Fish Wobble...??? help

D

duff

Registered Member
Feb 15, 2006
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Hi Everyone,

Hope someone might have a bit of advice? I have a fish who is wobbling and whirling, can't swim straight and rotates side over side 5-6 times until he finds a spot to rest against.

I am distressed as I have never seen this before! I am unsure the type of fish, he appears to be a cichlid in shape about 4 inches, sort of a dull orange color. he is not much of a swimmer, never has been. Lives in a funny fake car and rarely comes out to play. I have had him for about 8 years. I am unsure if this is finally his time. I love the little guy. He's a lone fish in 10 gallons, he has a buddy who outgrew the tank and was donated to a friend about a year ago.

Any thoughts/advice would be great!

Thank you.

Duff
 
I was affraid of that. I can hardly stant to see him go through this! He's been such a good fishy for so long.

I am now trying to decide if it is best to put him down... a friend I called tonight suggest that the least painful way to do this is put him in a plastic container and put him in the freezer. Said that he would sort of shut down beacuse of the cold and that it would be painless.

Is this appropriate? Is there a better way?

Thanks,

Duff :(
 
Naw, you don't want to do that. It would be better to get ice cold water and drop him in instead of letting him freeze to death slowly. I read about one person that put a fish in a bowl and placed them outside in the snow. As they watched the fish really went through some obviously agitated movements for a long time before they died.

I think adding clove oil would be much more humane.

There was a thread here somewhere that talked about all the different ways to humanely euthanize a fish. I could have sworn it was a sticky somewhere. Let me look.
 
Seems like the muscles in his swim bladder are getting weak. Similar to an elderly person whose leg muscles get weak. The fish is having a harder time to control bouyancy hence the wobble and difficulties swimming straight. If he is still eating, then he is probably not suffering too much to be put down. The fish is just getting old and will probably go in his sleep one night peacefully.
 
just leave him and see, he might pull trew... Do you have pics? Pics would be nice.
 
Thank you everyone! The link was wonderful. I decided to wait out the night... He was in really bad shape this morning, I could not tell if he was alive, but appeared that he was but just barely. Went the clove oil route, ran out last night to get some. He peacefully went this morning. I think he was well on his way out.

Sad day, didn't realize after so many years how much I really liked him.

I'll be lurking around for awhile, I think I will eventually need a new friend in the near future. I think the Betta route might be nice, I hear they are a bit more interactive. My old guy never came out to play, had to check everyday to make sure he was in the tank. Funny thing, my pet sitter thought for the longest time (years) that I did not a have a fish in the tank. Just thought it was an empty tank for looks...

Any suggestion on a nice friendly fish?

Agian, thank you all for helping me in my (and my fishy's) time of need.
Duff
 
My condolences, Duff.

Eight years is quite an acheivement at keeping any fish, even one that can live 10+ years. Most don't make it through the first year.

I'm glad you went the clove oil route. I've had to euthanize a few fish and IME that's the best way.

Roan

PS
Duff -- my mother's family is Duff. Her middle name and my son's middle name are also Duff. Is that a nickname or part of your real one?
 
Roan Art,:I am actually a Duff (Family Name, but most friends just call me Duff) out of the washington state area and parents are in New Mexico... Anywhere near yours?

I am glad to know 8 years is a long time, I figured that fish lived a long time but never really gave much thought to just how long. I am surprised that most fish die in the 1st year, Wow.


The only way I could even remeber how long it was... I got him shortly after I bought my house. At least I can say I did him justice while I had him, I just feel bad about the way he went out... It was really sad to see him in the state he was. I should have spent more time figuring out what type of fish he was. Wierd fishy though, Lived in a car and never came out to play... Off to Fishy heaven with all the good fish of the world.
Duff
 
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