# Help... Yellow lab is spinning.... any suggestions??



## CHK (Jan 12, 2007)

Hi all,

Last night I went by the tank and noticed my yellow lab spinning round and round as it swims. Obviously something was wrong... so I put it in a isolation container in the tank and took this video:

http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q213 ... I_4276.flv

This morning, when I went to check, the lab seemed to be ok, and upright and I took this video:

http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q213 ... I_4280.flv

However, a few minutes later, the spinning started back up    in this video:

http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q213 ... I_4283.flv

As you can see, there does not seem to be any external injuries to be lab. It was pretty healthy and fed normally up till yesterday afternoon. More information:

Tank: 55G, established. 77F or so.
Water: Nitrites 0, nitrates 10. Last water change was 3 days ago. 80%
Tank mates: 6 yellow labs, 5 mainganos, 5 rock kribs and 3 Ps "dolphins" Not very much aggression observed except between the mainganos.

No other tank occupants seem to be afflicted, acting totally healthy. I am afraid if the spinning continues the fish would tire out and die. Has anyone seen anything like this? What do I do??

Thanks in advance!

Chong


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## addicted2cichlid (Apr 8, 2008)

probably a swim bladder issue... someone might have given him a good hard shot on his side, or he tweaked and nailed a rock or something.

does he eat? if not u might just want to cull him so he doesnt suffer.

sorry man


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## CHK (Jan 12, 2007)

Hey thanks for the info.

Yeah thats what I figured... some sudden injury to the side. Well, I couldnt bear to see him spinning around like that so I added a clump of java moss into the container. It kinda help provide pressure to prevent wild spinning.

So far into the evening, he seems to calm down somewhat, stayed upright and had some NLS.

I am thinking of giving the fish till this weekend to see any change in condition. Fingers crossed :?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It's hard to say what happens in these type situations. It could always be a swim bladder injury, or it could be some sort of neurological disorder or incident.

I would keep the fish in the hospital tank and observe him closely. As long as he is still eating, there is hope.


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## redstallion02 (Jan 17, 2008)

I really, really wish I read this post yesterday.

I came home from work and had a fish doing the exact same thing. My girlfriend had already pulled him from the tank and put him in a 10 gallon.

I felt bad for him so I culled him because I had no idea what was going on with him. He did have a skinny belly, but now I wonder if he had a chance to survive.


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## CHK (Jan 12, 2007)

Well.... my fish is still spinning, so its been quite a few days. There are moments it manages to right itself up and swim normally and then when excited, the spinning comes back. The problem is the spinning hampers eating, though it tries to.

I am not seeing very much improvment. If I see it getting skinnier, culling would be on the list.... 

Sorry for your loss.....


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I'm not sure if fish can have the equivalent of a human stroke or not, but in many of these cases, that certainly sounds like what it is.

I have rarely seen a fish recover.

There is also a disease called "whirling" disease that mimics these symptoms, but I have never heard of confirmed cases in the aquarium hobby. I had a polit fry once that was born spinning in circles. After removing it and determining that it wasn't due to a deformity, I culled the fry.


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## redstallion02 (Jan 17, 2008)

I spoke with my dad today on the topic and he said that he has never had a fish recover from a swim bladder problem, which is what he thought it was. He has kept an assortment of fish for the last 30 years and has ran into this problem a couple times.

Like I said before my fish was doing exactly what yours was doing. He suggested for me to cull it even before I told him that is what I did. Even though I did not want to do it. 

Hopefull things are better for yours and yours comes back to normal :?


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