Black Moor - swim bladder disease?

[jack_d12]

Hi Everyone,

I think he is improving, he doesn't swim with his belly up anymore, but he still sticks to the bottom of the tank with his belly against the bottom and sucking on the gravel. Not really active as I can tell just the few moments when I come home then he settles to the bottom again.

I notice his "pineconing" on the body didn't go away but upon closer inspection it doesn't seem like the scales are sticking out. It just seems like there are bumps on his body. the scales are not bending out and it did not spread just that one spot.

I started using prime on Sunday and I'm giving him the last few packets of maracyn 2, once I am done with that I think i'll stop using it.

I stopped doing big water changes and settle on just 10% daily via gravel vacuum with 4 drops of prime into the new tap water. The ammonia test I have seems like they are junk, it turns color even with regular tap water .... I ordered API brand ammonia test, just waiting for them to get here by mail.

 

[Somervell]

Glad your fish is doing better. If he is right side up, that has to be a somewhat good sign. I would finish the Maracyn for the full 5 day course, and keep up with water changes as you have been. Prime isn't really that easy to overdose on, so if you do end up with a problem, you can use up to four times the recommended dose to stop ammonia from being harmful. You just need to make sure that if you are using Prime you have adequate aeration.

 

[jack_d12]

Glad your fish is doing better. If he is right side up, that has to be a somewhat good sign. I would finish the Maracyn for the full 5 day course, and keep up with water changes as you have been. Prime isn't really that easy to overdose on, so if you do end up with a problem, you can use up to four times the recommended dose to stop ammonia from being harmful. You just need to make sure that if you are using Prime you have adequate aeration.

Yes, I've added a bubble wand thing that is about 8 inches long to the bottom of the tank and he likes to lie on top of it ... haha

I have read elsewhere on the web that daily water changes are not good in the long term since i would change out the good bacteria and that it would be better to do a 25% change weekly.

Is that the better course when my fish has gotten better? or continue doing 10% water changes daily?

Thanks,

 

[kelly82]

as long as you use dechlorinator in your clean water before adding it to the tank then you will lose very little beneficial bacteria as they live on surfaces more than in the water column.

 

[Jennie Beth]

Hi Jack,
Just now reading your thread and it sounds like your fishy is doing better. One thing I noticed...In your earlier posts you mentioned putting in a fresh filter with carbon since the old one didn't have carbon. I think you have to take the carbon OUT to medicate, as the carbon pulls the medicines out of the water, and then, when you are done with the dosing (after a week, or whatever the meds say), you put the carbon back in the filter to remove any remaining traces of medicine. Check with Lupin or one of the other goldy experts for sure, but that might make your meds more effective

Glad to hear the moor is doing better,
Jen

 

[Somervell]

I'm not a goldie expert, but Jennie Beth is right about the carbon. If you don't remove it, you may as well not use the medication. I learned this the hard way.

As for the water changes, it is fine to do a daily water change when you have an at risk fish. Beneficial bacteria forms on tank surfaces, filters, and substrate, not in the water column. In fact, with goldies, the cleaner the water, the more likely healing will be.

 

[jack_d12]

Thanks guys I think my carbon must be old since the meds seem to have work. Here are some updated pics and I finally got the full API test kit for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and PH!!! and the readings look good!!!!

I think imma buy another moor to keep the big guy company ...

Thanks everyone for the help!!!
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He got some red skin on his chest ... I think i stirred up the gravel a bit yesterday while doing the 50% water change ....

 

[kelly82]

nice to see hes looking better, but i would say do not buy a friend for him, not yet,let him recover a little more first. you will for a start need a much larger tank for the pair, though if you bought a larger tank, you could cycle it and move over this moor, then use the smaller tank as a QT for ther new guy.