SAP is unwell

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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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.
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borris
Puffer Fry
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2016 4:18 am
Location (country): UK

SAP is unwell

Post by borris »

Hi all,

I have a SAP thats looking unwell. Its a bit bloated and hanging near the surface, not eating.

Here's the stats:
24 USG tank
6 SAPs (between 1-2")
10 rasbora henglii
pH 7.2
ammonia = 0
nitrites = 0
nitrates = 30ppm
TDS = 340ppm
Tanks been running for around 6-8 weeks, but was fishless cycled for 4 weeks prior to adding stock
Puffers have been in for 2-4 weeks (added in batches)
Lots of water changes. 2x50% minimum per week for the last 4 weeks

My latest SAP addition introduced Ich, which i treated for with a 'safe for all fish' treatment of malachite green and formalin. There didnt seem to be any adverse reaction to this and the other SAPs are fine.

But one of them is now looking pretty sick (started on the last day of the 8 day treatment. its a little swollen (although not puffed up) and isnt eating. it was one of the best eaters out opf all of them, always being first to the food (mostly frozen foods, bloodworm, mussel, brine shrimp, white mosquito larvea, snails etc).

Ive added some epsom salts to the water at 1 tbsp per 10G in case it was constapation, but no change. i've also added some melafix as its harmless and worth a try.

I'm guessing its an internal bacterial infection, but i'm after any other possibilities and advice. I'm setting up a hospital tank tonight so i can treat more specifically (i hate dosing the whole tank if its possible to avoid it).

Any advice welcome.

Cheers,

Borris.
kass
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 473
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2006 5:14 pm
Gender: Male
Location (country): Canada
Location: Guelph, Canada

Re: SAP is unwell

Post by kass »

Hi Borris. I don't know much about diagnosing illness other than internal parasites. Hopefully someone else can chime in soon.

30ppm nitrates is on the high end. What are your nitrate levels out of the tap? Your tank seems a little over stocked, which may be why your nitrates are high.
Any change in the fish's behaviour?
SAPs are known to have problems with overgrown teeth. Have you been feeding then lots of hard foods? Can you see if the teeth of the fish that is not eating are overgrown?
pokeystar
Figure 8 Puffer
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Location (country): Ireland

Re: SAP is unwell

Post by pokeystar »

Hi Boris I think the reccomendations for SAP is 15usg per fish. (I am open to corrections on this) The nitrates look high and no matter what is up clean water helps I suggest 50% water change and if you have a spare tank separate it. A good general treatment is Metronidazole it will treat parasites and is antibiotic. Getting your hands on it in the UK is not easy as it's prescription only.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: SAP is unwell

Post by Pufferpunk »

15g for the 1st one & then 10g for every extra. Your tank is grossly overstocked. The weakest fish will always die off 1st.
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!"
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