aquarist48

Hello Red. Best wishes for Charlie coming your way!
Ken

Red1313

Thanks Ken
ROFL Tony. The reason I was on campus that late (and now up so early) is because I've got a lab report due this afternoon that I was putting off doing.

OK so Charlie's update: Charlie is doing a little better. He's still "hiding" behind his pot but now he's at least swimming a little rather then just resting there. I'll fast him anouther couple of days and see if that help or not. Hopefuly the TSS is kicking in now and he'll be back to his old cheerful self soon.

Tony G.

Thats great!

glad he's doing better!

yukoandk

Ahh, I see, you are waiting for TSS to kick in. I'll be interested to hear more on how that goes. Best wishes for you and Charlie!

Shawnie

how is charlie today?

Tony G.

how is he doing red?

Red1313

He's still not quite himself and keeps hiding behind his pot but he's not just sitting on the bottom so much anymore... However I tried feeding him today and again he ran in terror from the food... I don't know what's up with him...

Shawnie

ive been sending him tons of fishy prayers! I just love his face and I so hope he does better soon!
I think hes still just showing effects of the cycle process have you tested the water lately?

Tony G.

poor lil fella
i really hope he does well

Red1313

I was going to check tomorrow... by then it'll have been nearly a week and a water vac (if nessecary) shouldn't hurt the TSS by then. He's going out and about and is much more active but he's really spooky.

gremlin

Do you have other pets or kids in the home? I wonder if he got spooked by someone or something. When we had a dog get in our pond it took a good week to a week and a half before the fish would come up to get fed again. And when my one fish got caught by a cat, she wouldn't come up to be fed for almost three weeks - she would swim to the farthest deepest corner of the pond whenever anyone went near the pond.

Red1313

hmmm... nope not really. I live by myself, and haven't had any friends over to visit. Unless I spooked him fiddling around with the tank one time I don't know what could have happened.

gremlin

hmmmm. As Yul Brynner put it (in the King and I) - it is a puzzlement.

Red1313

Well now for an update on Charlie...
The Cycle's over!!!
I just did the tests and as follows: NH3=0, NO2=0, NO3=5
However he's still being rather reclusive. I do see him out periodically but he seems to spend most of his day hiding.
After a bit of Googling for reasons why he might be hanging around the bottom of the tank I've found the following.
1) Water Paramenters -nope not this as seen above
2) Parasites - could be a possibility
3) Strong Water Current - another possilbility I'm currently looking into but my filter doesn't seem to have an adjustable flow so I'll have to modify.

Shawnie

red im glad its over!!!!! keep a close eye on it..but, I still think he is showing the effects of the cycle process..even tho you have achieved your goal, he still went through ammonia/nitrite spikes and that i hard on any fish hopefully he perks up soooooooon!

Red1313

Thanks Shawnie.
I just added some media to the filter to slow the water flow down so I hope that helps some.

bolivianbaby

I'm so glad you're cycle is over! That's always cause for celebration! I really hope Charlie starts getting more active soon!

TFA101

Cycle over?? I think once Charlie gets betters he's going to need a playmate... or two... or three...

Red1313

Hehehe I am working on that as we speak. Sunday stinks for getting around saskatoon but I may be able to swing by a LFS monday and see what I can scrounge up. The new baby will have to be QT'd but that's alright.

Also an update. The filter was definitely part of the problem. Since I slowed the current down he's now swimming around his tank. However I apparently terrify him b/c as soon as I go past the tank he freezes and if I keep looking at him he runs into his "hiding" place.

Shawnie

dont add anything for a couple weeks tho! you dont want to throw this tank backwards...im glad hes doing better with less current..maybe shut his lights out and stay away until feeding time tonite? or maybe he just needs more hiding spots so he doesnt fell nekid

Red1313

heheh
nope nothing new is going near this tank for a few weeks yet. But I figure that by the time the QT period (3-4 weeks) is over things should be good to go

Shawnie

great job red...be proud of keeping him alive through a rough cycle period..perk up charlie!!!!!!

shellbell4ever

Cycling with fish is the worst I'm afraid I am going through the same thing here,Congrats on getting through yours!!!On another note in my 30 gallon I have 3 fancy's and my 1 fantail acted the same way for the first few weeks,would run and hide every time I went to the tank... broke my heart But it seems to have overcome the fear and happily does the feed me dance along with it's tank mates now I hope this will pass for your Charlie as well in time

Tony G.

yay! so glad he's doing better!

TFA101

Have you gotten him to eat yet?

Red1313

he's eating a bit (provided he can't see me while he's doing it).

TFA101

maybe try some positive reinforcements with him? everytime you pass by the tank, drop in his favorite treat.

joy1125

Hi Red, I think Charlie will be less shy once you add a friend or two to his tank.

When I had my first oranda all by himself, he did the same exact thing. He'd hide whenever he saw me approach, and seemed downright afraid of me. I remember having to sneak into the room in order to observe him, just to make sure that he was swimming around (which he was). He just wouldn't do anything but hide when he saw me !

So I went out and got two friends for him, quarantined them for 3 weeks, and once I added them, he became a totally different fish. And it happened almost immediately.
After a day or two of very minor aggression (it was HIS tank afterall..) he bonded with his new friends and began mimicking what they did, and began interacting with me as well !! I guess he felt less "exposed" in his group of 3.

It's now 3 or 4 months later, and they all are great friends, and all of them practically eat out of my hand.

So have fun picking out your new purchase(s) ! I know the quarantine period seems like forever..... but it'll go quick, and "shy Charlie" will be just a funny memory !

Red1313

Hi everyone just thought I'd give you an update.
Charlie is doing MUCH better now. I think the combination of cycled tank and frozen bloods worms every couple of days is what did the trick. He's now out and about and he's even almost back to hand feeding again. Some of the black around his gills looks like it's fading as well. One thing that seems to have helped however is the addition of some floating "cover". When I cut down the lilys in the ten gal last night I grabbed all the big floating leaves and threw them in his tank, mostly curious to see if he was going to nibble on them or not. It doesn't look like he's touched them but he's less flighty today. I may have to look into some duck-weed or water lettuce. Right now the only "lid" on the tank is the light strip so there might be some room for the water lettuce.
Anyway thanks for your support everyone.

bolivianbaby

I'm so glad he's doing better