Fahaka not eating

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!

Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.

While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.

Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
User avatar
eieio
Mbu Puffer
Posts: 1033
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:34 am
My Puffers: *
The Congo Puffer:
"olivia"
and.......
The DP:
"cream puff"
RIP cream puff :-(
Location (country): U.S.A.
Location: Prescott, Arizona

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by eieio »

here are a couple of good articles on the causes of algae, including cyano, which is actually a type of bacterial issue
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/ ... algae.html
http://www.fishlore.com/aquariummagazin ... cteria.htm

what part of Denmark are you from?
my wife is from Nyhavn, Copenhagen
she grew up in one of the hotel-restaurants (her family owned it) on the waterfront there in the 1940s-1950s
it's one of the buildings you often see in the tourist pictures :)
"I plan ahead. That way, I don't have to do anything right now!"
Hesch
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 9:05 am
My Puffers: 1 fahaka called Swayze
5 dwarfpuffers
Location (country): Denmark

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Hesch »

Thanks :-)

I am from the right north of Denmark but curently live on the island called Fyn, about an hour from copenhagen.
Nyhavn is lovely! My brother lives in copenhagen, so I often go there :-)
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Pufferpunk »

His mouth really doesn't look that bad but his teeth are a bit jagged. I do wonder why your pH is so high. What's the substrate?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Hesch
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 9:05 am
My Puffers: 1 fahaka called Swayze
5 dwarfpuffers
Location (country): Denmark

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Hesch »

So ive done another test today. Its been 2 days since last wc. My boyfriend has managed to forcefeed the fish a couple of times since then. Only half a shrimp each time. Ive seen no poop.
Anyway, the results are very much the same except for ph:
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm (it might be slightly more yellow, but nowhere near orange which is 5.0 ppm on the testkit. So definitly below 5.0 ppm)
Ph 8.4.

The substrate is sand. It was called cichlid-sand in the shop.
What can I do to lower the ph?? Do you think that is what making him not eat??
Should I do anything about his teeth?
Hesch
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 9:05 am
My Puffers: 1 fahaka called Swayze
5 dwarfpuffers
Location (country): Denmark

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Hesch »

The ph of the tap water is 7.4
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Pufferpunk »

Although I'm not sure the high pH is a problem, it is much higher than a FW fish would prefer. I would start changing out the substrate, slowly.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Hesch
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 9:05 am
My Puffers: 1 fahaka called Swayze
5 dwarfpuffers
Location (country): Denmark

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Hesch »

Ok. Will try changing the sand.
Should I start adding stuff to the tank to lower the ph or will that not be good for the fish?
He is very weak and I dont want to stress him out, but if the ph is a big problem I know you can get stuff to add to the water to lower it.
Just dont know what to do. I dont know whats wrong with him...
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Pufferpunk »

IDK if this is the problem. Just the only thing that sounds off. Seems something like this wouldn't be killing your fish--maybe just stressing him out. Time will tell I guess--after you get that pH down. I suggest adding peat to his filter. Put it in a stocking.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Hesch
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 9:05 am
My Puffers: 1 fahaka called Swayze
5 dwarfpuffers
Location (country): Denmark

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Hesch »

What do you think of his colour?
He had white stringy poop today, so will try prazi pro again.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Pufferpunk »

He looks pale but he's also laying on white sand.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Hesch
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 9:05 am
My Puffers: 1 fahaka called Swayze
5 dwarfpuffers
Location (country): Denmark

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Hesch »

Good news. Swayze is eating again and although he is still a bit lethargic, he is much more active than he was. He is now begging for food again :-)
His poop is back to normal, no more white strings.

However, earlier today i noticed these white marks on his skin. Also his belly looks a bit sunken in. Does he look ok to you?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Pufferpunk »

Can you get a closer clear shot of the marks? Are they just scrapes? Filbert is always getting scraped up.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Hesch
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 9:05 am
My Puffers: 1 fahaka called Swayze
5 dwarfpuffers
Location (country): Denmark

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Hesch »

Here are some more pics.
The white marks are also on his tail and fins. Not sure if they are scrapes. They look smooth like the rest of his skin, only milky white.
Thank you for taking your time with this. I am grateful for any advice.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Hesch
Puffer Fry
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 9:05 am
My Puffers: 1 fahaka called Swayze
5 dwarfpuffers
Location (country): Denmark

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Hesch »

I just got home and he is looking very poorly. Looks like the white marks are on his eyes as well. Could it be cloudy eyes and how is that best treated? It looks a bit like mould or fungus? It looks a bit like he is disolving? Also ive seen him flashing recently. Like he is trying to scratch himself.
Did 50% water change the day before yesterday and just did another 25%. Treated him with epsom salt yesterday as he has been looking constipated and havent done a poop for 3 days. Could the epsom salt have made it worse?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Fahaka not eating

Post by Pufferpunk »

I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't poop, since he hadn't eaten in quite some time. Do a 50% WC, add Melafix, Pimafix & salt, starting at 1 tbsp/10g today & then the same again tomorrow. Have you tested the parameters lately?

Look here: http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Columnaris.html
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Post Reply