# seriously this is not a healty shape



## WilliamBradley (Nov 23, 2003)

what's wrong with gorbat? it's getting worse.. it's no longer covered in the white mist but he has it hard to breathe and he looks like thi, see how swollen he is

help









and this one u seee it clearer


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## Fry (Oct 9, 2005)

increase water temp to 84 degree's(slowly like 1 degree evey 12 hrs no faster) use salt treatment and if he still eats try get him to eat a pea or two.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Mmm... he does look a bit swollen indeed, although I've seen healthy Reds that looked much worse.
What worries me most is that he has his mouth wide open: that's not natural behaviour.

Have you tested the water for ammonia nitrItes and nitrAtes? What about the pH? What is the size of the tank, and what filter(s) do you use? How often do you change water, and how much? Is Gorbat the only one acting like this? What do you feed them, how much and how often? Do you oxygenate the water?
I know, a lot of questions while you are searching for answers, but more details are needed to find out what is wrong with the poor little guy and what you can do to bring him back to health.
He looks a bit distressed indeed, but I'm pretty sure we'll find the cause









*_Moved to Diseases, Parasites and Injuries_*


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## WilliamBradley (Nov 23, 2003)

Judazzz said:


> Mmm... he does look a bit swollen indeed, although I've seen healthy Reds that looked much worse.
> What worries me most is that he has his mouth wide open: that's not natural behaviour.
> 
> Have you tested the water for ammonia nitrItes and nitrAtes? What about the pH? What is the size of the tank, and what filter(s) do you use? How often do you change water, and how much? Is Gorbat the only one acting like this? What do you feed them, how much and how often? Do you oxygenate the water?
> ...


*Have you tested the water for ammonia nitrItes and nitrAtes? What about the pH?*
Nope, never done that.. I knpw it's a bad thing. so how do I start? need to analyze the water at the store or can I do that myself?

*What is the size of the tank, and what filter(s) do you use? *
The tank is 250litres (60g maybe) and the use involves ceramix, now I don't really know what his name is, but there is this ceramix and the spunges(?) never added carbon because they told me it wasn not necessary.. (the small yank I had always had it so it thought it was weird btw..)

*How often do you change water, and how much? *
I change 40% every three months or so

* Is Gorbat the only one acting like this?*
Yes, and he was NEVER sick before this.. he had always been the healty one

* What do you feed them, how much and how often? Do you oxygenate the water?*
I feed them shrimps most of the times (or merluzzo(?) once a week.. it seems poor but they're educated this way and they won't eat if I give it more often
No I don't kxygenate the water : (

P.S:
The only "diffrent thing" I've done was giving them surimi a couple time, may it be the cause?

Thankyou sir..


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

WilliamBradley said:


> *Have you tested the water for ammonia nitrItes and nitrAtes? What about the pH?*
> Nope, never done that.. I knpw it's a bad thing. so how do I start? need to analyze the water at the store or can I do that myself?
> _You can take a sample to your aquarium store, or buy a test kit (some are cheap, others expensive: I use Tetra strips, which aren't very accurate, but accurate enough to get the general idea of what goes on in your tank)._
> 
> ...


What I would do now is a good water change, some 30-40% of all the water. That freshens up the tank water nicely. Also, I'd buy a small bubble wall and a simple test kit (or take a sample to your aquarium store) - or, as a temporary measure, poistion the outlet flow of your filter in such a way that it moves the water surface. Also, after the water chance add one or two tablespoons of predissolved tablesalt, as this may reduce stress and prevent nitrIte poisoning (just in case it spiked, which you will find out once the water is tested). Once your finished, switch off the tank lights, and give your fish some rest, and also, once you know the ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte readings, post them up here.
Also try to find out whether the filter of your tank is big enough for the inhabitants: a filter that handles a 250 liter community tank well not necessarily also handles a 250 liter piranha tank well, as piranha's produce much more waste products.

Hopefull this helps! Good luck, and I hope Gorbat will get better soon!

Oh one more thing: please don't call me "sir": it makes me feel old


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## jeddy hao (Mar 1, 2005)

Is his mouth swollen??


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## BUBBA (Sep 4, 2003)

Do a 15 percent water change once a week .
add some salt as directed .


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## WilliamBradley (Nov 23, 2003)

jeddy hao said:


> Is his mouth swollen??


he keeps it open, but it doesn't look really swollen... why?

hey thanx J. ...I'll do it all : )


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

Following Judazz advice is a great place to start.

If you do not see an improvement, you may need to try others methods. It seems like it MAY some sort of internal parasite. You may want to think about treating with an antibiotic.

A good way is to stuff a shrimp with parts of a pill, in bite size pieces.

Please get your water parameters testedm and let us know what is up.


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## jeddy hao (Mar 1, 2005)

In the pic, it looks like his mouth has cotton around it or something. And if you say that he keeps his mouth open and he does not really eat, then this is a serious situation of mouth fungus. This is deadly especially for cichlids which die in three days from it. I would do a 40-50% water change every single day with additional salt and meds if that is the case.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

WilliamBradley said:


> *How often do you change water, and how much? *
> I change 40% every three months or so


This is your problem besides not checking your parameters. Most likely you had a pH crash. What i would do is 25% water changes daily for a week, than have your water tested at the fish store, and add 1 tablespoon of pre-dissolved salt to combat nitrIte poisoning in case you're bacteria in the filter died off. Please get yourself test kits for ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte, pH and please perform weekly water changes after all has been done. And don't forget the water conditioner to add during water changes.


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## Natt King Shoal (Aug 7, 2004)

jerry_plakyda said:


> *How often do you change water, and how much? *
> I change 40% every three months or so


This is your problem besides not checking your parameters. Most likely you had a pH crash. What i would do is 25% water changes daily for a week, than have your water tested at the fish store, and add 1 tablespoon of pre-dissolved salt to combat nitrIte poisoning in case you're bacteria in the filter died off. Please get yourself test kits for ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte, pH and please perform weekly water changes after all has been done. And don't forget the water conditioner to add during water changes.
[/quote]

I agree and after things get better, you should be changing around 20% of the water once a week. Every 3 months is WAY too long.


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## WilliamBradley (Nov 23, 2003)

damn i will,
I'm feeling guilty


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## joey'd (Oct 26, 2005)

WilliamBradley said:


> damn i will,
> I'm feeling guilty


Dont feel guilty, these things happen. You were getting away with it before(maybe im only saying this because now he is sick) but now you need to get some test kits and check up on the parameters every day until everything is ok and then do tests like 2-3 times a week, that way you can know exactly when you need to change the water. instead of feeling guilty, use your emotion to help save gorbat and with some tlc im sure hell be ok, at least im hoping he is!








Heres to gorbats speedy recovery


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## WilliamBradley (Nov 23, 2003)

the water looks extremely clean now but they look stressed, i changed the sponges as well as the water

now Ik taking the water to get checked


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

WilliamBradley said:


> the water looks extremely clean now but they look stressed, i changed the sponges as well as the water
> 
> now Ik taking the water to get checked


Olympia,

By removing the sponges you are actually removing the bacteria that eats the fish's waste. What you should have done was take a bucket of tank water and gave it a couple good squeezes and put the sponge back in the filter. If you removed all the bio-media you will be experiencing a cyle all over again. Monitor over the next month ammonia and nitrites and if you notice them occurring cut down on feedings and put a little bit of pre dissolved salt in the tank. (1 tablespoon treats 300 gallons against nitrite poisoning)

Kind regards,
Jerry


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## WilliamBradley (Nov 23, 2003)

jerry_plakyda said:


> the water looks extremely clean now but they look stressed, i changed the sponges as well as the water
> 
> now Ik taking the water to get checked


Olympia,

By removing the sponges you are actually removing the bacteria that eats the fish's waste. What you should have done was take a bucket of tank water and gave it a couple good squeezes and put the sponge back in the filter. If you removed all the bio-media you will be experiencing a cyle all over again. Monitor over the next month ammonia and nitrites and if you notice them occurring cut down on feedings and put a little bit of pre dissolved salt in the tank. (1 tablespoon treats 300 gallons against nitrite poisoning)

Kind regards,
Jerry
[/quote]

i actually didn't change it I added a new one (there's three strates now) because they were really old... but they're still in there


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