HELP! E-Nose looking very very sick!

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crissy7399

Large Fish
#1
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#1
My enose has been fine ever since I got him about 4 months ago, no trouble at all, until today. He's been lying on his side or back at the bottom, and sometimes floats around in a spinning motion. Just started this today.

doesn't look like he has anything physically wrong with him except maybe these two things...

1. his eyes do look a little cloudy,but I've kinda always thought that.
2. I saw 3 small white scratches(think thats what it is) on his belly.


Ammonia is zero, and nitrates around 20-30. Changed water 25% a week ago. I do have that bluegreen algea that's not really algae and it's constantly trying to overrun the tank, or my plants anyways.

Thanks for any help
 

FroggyFox

FroggyFox

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#2
May 16, 2003
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#2
Nitrates are too high. I'd do another big water change.

What are you feeding him and how has his appetite been?

Are any other fish acting strangely?

Have you added anything to the tank recently?
 

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crissy7399

Large Fish
#3
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#3
Haven't added any fish. The nitrates have been in that range pretty much the whole time. I usually do a water change every month and I just did one less than a week ago so I was afraid to do another one in case somethings going on with my tap water, or would he have acted sick the day after I changed it if it were that?

Feeding has been alternation of Brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, blood worm, or tubifex worms. Not everyday though cause I have an overgrowth of bluegreen algae so I usually feed every other day. so I can control the bluegreen (pretend) algae.

please let me know. The fish store said to try this med, and then I bought it and it specificaly said don't use on Enoses. I even asked if it was safe for scaless fish and she said yes. ugh. So I decided not to put anything in it.

He's actually still alive, looks like he's barely breathing hangin over a low growing plant. So it's been about 16 hours or more that he's been like this.
 

C

crissy7399

Large Fish
#5
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#5
Still struggling to Live!

He's always keeping his body in a curved sideways shape too. so his tail and "nose" are touching the bottom but not his body.

I was checking online to see if it was okay to use aquarium salt, and I ended up finding a site that said they are brackish!?!!! I researched this fish earlier this year and never found that at all.

Well, I added 5 tablespoons to my 46 gal tank. I'm wondering if I should do more or not.


Thanks anyone!
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#6
Aug 10, 2006
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#6
I agree that nitrates are too high. He may just finally be reacting to the high nitrate levels. Do another water change to lower them. If the scratches on his belly appear infected, you could try melafix.
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#8
Aug 10, 2006
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#8
Well, if it is ick, the salt will take care of that. What is your water temp? A higher water temp will kill off ick and some other nasties that could be infecting him, although do some research, I'm not sure what temps elephant noses can take.
 

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crissy7399

Large Fish
#9
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#9
MissFishy said:
Well, if it is ick, the salt will take care of that. What is your water temp? A higher water temp will kill off ick and some other nasties that could be infecting him, although do some research, I'm not sure what temps elephant noses can take.
Click to expand...


I think they have a range of 75 to 82%. I did turn up the heat, I noticed that before I did the water change today it was like 74%. So maybe it was too cold? Although my heater is set to 78% approx, so maybe it's not working properly?
 

C

crissy7399

Large Fish
#10
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#10
Maybe fin rot could be possibility? His fins on the side closest to his head, that help him direct himself, look like they are "feathering" at the ends. I don't know how else to describe, maybe I can take pic.

Also, it seems he can't make his body totally straight. The middle looks like it's curved, and he can only hold it that way, so he's constantly in a "bent" or curved position.

'
 

C

crissy7399

Large Fish
#11
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#11
Please don't say its Tuberculosis!

It can't be Tuberculosis could it???? I've had my hand in the tank several times now with cuts from the other day.

I just went thru a 10-day wait to make sure I didn't get rabies from a neighbors dog that bit me! Did you know that if you come up with any symptoms of rabies you are 100% dead! No cure!
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#12
Aug 10, 2006
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#12
Well, first of all, water heater dials are notoriously inaccurate. Don't even depend on a temp setting on them. Water temp varies by a lot of factors including water flow, evaporation, and room temp, so a temperature setting on a heater may mean one thing in one house and a completely different thing in another house. Best thing to do is to get a thermometer to monitor the temp. I'm not sure about tuberculosis...but it doesn't really sound like it. Maybe someone else can weigh in on that. Always make sure your hands are exceptionally clean and clear of residue from ANYTHING when you put your hand into a tank. I always wash with soap, then rinse with water (ALL the soap needs to be off), the whole arm, or at least the part you know will be in the tank.

Here is what I would do, gradually raise the temperature to 82, add some melafix (about $5 at any pet store) to the water to help with fin damage, make sure he doesn't have any stress (no drastic light changes, tapping, new fish, etc.) and continue with the water changes (make sure temp matches). Did you say if his stomach was distended? Has he tried to eat?
 

C

crissy7399

Large Fish
#14
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#14
He won't eat, tried to put it right by his mouth. Hasn't eaten since day before yesterday.

I do have to thermometers in the tank. One on each side, a mercury one and one that sticks to the glass.

i think that when the light turns on, it heats it up, so when I did the water change, the light had been off all night.

I actually left a mesg at my doctors regarding the TB.
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#15
Aug 10, 2006
2,237
5
0
Michigan
#15
Well, I'm not sure if e-noses can get "Hole in the Head" but that might be something to look into. I would definitely do the melafix, that will help the sores next to his gills and the frayed fins. Can you get a picture on here?
 

FroggyFox

FroggyFox

Forum Manager
Moderator
#18
May 16, 2003
8,589
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42
Colorado
#18
Sorry to hear he died Crissy, thats too bad. Its possible that the nitrates being that high finally just stressed him out enough...who knows. Are your other fish doing ok?

Fish TB is not the same as human TB so no worries on that. Always good practice to wash your hands after handling food or having your hands in the tank though.

I'm sorry to hear your lfs was no help with meds...I'm not sure what they are going to be able to tell you if they couldn't even suggest a med that was ok for your fish. :(
 

C

crissy7399

Large Fish
#19
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#19
thanks froggy.

Ya, don't really care for the lfs store. All the other fish are okay still. That stupid "fake" algae crap is starting to grow everywhere again. The blue-green algae.

about the fish tb, I did read that you can get that and it isn't the same as human tb, but you'll get wart like things first and then it can do other stuff, but you basically have to be on antibiotics for like 6 months to a year.

I'm pretty sure I don't have anything though, but I'm definitely watching out for warts!
 

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