Neurological disorder

[David N]

I just had a fish that died on me for no particularly good reason (are they ever good?). In either case it started with a relatively healthy fish but the lowest fish in the pecking order. The fish could but developed a problem targeting the food (he kept missing about 90% of time). After a few days he developed some twitiching and writhing movements which after a few more days turned in a pattern of what can best be described as chasing its tail and it lost control of it's swimming pattern. 1 day later it was lying on it's side which is when I decided to cull it.

Again, the fish had good color, clear eyes, was not bloated or emaciated. If I saw this behavior in a warm blooded animal I would consider a neurological disorder, but is that even possible with fish?

Any ideas? Comment? Similar experiences?
David N

[jeep]

Sorry for your loss...


I could have been several issues from a swim bladder to some other internal infection to some parasitical problem. The fact that it missed its food 90% of the time could also account for a possible genetic problem that could have been related to its demise :confused:

Not much help but just tossing out some ideas...

[carladav]

Hello David,

I had a similar problem with one of my discus, it was a checkerboard pigion blood, it would spaz out for no reason, I alway's checked my water peramiter's after and they were alway's normal, it was in with other fish and none of them showed these symptom's so I knew it was not disease or water related, in the end it died, mine also started as a healthy fish,
I talked to a few discus breeder's and they told me that if it was not the water and no other fish were sick it was probobly neurilogical. Also I was told that discus who "miss" their food have genetic problem's, this is sometime's missed by breeder's because so many fry are in one tank it can be hard to see who is "getting" the food and who is "missing" the food.
Carla

[Northern Aquaselect]

I have this exact issue right now with one of my pigeon bloods. It seems to look fine physically, good color, weight etc. It has recently started freaking out, no abnormal feces, not eating much however. Not just darting, if there was no lid, it would be out of the tank forsure, from one end of the tank to the other. He is now doing the tail chasing, really only likes to make right turns, only turns left when other fish poke at it. In the past I had this issue with another pigeon blood, I was able to rid the symptoms with CLOUT, yet clout is hard on discus, may kill weaker fish.
I have no idea what it may be, I'm guessing it is parasite related. I thought it could be the last stages of a bad fluke infestation, but there is no scratching, just twitches, and spasms. Sure wish I could nail down a med which is not so hard on the fish. Metro doesn't seem to make a difference, either. Very strange issue.

?????

[Barb Newell]

Hi, if you have already tried formaldehyde and salt and it didn't help, I'd try a med for parasites like Dyacide or Fluke Tabs.



Barb

[David N]

Just a little more info. The fish was about 5 inches and in a tank where the other fish were starting to go through mating rituals so I did a prophylactic treatment for worms (had none) and parasites (used Formalin and Parasite Clear by Jungle Labs 2 weeks apart). I don't think it was parasites or infection. I'm ruling out intestinal flagellates because when the fish did find food it had no problem digesting (normal looking poop). I've had this fish since last July so I can also safely rule out any problems prior to my receiving it. I'm just chalking this one up to a defective fish. I'm still tending to think some sort of neurological disorder that maybe is brought on as fish approach maturity. Just a guess.

Thanks for the input.
David N