Headstanding, not eating much, but still good color

[ecrew]

I have a 3" yellow Diamond doing the following.

Negatives:
- Isn't eating very much
- Doing some headstanding (45degrees)
- Clamped fins
- Staying in back of tank
- I catch him scratching against the driftwood every once in awhile
- His gills are not flaring a lot when breathing. I can't tell if he's
holding one closed or not.

Positives
- Color is perfect
- Eyes are bright red
- Not breathing rapidly


I have a 75 gal tank with 4 adult discus, 1 2" VR and 1 3" YD. Water parameters are 0-Ammonia, 0-Nitrite, 5-Nitrate. I change 30% of the water 2-3 / week with aged water. Gravel with driftwood and plastic plants.
All the other fish seem to be doing just fine except 2 of the adults are fighting (that's another issue :(). The adults and the VR meet me at the top of the tank for feedings and will eat out of my hand.

The YD doesn't run when I come up to the tank. He's not showing any change in color or stress bars. I did 50% w/c on Sat or Sun and Tues.
I added 2 tbls of table salt (non-iodized) per 10 gals I removed.

Recent changes:
I had 7 juvs in this tank 2 weeks ago but I moved all to a graveled turned BB tank because they weren't eating and growing as much as I wanted. I moved the 4 adults that were in the graveled turned BB tank to the 75 gal.
I also decided to move the VR and YD back to the 75 gal because the remaining juvs weren't looking too good. Their color is bad (grayish) and they are extremely skittish. When I moved the VR, he perked up and is doing much, much better. The YD hasn't changed. ON the other hand, color is great.

I think I remember the YD doing some headstanding before I moved all the juvs to the BB tank. So i'm not sure if he's headstanding due to flukes, stress or what.

Sorry so long. Just trying to give a good overall picture of what's been going on.

Thanks,
Liz

[Carol_Roberts]

First thing to try is epsom salts at 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons. If constipation is the trouble should be better in a few hours. Since this in an ongoing porblem it may be a bacterial infection. You can try kanacyn in a hospital tank.

[ecrew]

Thanks, Carol!

I'll try the epsom salts first.

[ecrew]

The YD was looking much better when I got home yesterday. He was out swimming with the others. No clamped fins. I fed them and he looked like he was a little more interested in the food this time although I didn't see him eat much of anything. I did a 40% w/c and added the epsom salts.

Again, he seemed better. He was out swimming with the others. Didn't seem to be under any stress etc....

Carol,....Oops.....I just went back and reread your post looking for the medicine you recommended if the epsom salt didn't work. I thought with epsom salt it was teaspoons and not tablespoons??? I used teaspoons last night. The night before and this past weekend, I was dosing with table salt at 2 tablespoons / 10 gal removed during w/c. Did I screw up????

[Carol_Roberts]

Epsom salt is fine at 1 or 2 teaspoons or a tablespoons per 10 gallons. It won't hurt the biofilter or other fish and is commonly used to increase hardness in soft water.

[ecrew]

Thanks for clarifying the epsom salt!

With table salt, do you use only tablespoons or does it matter?

[Carol_Roberts]

tablespoons for table salt

[Kindredspirit]

o.k.a.y.......... I was told not to use table salt, only aquarium salt.....or did I miss something???



http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_12_10.gif


Marie~

[candyl70]

Marie,
I think you can use table salt as long as it is not iodized. I may be wrong about that though. I read about it somewhere here in this forum and others. Try doing a search and see if you can find something. :)

Candy

[Carol_Roberts]

non iodized may be best, but I've used regular table salt when I'm out with no ill effects

[Kindredspirit]

Thanks Carol!




Marie~:angel:

[Kindredspirit]

you too, Candy! how are your fish doing?? Better??





Marie~:angel:

[candyl70]

Hi Marie,
They are doing the same. I got the medicine from Tony on Wednesday. After i did a 90% water change i added the new meds and they were swimming all around and eating. Then yesterday they were all hiding again. But today they are back out and eating. Mostly the checkerboard redxturks are feeling better, they get a nice pink color, then black, then pink. But i think its a good sign. They were the first to get sick, so maybe they will be the first to get better. I am doing another water change today and the 2nd (and last) treatment with the meds from Tony. Hopefully in another 48hrs. they will be better.

Candy

[Kindredspirit]

Good Candy!!! :D

[ecrew]

Thanks, Carol!

I've taken the YD out and put him in a BB 10 gal tank. I put another Discus in with him to keep him company. The headstanding stopped and he seemed very happy. I added flakes but neither were interested in eating. I'll do a w/c tonight and add some epsom salt and see if that will stimulate eating.