sick male swordtail - swimming sideways

stephybabe88

stephybabe88

AC Members
Aug 8, 2010
502
1
18
Texas
During feeding this morning, I noticed my male swordtail did not come out for food. He is usually the first one, and a good eater. I noticed he is hiding behind the ship in the tank (also unusual for him to be hiding) almost sitting at the bottom. I watched for a bit and when he came out he will periodically swim sideways (for just a second) and a couple other times went completely upside down (also for only a second). Also, if he swims near the intake tube for the filter, it looks as if he is struggling against it.

I am planning a trip to Petsmart today and wonder if I need to get some meds. I just finished up a ich treatment (heat and salt) and did a 50% wc on Thursday.

I am setting up my 55g today and was planning on moving everyone to it, so the 10g will available for QT.
 
Oops - Water params

Nitrate - about 20ppm
nirtite - 0ppm
Basically everything showing good on tests.

I use strips that do not have ammonia test on it. (I know strips aren't great) I am planning on buying the other test kit today.
 
Anyone???? Should I just get some melafix (SP?) see if it helps?? I read the illness/disease stcky, but nothing popped out at me.
 
Initial thoughts are some type of swim-bladder issue... could be an infection in the tubes feeding the swim bladder(s) or it could be a swollen organ pressing against the swim bladder causing the issue. Constipation can also cause swollen intestines/stomach and cause swim bladder issues.

Do you have a quarantine tank or something you can use as a quarantine tank? Even a clear plastic Sterilite storage box would work... and then you could use it for clothes when you don't need it for a Q-tank or H-tank.

Sick fish should be put in quarantine since, in Nature, sick fish are the first ones to get eaten by predators since they can't get away... that's why they hide by instinct. Even though nothing may not eat him in the tank, he's more stressed by instinct and the added stress just makes him even more sick. Move a decoration and plants to the Q-tank. Add a quick DIY corner/box filter or if you have an extra smaller filter system, you can set it up and get it cycled with media from your main tank.

Once you have him moved, you can start off with raising the salt level since swordtails (and most livebearers) can tolerate higher levels of salt.

If you don't have a Q-tank and aren't going to set one up, then going with Melafix is an OK choice for now and as long as you don't have labyrinth fish, you can go with a normal dosage. If you have labyrinth fish, go with a 50% dosage but still follow the directions.

Separating him to a Q-tank will also allow you to see how he is pooping and you can tell a lot from what their poop looks like.

Also, try to get him to eat some green pea *meat* (pinch the shell and discard it), then smoosh up the *meat* and feed that.

Give more details on your situation and I could give more details on which route to go above.
 
stephybabe88 said:
I am setting up my 55g today and was planning on moving everyone to it, so the 10g will available for QT.
Click to expand...

I have pretty much set up the 55g. The problem is that it doesn't have a filter yet - ordered it from someone on AC and have not received yet. Heater is not an issue as my 10g basically stays at the right temp naturally.

DIY filter is not really an option as I don't really have any tools or spare equipment around (still a newb)

I had planned on moving everyone to the 55g and using all the decorations from the 10g to help cycle.

I havent noticed anything with his poop, but when I got back from petsmart just now I noticed my baby guppy had the LONGEST, thing, white poop. I am wondering if whatever the swordtail has maybe infecting other, just not as much.

My concern is that maybe I don't want to cycle using anything from the 10g as it maybe infected.

Nobody has any lesions, ulcers, discoloration, or bloating.
 
Long thin white poop is an indication of something is wrong. Often it's an internal parasite issue. How small is this baby guppy? Most fish live OK with small numbers of internal parasites and bacteria but if they ever start to get really high numbers, then it causes the fish health problems.

Here's a 5 minute DIY filter with stuff you may have and no special tools needed...

http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/Davies_Sponge_Filter.html

Using some gravel from your cycled tank will instantly cycle this filter for a small bioload like a single swordtail. The clear tube you see is probably from a UGF filter uplift tube but it could be replaced with a filter intake tube or other fish safe plastic tube. If you don't have an airstone, just an airline shoved down into the uplift tube will help get circulation through the gravel but not as good as an airstone. If you don't have an air pump, then you'd have to look at buying one unless you have some live plants in your tank and then a live plant would help with handling any cycling issues in the Q-tank... and help provide some extra O2 to the water as long as you have a light source for the tank.

Just because one or two fish are sick, does not mean they will all get sick. They're just like us humans. Go to a hospital and lots of sick people around but it doesn't mean you're going to catch everything they have. Fish with weakened immune systems will be more likely to catch stuff and get sick, whereas other fish live with things just fine.
 
stephybabe88 said:
I have pretty much set up the 55g. The problem is that it doesn't have a filter yet - ordered it from someone on AC and have not received yet. Heater is not an issue as my 10g basically stays at the right temp naturally.

DIY filter is not really an option as I don't really have any tools or spare equipment around (still a newb)

I had planned on moving everyone to the 55g and using all the decorations from the 10g to help cycle.

I havent noticed anything with his poop, but when I got back from petsmart just now I noticed my baby guppy had the LONGEST, thing, white poop. I am wondering if whatever the swordtail has maybe infecting other, just not as much.

My concern is that maybe I don't want to cycle using anything from the 10g as it maybe infected.

Nobody has any lesions, ulcers, discoloration, or bloating.
Click to expand...

The decorations could potentially transfer any bacteria/parasite in the tank. IMO it'd be safest not to put them in the 55.
 
Wow that is simple, but I don't have an air pump or tubing, or air stone. I do have live plants in the tank.

Although last night I watched him for a good 7-10 minutes and he never did it again. Watched him this morning, and nothing also. Still not eating though.
 
I would still try to set hiim up a Q tank, and monitor him and teh other fish. I would also keep the other fish out of the 55 untnil you know there are no parasites. I lost an entire tank to an intestinal parasite and had to break it all down. And it would be easier to break down a 10 gallon than a 55 gallon, if that ends up being teh case with you. Hopefully your scenario isn't so dramatic though.
 
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