Reedfish with inflammation

[alex84aqua]

Hello


I have three Reedfish / Ropefish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus = Calamoichthys calabaricus) for over ten years. This species has as singularity what the swim bladder has the function of an accessory respiratory organ like a lung, it said it's worth.


Coming from a trip, I found that one of them has a significant inflammation. The inflammation is located in a particular area of the anterior half of body. It is most striking in lateral vision. It is appears to have the same consistency as the body, I believe. The fish seems a bit sluggish, but not much, it moves about the same as the normal ropefishes. No abnormal behavior (not adopt strange postures, no scratches ,...), just seems that inflammation is a burden for him to swim.


Stores and veterinarians from where I live (Asturias, Spain) can not tell me anything. Nothing more I discover it, I put the fish in a small separate aquarium, with the following multispectral treatment:
* 9-aminoacridine hydrochloride: 5.3 mg / 100 L
* Acriflavine chloride: 30 mg / 100 L
* Lactate ethacridine: 170 mg / 100 L
* Malachite green oxalate, 4 mg / 100 L
A week later, the inflammation remains the same. It has not increased or decreased. The fish remains the same.
I am thinking now Nifurpirinol treatment (25 mg / 100 L)


Please, I would greatly appreciate any help that allows cure my fish!


PS: Sorry for my English level, please.

 

[RiVerfishgirl]

It appears that your fish may have an intestinal impaction.
What kind of substrate do you keep them on? Could he have swallowed some gravel? What is their diet? Is he still eating normally? Does he appear to be passing food (bowel movements/pooping)?

Often times when fish get an obstruction to that extent there is not much you can do. You can try feeding him something with a lot of fiber in it (something with peas, for instance), though you would have to find a way to get it in him since they do not normally eat veggies. One thing I can think of that is high in vegetable matter that I HAVE gotten ropefish to eat is algae wafers, so perhaps try feeding him some of those. If he will eat pellets, then any high fiber/vegetable based herbivore pellet is worth a try.
I have also heard of adding epsom salt at no more than 1 teaspoon of salt per 5 gallons of water. So that could be worth a try.

Another possibility is that he has some kind of tumor causing either a blockage or the swelling you're seeing. In this case there is not really anything you can do about it short of having someone that knows what they're doing manually remove the tumor (surgery).

I would suggest also posting in the polypterus section of Monsterfishkeepers.com since there are quite a few people over there experienced with this type of fish and their health issues, and you may be able to get some more advice.

 

[Cerianthus]

I dont recaqll such black patches on healthy ropes. Can you provide close up of what seems to be black patches?
Any unusual reddish tints on the swollen belly or any others parts of body?

 

[alex84aqua]

Thanks for your replies

>It appears that your fish may have an intestinal impaction.
I've also thought of an inflammation of the stomach or intestinal blockage, but I'd rather be wrong.

>What kind of substrate do you keep them on? Could he have swallowed some gravel?
It is possible that the fish may have eaten some of the substrate or decoration

>What is their diet?
Dry food (Tetra WaferMix) + frozen food (chironomids,...).

>Is he still eating normally? Does he appear to be passing food (bowel ovements/pooping)?
Because of the treatment used, I have not fed the fish, so I can not say much.

>Often times when fish get an obstruction to that extent there is not much you can do.
:S

>You can try feeding him something with a lot of fiber in it (something with peas, for instance), though you would have to find a way to get it in him since they do not normally eat veggies. One thing I can think of that is high in vegetable matter that I HAVE gotten ropefish to eat is algae wafers, so perhaps try feeding him some of those. If he will eat pellets, then any high fiber/vegetable based herbivore pellet is worth a try.
Ok, I will try.

>I have also heard of adding epsom salt at no more than 1 teaspoon of salt per 5 gallons of water. So that could be worth a try.
I'll try too (although I have to first find the epsom salt -- epsom salt = Magnesium sulfate, no?)

>Another possibility is that he has some kind of tumor causing either a blockage or the swelling you're seeing. In this case there is not really anything you can do about it short of having someone that knows what they're doing manually remove the tumor (surgery).
:S

>I would suggest also posting in the polypterus section of Monsterfishkeepers.com since there are quite a few people over there experienced with this type of fish and their health issues, and you may be able to get some more advice.
Good reference, I don't know, thanks. Done.

>I dont recall such black patches on healthy ropes. Can you provide close up of what seems to be black patches?
This fish has those "black patch" for years, and over the years, have not increased or decreased, so be good or bad sign, is not related to inflammation. Certainly, I never understood why he had it (the other two individues haven't got it).

>Any unusual reddish tints on the swollen belly or any others parts of body?
The swollen belly, in its most ventral or bottom, is slightly red (shown in photo), but I guess it's own skin tightening occasions by inflammation. In the rest of the body has not appeared color, swelling or anything unusual.

 

[Cerianthus]

Try figure out if this is female as per info avail on the net. Hoping this is surprising and happy occassion if still eating/behaving as usual rather than illness...