Severum Cichlid head shaking

About a week ago I noticed that my severum has not been eating. He has been shaking his head aggressively during feeding time but still acts interested in food. He also does this ‘burping’ with his mouth. He’s showing no other outward signs of illness in his behavior. I saw that the head shaking is nerve related and a symptom of an issue. Since this has started a week ago, I’ve done several water changes to make sure my parameters are good and have slowed down feeding. I have treated the tank with general cure in hopes that it would help but he is still shaking his head. I’ve used things like Metroplex, Kanaplex, ect.. in the past but am unsure of what the best course of action is if he has an internal parasite. Help please?

 

What other fish are in the tank? Can you please post a photo of the whole tank?

 

From the description, the Severum might be suffering from gill Flukes.
You might try a commercial anti
parasitic med.

 

Here is the whole tank as well as a picture of the severum. He does have a white fungal infection on his fin that I’m aware of but it seems like the fungus is probably secondary to whatever is really going on.

What other fish are in the tank? Can you please post a photo of the whole tank?

Besides the severum, I have a pleco, rainbow shark, and a sole surviving green tiger barb from a school.

From the description, the Severum might be suffering from gill Flukes.
You might try a commercial anti
parasitic med.

Do you know how he could get gill flukes? I haven’t introduced anything new to the tank recently. Would I be able to see them externally?

 

Parasites such as Flukes can be present on a seemingly healthy fish.
If the fish's immune system becomes compromised, the parasite population can grow exponentially.

 

Parasites such as Flukes can be present on a seemingly healthy fish.
If the fish's immune system becomes compromised, the parasite population can grow exponentially.

Do you think Metroplex is worth a shot?

 

Not Metroplex. Seachems Para
Guard would be more appropriate.

 

Not Metroplex. Seachems Para
Guard would be more appropriate.

Alright. I’ll give that a try. Thank you very much!

 

About a week ago I noticed that my severum has not been eating. He has been shaking his head aggressively during feeding time but still acts interested in food. He also does this ‘burping’ with his mouth. He’s showing no other outward signs of illness in his behavior. I saw that the head shaking is nerve related and a symptom of an issue. Since this has started a week ago, I’ve done several water changes to make sure my parameters are good and have slowed down feeding. I have treated the tank with general cure in hopes that it would help but he is still shaking his head. I’ve used things like Metroplex, Kanaplex, ect.. in the past but am unsure of what the best course of action is if he has an internal parasite. Help please?

An Update…
He is still not doing great and not eating. He is interested in food but doesn’t seem capable of eating it. I’ve seen him scratch his stomach on things in the aquarium a few times. I’ve also seen a bit of excess slime on him. He has some lateral line degradation but his water tests are all ok. Still shaking his head a lot, especially when I add food or medication to the water, as well as when he swims over to see me. I’m not sure what to do anymore. Nothing seems to improve his condition. I have treated him with General Cure, Metroplex, Pimafix, and Paraguard over the last..maybe 2-3 weeks? He has not eaten in almost two weeks now. I know those are a lot of different medicines but after several doses of each he just doesn’t improve at all. I’m getting very worried and am unsure of what to do next. I can’t find a fish vet Advice?

Also,

I’ve been looking at him very closely and in his mouth he has these dark things that move with his water intake. Is this part of his mouth anatomy or a parasite? I’m desperate at this point…

 

About a week ago I noticed that my severum has not been eating. He has been shaking his head aggressively during feeding time but still acts interested in food. He also does this ‘burping’ with his mouth. He’s showing no other outward signs of illness in his behavior. I saw that the head shaking is nerve related and a symptom of an issue. Since this has started a week ago, I’ve done several water changes to make sure my parameters are good and have slowed down feeding. I have treated the tank with general cure in hopes that it would help but he is still shaking his head. I’ve used things like Metroplex, Kanaplex, ect.. in the past but am unsure of what the best course of action is if he has an internal parasite. Help please?

A new update… with kanaplex and general cure he doesn’t seem better and is very very slowly getting worse. I honestly don’t know how long since he’s eaten but I haven’t seen him eat anything from me in several weeks now. He is scraping against things in the aquarium, head shaking, and kind of protruding/flexing his mouth out when he shakes his head. I’m so worried that whatever this is will end up killing him. I feel like whatever is wrong is internal and the scrapes are from the irritation with a secondary fungal infection that I’ve been controlling. I don’t know how to treat anything internally since he won’t eat. Please please help!

 

What are the pH and nitrate levels in this tank, please?

 

What are the pH and nitrate levels in this tank, please?

Approximate 7.6 and 20

 

Approximate 7.6 and 20

Cichlids don't tend to like nitrates, try to get that figure down to zero. Also even though Severums will survive in Alkaline water they prefer it Acidic just like Discus and Angels.

 

Cichlids don't tend to like nitrates, try to get that figure down to zero. Also even though Severums will survive in Alkaline water they prefer it Acidic just like Discus and Angels.

Alright I’ll do my best to get those numbers better. Do you think that’s what’s causing this issue?

 

Alright I’ll do my best to get those numbers better. Do you think that’s what’s causing this issue?

Could be

 

I don't think it's a good idea to mess with pH at all in this situation, he's likely weak and stressed already. WAter changing to bring the nitrates down to 10ppm or less and keeping it there is a good idea to promote a strong immune system and destress.

With what you've already tried, I would say it's not a disease that you are going to be able to treat with any of it.
What it could be,
1. Possible neurological disorder, causing disorientation.
2. Behavioral aggression issue, the tank is small, he is big and doesn't have the territory or hides to feel safe and relax so every time you approach the tank he gets defensive and takes you as a threat and flares and shakes to back you off.

You can't do anything about #1 if that's what it is.

If it's #2 try to feed and back off out of sight and watch from a distance. dimming the light some, might make him feel more secure and unthreatened. I think he knows he's in a tight space, nowhere to run nowhere to hide, and it's all stress related because he feels he has to stay on guard and be defensive, to a point he won't drop his guard and eat. If it's high traffic where the tank is located, think about blocking out the glass so he can't see out and see people passing by. It may help.

I think you should stop with the medications which arent working anyways and would just be another stresser added to him. Water change to lower the nitrates below 10ppm, and make some changes to try and make him feel safe and secure, come, feed,and go, no sudden movements and a lot less movement around the tank, try dimming the lights and putting more plant in for him to get out of sight and rest where he can feel safe, and hopefully this distresses him.

I'd say if he's not eating for this long, he's weak, stressed and not going to last much longer if it continues. The medications aren't doing anything, so try to destress the fish. If it's not that it's got to be a neurological disorder and maybe blurry vision or dizzy, or nerves firing and aggravated from the nerve jumps, something along those lines where he doesn't feel good and just can't function normally.