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My aunt has a red arowanna that seems to have a bouyancy problem. The fish swims slightly slanted, with the head more tilted towards the bottom and tail towards the top. One side (stomach area) is larger than the other, but shows no redness, parasites, etc. Looks like when your fish is really full, except one side is still flat.

I'm guessing its a bladder problem, or it's filled up with something (too many liquids?). It's not eating either, and hasnt been excreting waste.

The period of time is roughly a month+. Salt has been added to the water and frequent water changes has been done (almost daily). Other tankmates are fine.

Any ideas what I should do? Medications? I'm thinking of shipping some melafix to her, but i'm not sure what else.

Does your aunt have water quality information? Like results for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?

Because it is affecting one side more than the other I would immadiately suspect some kind of physiological problem like a tumor. Tha bad news is that if that's what it is there really isn't a lot you can do.

Post some more info about the tank environment, please.

Help us to help you with your sick fish:

When making a post to the hospital forum, you will save valuable time by providing the following to us. Post what you can now then bring the rest back later if you are missing something. Copy and paste the info into your post as a guideline, then edit out what is not needed. based on symptoms, we may ask for more info later.

It is also important for us to know what country you are in so we can recommend medications that are actually available to you.

ENVIRONMENTAL DATA

Water Parameters
There are many things in a fish tank that can cause a fish to appear sick, when natural toxins or water chemistry are not just right.

Ammonia:
Nitrite (note the “I&#8221:
Nitrate (note the “A):
pH:
Temp:

If you do not have one or more of these, please take a bag of water to the fish store and ask them to test it for you. Most will do this for free. If not, try another store. Make sure you write them down so we can review the numbers with you.

Tank Information

Tank Size (gallons and dimensions if known (20 gal long versus regular 20 or 20 gal high):
Stock List (Quantity/Species):
Fish size for larger fish (a 5 inch angel or a 9 inch oscar has a different effect on water parameters than a half-dollar size angle or a 3 inch oscar).
Filtration (ex: Penguin 330, Whisper 40, Fluval 204, etc).

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Additives
Tell us what you add to your tank or replacement water like conditioners to remove chlorine/chloramine, fertilizers for plants, aquarium salt, pH adjusters, etc. Describe for us how often you use and how much.

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SICK FISH

Be as descriptive as you can and provide pics, if possible (see the post about how to add pictures at the top of the hospital forum).

We not only need detailed information about what you see ON the fish, we need to know about it’s behavior. This does not attempt to capture everything, but gives you some ideas on how to present what you are seeing. Don’t limit yourself to what is here.

Examples of some physical attributes
Pale, darker, grey fuzz/white fuzz/off-white fuzz, grey slimey film, blue haze, gold dusting, salt grains/spots, blood bordered white area, ulcer, pustule/boil, cloudy eyes, protruding eye, eroding fin, etc.

Examples of some behaviors
Lethargic, rapid breathing, sits on the bottom, hangs out at the top with head down (or head up), darting in a spiral fashion, swimming slowly without orientation, choking, flicking against objects in the tank or gravel

Tank size? And how long has it been in that tank?

If it hasn't been eating for a month plus I can't see it being a retention problem liquid or otherwise. Don't see melafix helping in any way with an internal issue. You mentioned daily water changes any idea how much and what the water parameters are?

^_^[font color="#999999][hr width='40%']"When you try your best but you don't succeed. When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace. When you love someone but i" ][hr width='40%']"When you try your best but you don't succeed. When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace. When you love someone but it goes to waste
COULD IT BE WORSE?" ~Coldplay

The tanks more than 300 gallons (was 8 feet long, 2 feet wide, and almost 3 feet tall if i recall). The tank isnt filled all the way to the surface, so I guess its roughly 200 gallons of water in there. The water quality is fine (0 ammonia 0 nitrite, not sure about nitrate). The water is drained about 1/3 daily.

The thing is she's in China. I was visiting a few weeks ago and looked at the fish too, and now she asked if I could send her some medication.

Tankmates: 2 stingrays (motoro i believe), tiger daitnoid, two blood parrots, 2 giant gouramis, midas cichlid.

Additives: Mainly just salt and some Chinese version of melafix.

Thanks for all the help!

Edit: The arowanna is rougly 2 feet or larger.

Last edited by inkodinkomalinko at 22-Aug-2005 20:19