run his corpse through a lab to see what exactly caused his death. Looking more into that on the weekend; need to check to see how much that would set me back. This problem has me that worried, and I need to figure out what is wrong.

Another factor I thought about yesterday was the change in season. First Mudskipper died at the beginning of winter. The second at the end of winter. Although the water tempreture stays at a nice 25-30oC (77-86oF), I am guessing the tempreture outside of the water, where the little fellows tend to spend most their time, is different.
 
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Mudfrog

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I'm unfamiliar with "Bakers Salt" but it sounds to me like you are not using the correct salt. Be sure the salt says Marine on it somewhere, I prefer to use Instant Ocean, any fish store that carries salt water fish will have this.

The salinity is how much salt is in your water, you can measure this with a Hydrometer (also purchased from a fish store that carries marine fish).

If the salt you used is not Marine salt I would recommend putting him into fresh water for now then go out and get some marine salt and a hydrometer so you can see exactly how much salt is in your water.
 

Pufferpunk

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I don't think the baker's salt will harm your skipper but it's definately not the right kind or amount. I believe they prefer high-end BW conditions--a specific gravity of around 1.015-1.018 (I know I read that somewhere). That would be ~3 cups of salt/5g. I wouldnt' raise the SG more than .002/weekly water change though or your biological system will crash.
 

Tommerz

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Sep 20, 2006
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Well the water I been keeping them in for over a year has been the same and they been rather happy little mud-skippers. Only these last few months that I have had any casualties.

I'll look into getting propper salt tomorrow after work. I'll post updates about that shortly.

Not too certain about the actual -breed- of mudskipper I have. I believe the aquarium shop I order them through gets them from Cairns (northern Queensland, Australia).
 
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