Green Terror swims head down with white pimple on side

My Green Terror Kahleesi is not doing so great.
For the last week he's been swimming vertically. Thought it was swim bladder issues or constipation.
Fasted him for 3 days, then tried the shelled pea method for a couple days and added epsom salt to the water last week.
Tried adding Aquarium salt and stress coat yesterday - no change to his swimming behavior.

**Today he's been pooping but belly still looks super bloated and I noticed a white pimple growing on his left side just above his eye!

About 6 years old - has been same in same tank the entire time, shared with a pleco
Water parameters: pH 7.6, Ammonia 0, Nitrate no2 0, Nitrate no3 80-100
Temp: 80 degrees
Did a 25% water change a few days ago, going to do another change today too.

any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated!

 

Wouldn't know what is wrong with your green terror. I would guess the white pimple part may be unrelated to the internal issue though.

Nitrate is high so definitely do some extra water changes. Can you do 25% for a few days then a 50% once or twice? That way it won't shock the fish by being a big decrease. Test in between to lower it to 20ppm gradually.

I doubt the illness is nitrate related but that's only obvious thing.

 

Wouldn't know what is wrong with your green terror. I would guess the white pimple part may be unrelated to the internal issue though.

Nitrate is high so definitely do some extra water changes. Can you do 25% for a few days then a 50% once or twice? That way it won't shock the fish by being a big decrease. Test in between to lower it to 20ppm gradually.

I doubt the illness is nitrate related but that's only obvious thing.

thanks for the feedback. will definitely do the water changes in hopes that that helps.

 

update - 25% water change last night,
white pimple must have popped, or is gone now... but still no change to his swimming vertically.

 

Help! Green Terror still not doing well.
i've tried all solutions for swim bladder, checking water levels etc.

He is now showing redness at the base of fins, belly appears bloated, still struggling a bit to swim horizontal (tail end still floats up), appetite is "ok" but definitely not his usual appetite.

over the last few weeks i've tried adding aquarium salt, slime coat, 25% water changes and API Fin & Body cure (which has now tinted the water a reddish/brownish hue). I'm at a total loss at this point and poor GT is struggling. could this be Septicemia?

 

My guess is that the GT is suffering from aging ailments. He's probably just aging out. Great job successfully keeping the GT six years.

 

My guess is that the GT is suffering from aging ailments. He's probably just aging out. Great job successfully keeping the GT six years.

Ah, thank you, didn't think of that scenario. He's been such a great fish so sad to see him struggling.

 

Just my opinion and kind of guessing at this point based on what you tried already and the symptoms.

Can you tell me what his poop looks like? Normal, or white and stringy and kind of long and trailing?
That could be parasites, but because of the length of time and what you've tried to treat it with and getting almost no results out of it, Yeah, I'm going to go with intestinal bacterial infection and septicemia at this point. look for redness around most places on skin, not scales,, possibly where scales attache though.

if he's still eating something, try levamisole, metronidazole or praziquantel as a food soak at the proper dosages. i don't think it's viral, or even parasite related, I don't think it's organ failure either, but that's where it leads to.... but from an intestinal bacterial infection that went on too long heading towards blood poisoning. It would explain his smaller body size compared to his head, and his bloat, and inability to swim correctly. Likely a systemic bacterial infection at this point and he would have had it before he showed any signs for you to be concerned about.

I'd try to internally treat for bacterial infection through food soak and feeding, if that's what it is, it will turn around in a couple days and you'll notice a result. if it isn't.... I'm kinda at a loss. He's got the pinkish color to his tail also now,as well as his ventral fins, you can see the difference in the pictures from April and now.
Yeah. I'd be treating for an internal bacterial infection, if it's septicemia (blood poisoning) also at this stage, those drugs would be the same treatment for it, nothing different. I don't think it's a parasite or constipation. intestinal bacterial infection that's becoming systemic.

Of the three they are all anti- parasitics with anti bacterial qualities, however perhaps metronidazole would be the better fit of the 3. this really covers both conditions bacterial or parasite. maybe if you can find a food soak version of neomycin to compliment it with,,,, counter name is Neoplex and soak foods and just follow dosages.

You can chalk it up to old age, you could try the food soaks and see if that works and improves things, IF that works, then you'd want to treat with the metronidazole every few months to avoid the bacterial buildup in the gut which kicks the whole thing off.Depends on how bad he is at this point and if you think he'd have a chance of surviving more treatment.

 

Just my opinion and kind of guessing at this point based on what you tried already and the symptoms.

Can you tell me what his poop looks like? Normal, or white and stringy and kind of long and trailing?
That could be parasites, but because of the length of time and what you've tried to treat it with and getting almost no results out of it, Yeah, I'm going to go with intestinal bacterial infection and septicemia at this point. look for redness around most places on skin, not scales,, possibly where scales attache though.

if he's still eating something, try levamisole, metronidazole or praziquantel as a food soak at the proper dosages. i don't think it's viral, or even parasite related, I don't think it's organ failure either, but that's where it leads to.... but from an intestinal bacterial infection that went on too long heading towards blood poisoning. It would explain his smaller body size compared to his head, and his bloat, and inability to swim correctly. Likely a systemic bacterial infection at this point and he would have had it before he showed any signs for you to be concerned about.

I'd try to internally treat for bacterial infection through food soak and feeding, if that's what it is, it will turn around in a couple days and you'll notice a result. if it isn't.... I'm kinda at a loss. He's got the pinkish color to his tail also now,as well as his ventral fins, you can see the difference in the pictures from April and now.
Yeah. I'd be treating for an internal bacterial infection, if it's septicemia (blood poisoning) also at this stage, those drugs would be the same treatment for it, nothing different. I don't think it's a parasite or constipation. intestinal bacterial infection that's becoming systemic.

Of the three they are all anti- parasitics with anti bacterial qualities, however perhaps metronidazole would be the better fit of the 3. this really covers both conditions bacterial or parasite. maybe if you can find a food soak version of neomycin to compliment it with,,,, counter name is Neoplex and soak foods and just follow dosages.

You can chalk it up to old age, you could try the food soaks and see if that works and improves things, IF that works, then you'd want to treat with the metronidazole every few months to avoid the bacterial buildup in the gut which kicks the whole thing off.Depends on how bad he is at this point and if you think he'd have a chance of surviving more treatment.

Wow, thanks soooo much for all your input. He definitely is way more pink throughout his body and the redness at the base of his fins seems to be worsening and spreading out on his dorsal fins. Looks so uncomfortable.

He has been eating fairly regularly - i've been giving him the small sinking cichlid pellets every other day this past week or so. His poop has been a bit long, but mostly a tan color and not super white or stringy.

I will give the neoplex and metronidazole a go.
Going to do another 25% water change and replaced filters today too.

thanks again!