A Cacatuoides crash - help please

[Minders]

I'm sure this is the same thing seen over and over again. I've had a quick browse through some posts and haven't seen what I'm looking for so (sorry guys) I'm going to ask here...

I've had a pair of A Cacatuoides Triple Red for about a month. They came in healthy and were fine and eating well. I just came back from being away just over a week. Partner was feeding fish but did nothing else. I did water changes and checked filters, etc, before I left.

All other fish seem fine on my return (on Weds) except the Male Cacatuoides who I didn't see at all when I checked. The pair are in their own planted 2ft tank, sand substrate, with just 5 cories and a handful of Endlers. I then spotted him at the back of the tank, just kind of sitting on the bottom, not moving too much. He has continued this way for a couple days. I did a water change the day after I got back, just in case it was water quality. Today he looks the same and I notice his gills seem a bit flared and his mouth generally open, and his belly looks a bit sunken. His fins are up, but the frilly ends are just flopping over. I have run a few water tests and the results are:
Temp - 80
TDS 214
pH - 6.8-ish (can't find colour card, but looks around 6.6-6.8 from memory)
Ammonia - 0
Nitrates - not sure how to read exactly but probably around 40-60ppm

I'm never sure whether you hold the vial right up next to the card, or away from the card with light behind it. The latter gives a lower reading. So not sure which is correct.

Treatments I have on hand are: Salt, Protozin, Sterazin, Hexamita, Esha2000 and Esha Exit. Don't know which, if any, of these are appropriate. Any help would be appreciated. Might be too late, as he's not very interested in much at the moment, but you never know. I'm willing to fight for him if it will help.

 

[Cathy G]

Nitrates

Hi, I don't know much - but I think you need to do another water change and get those nitrates down. My test is the same way colorwise. But, if there are more nitrates than the lowest level or so, it is time to change things. If there are nitrates in your tap water, better go buy some R/O water to get them down. (Nitrates should be 0 - 25 max, many dwarfs like 0-10) You didn't mention Nitrites - this could be a problem to.

Maybe your fish was overfed while you were gone... perhaps do a search on constipation? Epsom salts are good for this and cheap.

Hopefully you can get to the bottom of things!
Cathy G

 

[fishgeek]

water quality , a change from good a water source wont hurt as already mentoined
also is the fish in question eating
is he breathing faster than other fish?

andrew

 

[Minders]

I am using RO with a bit of tap, no more than 20% + mineral additive. Nothing's changed there. I don't believe he's eating. He just sits on the bottom with his mouth partly open and his breathing isn't TOO bad but it looks more rapid than the others. I have seen this before in Rams, etc. It's not usually a good sign. I will do another water change tonight, if it will help. I have not put any meds in. By the way, the female of the pair is just fine. Swimming, eating and interactive.

 

[fishgeek]

the esha 2000 is at least quite broad spectrum, maybe worth a try

any signs of what the feaces look like?
belly tucked up?


the ram thing is supposed to be viral, ramirez virus
andrew

 

[Minders]

Looked this morning. He doesn't look to be breathing too hard, but mouth his half open. And yes, his belly looks a bit tucked up. He's a bit funny with his food, doesn't particularly like flakes, but the female is just fine (perky and active) and does eat flakes so I'm not too worried about that. I give them frozen a couple times a week also.

I'll do another water change and maybe try the Esha 2000 and see what happens.

 

[fishgeek]

the other thing that cause's insidous problems of just not right , then inappetance, stringy feaces, weight loss, death
is internal parasites protozoan- treat with metronidazol
and worms cestodes and neamtodes require varying traetments praziquatel, levamisol, flubendazol are some options

andrew

 

[Minders]

How do you get Metronizadol into a fish that isn't eating?

 

[fishgeek]

injection thiugh apsito are probably to small

in water medication is a poor second choice though some particle are probably taken into the digestive tract even in nonn eating fish
the problem is that metronidazol is poorly water soluble so passage accross the gill is not good

try live food soaked in oily powdered medication

although people will always suggest that it works the pharmacodynamics of medication suggest that it shouldnt work well


andrew

 

[Minders]

Couldn't get online last night so I didn't see this reply until this morning. But last night started a treatment of Esha 2000. Fish still not looking good, just sitting on bottom with mouth open. Not necessarily breathing hard, just open mouthed. Not seen this before.

 

[Minders]

Ah well... He gave up. He is now an ex-cacatuiode. I did my best. Female is still bright and perky.

I've seen another one at local shop. The guy in the shop says it's female. But it's got the same "flame" fin markings as my (ex) male, and no black on the pectoral fins like my female does. Don't the females have the black bits on the pectorals? Or am I confused? Also, my female doesn't have the flame markings, just some red on her fins. But the guy in the shop is insisting it's a female. What do you think?