# Piranha Needs Help!



## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

I have in total of five red belly piranhas (7-9"). Lately, one of them hasn't been eating regularly, and today he has developed a couple of symptoms. Cloudy eye (both eyes), scales seem to be ripping off, and his dorsal fin is changing colors. Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0, Nitrate is 10 (135G tank). The other red bellies are in PERFECT condition, and will eliminate him very soon (showing aggression).

1. What is the cause of this?
2. The only available tank I have right now is a 20G - would it be best to put him in there and treat the water? The tank is cycled, and I'm thinking of treating it with Salt (ran out of Melafix, and no stores are open!).


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

oh damn...sorry man.
I'd put it in the 20g and dose with salt and see how it goes, up the temperature to 82F as well.
maybe some kind of infection?? internal parasite? the stomach looks really thin. how long it's gone without eating?
did you ever feed live recently?


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## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

jp80911 said:


> oh damn...sorry man.
> I'd put it in the 20g and dose with salt and see how it goes, up the temperature to 82F as well.
> maybe some kind of infection?? internal parasite? the stomach looks really thin. how long it's gone without eating?
> did you ever feed live recently?


No live food since a year ago. I'm guessing it's a parasite or some sort. Would dosing the 20G with salt and increasing the temperature get rid of the infection? Or do I need some sort of medication.


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## Big Den (May 5, 2008)

This looks like wasting disease/fish TB. If you have fed live feeders in the past it could have contracted it then and harboured it until now. You need to isolate this fish at once. There are medicines available from your lfs, but at this stage I wouldn't hold out much hope. Wash your hands and equipment well because if it is tb it can pass to humans.


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## jamezgt (Jun 24, 2008)

Big Den said:


> This looks like wasting disease/fish TB. If you have fed live feeders in the past it could have contracted it then and harboured it until now. You need to isolate this fish at once. There are medicines available from your lfs, but at this stage I wouldn't hold out much hope. Wash your hands and equipment well because if it is tb it can pass to humans.


Thanks for the information.

I stayed with him all night, and isolated him in the 20G. Dosed it with salt, increased temperature to 82F and no luck. Woke up this morning and he was barely breathing so I scooped him out and popped him in the freezer. R.I.P Red Belly! (2nd red in 2 months :S)


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## BanditBrother (Nov 8, 2003)

Probably the best thing u could've done m8!!!! I know its sad but better than him suffering!!!!! Bad xmas present 2!!!!!!!!!


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## thegod81 (Dec 29, 2006)

I just read this and your pictures look very similar to my fish. I have been feeding him live goldfish, he is the only one in a 55 gallon tank. Any hope for him or should I expect bad news in the morning?


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## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

thegod81 said:


> I just read this and your pictures look very similar to my fish. I have been feeding him live goldfish, he is the only one in a 55 gallon tank. Any hope for him or should I expect bad news in the morning?


Never use goldfish as a main food resource, there's too much thiaminase in it, that inhibits growth and development of the fish.
Some say never use them, others like me say there's no problem in using them sometimes. But always give them a varied healthy diet of white fishes.

If your fish looks like that you might be in trouble. What are your parameters and how often do you change water ?


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