Poorly electric acara

Hi
I need to try something else for my small acara as the longer this has been taking hold the more he looks weak

- I’ve had him for about 8months
- first few months he was fine and stayed with my two bigger acara in the big tank
- then started to hide in rock caves I’d made
- I removed him and put in another tank with less tank mates so I could monitor him more
- I removed him when I saw he wasn’t really going for food and losing more weight
- about 2 months ago started being extremely “picky” and very slow eating if anything
- he then stopped eating and I moved to a small fry tank to keep an eye on him and so he won’t have to compete for food (IF that was an issue)
- his belly appears sunken now
- I’ve tried every type of food I could think to encourage him and I’ve only managed to get one tiny piece of salmon in him in about 6 weeks. All food he ignores or just goes and has a look it’s only the salmon he’s attempted to slowly pluck
- he’s finally started to poo again (thankfully) but as you can see he is very frail
- I’ve tried worming treatment
- I’ve tried increased temp to bring on appetite
- I’ve currently been using melafix (that was to treat a betta female in here buts also seems to have prompted his poo
- the only other occupants are molly fry which are growing quickly and healthy
- tank is water changed every few days (more than main tank to account for powder feed and only having snails to clean up
- tank is bare bottom
- his body colour hasn’t been lost but it has on his belly (if relevant)

to me it looks like he’s starting to get dropsy is there anything I can do to save him ?

 

Would it be possible for you to do the full template please, especially your most recent water quality tests

You seem to have moved him quite a bit too and that is never good for the stress levels which in turn will affect health and appetite...

 

Would it be possible for you to do the full template please, especially your most recent water quality tests

You seem to have moved him quite a bit too and that is never good for the stress levels which in turn will affect health and appetite...

hi
The water levels are all fine that’s why I’ve not posted them and I’m fully familiar with the cycle it’s purely the fish symptoms and behaviour I’m seeking opinion on. In the space of 8 months he’s been moved 3 times. If I’d not moved him it would have been cruel of me not to act on the behaviour change
Thanks

 

Oh, poor guy! It's hard to see an EBA like that because they're normally such healthy, voracious eaters and stong like a bull. It seems like you're doing all that you can. The poop thing seems to be a good sign, but he definitely needs to get some food in him.

I'm going to let people who are more experts on fish maladies guide you further, but I wanted to just offer a little support and encourage you that you're caring for him well.

Hang in there! I'm following this thread and hoping for good things!!

 

Oh, poor guy! It's hard to see an EBA like that because they're normally such healthy, voracious eaters and stong like a bull. It seems like you're doing all that you can. The poop thing seems to be a good sign, but he definitely needs to get some food in him.

I'm going to let people who are more experts on fish maladies guide you further, but I wanted to just offer a little support and encourage you that you're caring for him well.

Hang in there! I'm following this thread and hoping for good things!!

Aww Thankyou so much for the kind words . It is hard to watch because my two others are exactly like that and have so much character

I’ve posted a picture of water parameters also all are fine. He used to LOVE bloodworm so I bought the smaller ones to even see if that would encourage him if he couldn’t manage the bigger ones atm ... but no nothing he ignores them

 

I am also not an expert, but...
Melafix is not medicine, it's basically Vix vapor rub for fish.
I would consider adding a bit of aquarium salt.
his fins might be sticking out a bit, I'm not sure, I'm afraid that there is no treatment for dropsy, so if pinecone scales do develop, it may be best to humanly euthanize. especially if he doesn't start eating. sorry. I recently had to euthanize my 5 inch female Acara. she was so sick, she fell asleep so fast with just a little bit of clove oil.

 

I am also not an expert, but...
Melafix is not medicine, it's basically Vix vapor rub for fish.
I would consider adding a bit of aquarium salt.
his fins might be sticking out a bit, I'm not sure, I'm afraid that there is no treatment for dropsy, so if pinecone scales do develop, it may be best to humanly euthanize. especially if he doesn't start eating. sorry. I recently had to euthanize my 5 inch female Acara. she was so sick, she fell asleep so fast with just a little bit of clove oil.

Aw no what was wrong with her , do you know? I wasn’t sure how much longer I should try with him and what crosses over to cruel keeping him alive - it’s hard to judge isn’t it

The melafix is only in the water to help the betta but I’d noticed it made the acara poo (seemed to) that’s why I mentioned it.

 

Aw no what was wrong with her , do you know? I wasn’t sure how much longer I should try with him and what crosses over to cruel keeping him alive - it’s hard to judge isn’t it

The melafix is only in the water to help the betta but I’d noticed it made the acara poo (seemed to) that’s why I mentioned it.

Melefix can coat a bettas labrynth organ with oil and prevent them from breathing. They sell bettafix, with is diluted melafix, because they seem to be aware of the problem, but its still not goods for anabantoid fish.

My acara had a something wrong that caused popeye, the eye was gross for months and eventually she lost the eye and it heeled over, but she still ate and was active for months, but then she just started sticking herself in one place on the gravel near the front of the tank, and not eating. a salt bath seemed to help once, but she went back to planking in a week, and refuse to eat. It was so sad because her sister was gently trying to push her to get her up and swimming.

 

Melefix can coat a bettas labrynth organ with oil and prevent them from breathing. They sell bettafix, with is diluted melafix, because they seem to be aware of the problem, but its still not goods for anabantoid fish.

My acara had a something wrong that caused popeye, the eye was gross for months and eventually she lost the eye and it heeled over, but she still ate and was active for months, but then she just started sticking herself in one place on the gravel near the front of the tank, and not eating. a salt bath seemed to help once, but she went back to planking in a week, and refuse to eat. It was so sad because her sister was gently trying to push her to get her up and swimming.

aw poor thing it’s like her sister knew . I do think they’re more intelligent than they seem

 

I would be dosing Metro and Prazi for what ever is going on internally with the acara .
The sunken belly is a sign of an internal infection IMO and metro and prazi are both safe and apply to the issue ..

 

I’ve found the metroplex?? medication and parazin p by waterlife online. I have tried to treat for infection internally with the esha line. Would you not recommend that brand??

 

As long as the active ingredients are the same brand should not matter .
You are across the pond I guess ..
You are looking for metronidazole and Praziquantel as active ingredients .

 

As long as the active ingredients are the same brand should not matter .
You are across the pond I guess ..
You are looking for metronidazole and Praziquantel as active ingredients .

Thanks I’ll have a look , I’ve used the esha one for now . Even if he ate some of the fry I’d be happy but he still seems to want to swim a bit. I only put him in the breeder box to take pictures - hopefully that’s a good sign

 

I’ve also decided to try prime conditioner as my water sits between 10-20 nitrates out of the tap. To try and lower the nitrates more and see if this helps. I’ve treated again for internal parasites but it hasn’t prompted anything. It is really strange as he will go and investigate what the food is but mainly ignores it