fishluver101

idk what has been wrong with my fishes but for the past 5 months they have had weird fins but it has not effected them in the least. i treated them for fin rot and its not that idk what. one of them had no tail and hardly any fins so he couldnt swim fast. lately i have noticed he hasnt been getting much food. today i came in and he is laying limp on the floor of the tank. he is in a comftorable position with his mouth in the algae in the rocks. he is breathing. he occasionally bounces a tad idk if that means he is eating or what. i put in some garlic. because he swims slow he couldnt get anny food and the other guys which are perfectly healthy were getting all of the food. none the less this little guy is totally dull is being un bothered by the other fish. he isnt flowing around int the current or anything either. i realize he will probably die but i just want to at least try. i have no idea what to do. its a 10 gallon tank so it would be hard to feed him. any ideas

also i dont have a hospital tank with a heater but i can put in garlic at regular intervals. i have maracyn-two also if that makes any difference. any way i can get food to this little guy or help him at all? he is entirely undisturbed. idk if he would try to come up for anything but he is trying every now and again to get up i can tell. can he eat algae cuz then maybe he can get SOMETHING. thanks!

p.s. would it be a problem if i decorated for christmas a tad and checked on him every now and again? also the water is perrfect im almost positive its starvation.

CHoffman

How often are you doing water changes?

fishluver101

weekly. i turned the lights of while you were gone then checked on him and it helps alot.

fishluver101

i tried to feed him with tweesers but they just got a little bit and now eheir in liek feeding mode. the dim lighting helps them stay away and its wearing off but one of them took a tiney bit off his very very puny tail
im watching him so the second he dies im gonna take him out because i know its comming is there any way to make his passage safer without killing him? also he is getting a little stronger when there is no lighting he turned himself arround and now bobs his whole body with every breah like he comes of the ground a little bit like he's getting better. should i turn on the lights for 30 seconds like every 10 min or something for stimulous?

CHoffman

in your aquarium info it says that you don't have test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. I would start with a 50% water change since you don't know your water levels. You can add the garlic after the water change too. Without knowing what your levels are it's hard to say what could be going on.

fishluver101

well i better update my profile cuz i do have a test kit and the water is PERFECT. i changed it two days ago and tested it just a few min ago for safety. all a water change would do is disturb him is there anything else i can do?

CHoffman

if you really think he won't make it you could do this.
But I would be sure it's not a fixable problem. You might want to want for someone else to post.

This is a post Shawnie made..I just pasted it here for you.
1. Add tank water to a measuring cup or mixing bowl. Measure the amount of tank water you add to the cup or bowl and make a note of it. Place the fish in the container. If the fish is in a clear cup place a dark towel around the cup to calm the fish.

2. Fill a small, clean jar or bottle with tank water, leaving some room at the top. This might be a baby food jar or pill bottle. Put 1 drop of clove oil in the jar or bottle, cap and shake vigorously. The clove oil must emulsify, turning the water milky white.

Gently pour about 1/4 of this emulsified mixture into the fish's container. The fish will begin listing as it starts to fall asleep. Let the fish be for about 10 minutes. The fish should be resting on the bottom by then. It will look dead, but if you watch closely its gills will be breathing once every few seconds. If after 10 minutes the fish is still rising off the bottom swimming intermittently, retrieve the jar or bottle of emulsified clove oil, re-shake, and add the same dose to the fish's container. Wait again.

3. Once the fish is asleep on the bottom, add 20-25% white grain alcohol. For example, if the fish is in 8oz (240ml) of water, add 2oz (60ml) of vodka. Let the fish stay there for at least 20 minutes.

4. Check the fish carefully after 20 minutes for any gill movement. If there is no gill movement over a 60 second period, the fish has expired.

fishluver101

i said in a way that doesnt kill him. im going to keep trying and honestly i would rather him strugle and die mearly because they have no conciousness and ide never be able to forgive myself. ide rather him die trying because it doesnt hurt him and not me as much. im just wondering if there is any way to try to nurse him.

but thank you im sorry im being snippy im just very upset over this

CHoffman

I understand and I respect your opinion. I think keeping things calm and dark like you are is a good start. I don't really know what else to do for him. I wish I could give you more advise on this subject. It sounds like your doing all you can.

fishluver101

thank you it means alot. im going to try to shake it off and d some christmas decorating! but im gonna check on him every 5 min. when i do that should i like turn on the lights for 30 seconds to give him some stimulation?

CHoffman

I wouldn't....It might just stress him out and get the other fish excited too. I would leave it dark in there.

fishluver101

kk. im actually gonna do 15 on 15 off so it'll be every 15 is that ok? when he passes away this is my plan: scoop him out and make him his little coffin (its this ceremony i do for whenever my fish die). then i do a 50% water change. then i give them a half sized feeding since they have already been fed but i figured i should to keep up there immune system and now im afraid of under feeding. then i give them 2 drops of garlic juice. any flaws? b bak in 15!
(im starting to get over this as you can tell. its weird its like the other fish are mourning for him. they all swim around but like every 30 seconds they kindof come over and sit for a seccond and like stare at him. then this one guy kindof just levitates u know swims a touch around him every min or so. its sad and depressing but it shows i have good hearted fish lol.

CHoffman

IMO...I wouldn't turn the lights on at all...IF there is a way for you to see him without turning the lights on I would suggest leaving them off.

fishluver101

o yah wen i said 15 on 15 off i mean 15 min decorating 15 min watching him and researching srry for not clearing that up.

CHoffman

oh yes..Sounds good..IF it feels right then that's what you should do.

fishluver101

it feels right. he hasnt changed his condition AT ALL. its sad because even though they have no concience its like the other fish are sad they are all huddled together not swimming around or anything in the thickest plant on the other side of the tank poor guys . that changes my plan to waiting 10 min after hes taken out just incase they wouldnt eat otherwise......





....uuugh! he's not freeking relaxing. he's just gonna use all the remaining energy he has left till he dies is there any way to get him to calm down? its just like his whole body is going up and down i guess with his breathing. am i being stupid in the sense that he has to do that to breath? i cant tell if he's struggling to get up every time or if he's just breathing. also: can neon's eat algae cuz if they can then he's getting SOMETHING in his system at least. will he eat the algae?

CHoffman

I'm not certain if they eat algae or not..I hope someone else can answer that for you. I wouldn't stress yourself out to much. You can't change what he is doing so just let him do whatever he needs to do to get through this.

fishluver101

ok. im just kind-of letting him b. is that ok i guess there isnt really anything i can do

Lucy

I'm really sorry your fish is doing so poorly. It hard to feel so helpless.
If you can, do you have a clean never seem soap container or bowl that has never seen soap? You could scoop him in that and let it float in your tank. That way, he'll have the same water. That should help keep him warm and maybe you can get him to eat a little. it'll also assure he won't get picked on.

fishluver101

i just checked on him and he moved. idk if thats a good thing or a bad thing or what. none the less, what do i do now? in 3 hours i have to go to bed and if he's still alive what happens if he doesnt survive to the morning? won't that hurt the other fish what do i do