# Fish Swims erratically after feeding.



## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

Lets start from the beginning.
I have a 125 gallon tank that has been set up for 4 months. It has 4 emperor 400 HOB filters.
PH =8.2, Ammonia =0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 80 ( little high, I have slacked on a water change for a couple weeks.) Water Temp is 82.
it is stocked with 5 yellow labs, 8 sulphur head peacocks, 1 OB peacock and 2 bristle nose plecos. all fish are juvenile 2" unsexed.
A few days ago out of the blue I find one of my peacocks dead. He was showing no signs of illness that I noticed prior to his death. He seemed a little bloated after I found him but was not bloated before he died.
Now for the past 2 nights after I feed my fish, I notice one of the other peacocks swims erratically. He flips on his side and sometimes upside down at the bottom of the tank. Almost like he has ingested air and is causing him to float. Is this possible or is it a sign of some type of infection? I have not noticed him swimming erratically at any other time except for after I feed them.
I would hate to loose another fish. There are no signs of ick. The yellow labs seem to be doing fine but some of the other peacocks don't seem to be feeding very well.
Any suggestions?
I plan to do a water change and vacuum the gravel tonight.
Should I treat the whole tank with something or try to remove the one to a hospital tank?
I have concerns about the whole tank since a couple of the other peacocks seem to not be eating.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Have you noticed the color of the fishes feces?


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## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

I have not noticed the feces.
I will be home over the weekend and will try to keep an eye on them.


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## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

As of tonight at least 4 of the peacocks show no interest in eating.


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## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

I noticed the peacock today list to the side a couple time then immediately right itself. I noticed the lab feces and would say it is normal however i have not noticed any Peacock feces.

Another note i forgot to add earlier. I feed them omega one cichlid flakes.


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

Treat with metro and an compatible anitibiotic.

Not eating and an unexplained death warrants treatment for bloat for me.

Most of the time labs are the last fish that develop bloat and allot of the time they are the last fish standing "swimming".

Get your nitrates down first though.


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## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

I did a water change and vacuumed the gravel this morning and just treated with metro. Keeping my fingers crossed. 
Thanks for the help.


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## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

Just an update, One of my yellow labs is showing signs of wasting disease. He has a sunken stomach and a slight spinal deformation just above the tail. I a treated the whole tank with Metro Saturday and will administer another dose tonight. Will this treat wasting disease? I am going to remove the affected lab to a quarantine tank and deal with him separately.


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

yes and no.

wasting disease can be caused by bloat (flagellats) it can be beacterial or intestinal worms.

I would just remove the fish from your tank and not bother with it to much. If its already deformed it probably wont recover. (has been going on for to long)

since youve had a death I strongely advise you to use an compatible antibiotic with the metro. This helps to prevent secondary bacterial infections from the wounds left behind by the flagellats. most of the time flagellats and bacterial infections go hand in hand.


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## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

Not sure I can mention brand names here but the powder medication I am using contains Praziquantel in addition to Metro.
I don't have much hope for the deformed fish, I am just wanting to get him out of the main tank. 
Hope my peacocks recover and it is not too late for them.


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## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

Another quick question.
On the package it says to treat the entire tank. Wait 48 hours then treat again. Wait another 48 hours then do a 25% water change and replace carbon in filters.
is 4 days long enough?
I have read of people treating longer up to 10 days.
Should I do a water change after 4 days and treat again?
Should I just continue to add treatment every 2 days for 10 days?


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

Just treat for 4 days. Then give them a few days to recover and resume eating. This can take a few days!

If you dont see even a little improvement in 1 week or if fish are getting worse. Resume treatment.

I just had an acei in the early stages of bloat. Treated for 48 hours. Took him a couple of days to resume little feedings and about 3 weeks to fully recover.

I say it again. Use an antibiotic! Praziquantel is for skin and gillflukes and bandworms.


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## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

What antibiotic do you recommend?


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

Nifurpirinol

Its a synthetic antibiotic. Its the only one available to me since real antibiotics are only sold with a prescription here in europe. It works faster then real antibiotics though.

If you want something else do a little research.


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## pjn36 (Apr 27, 2004)

When I got home today 2 of my peacocks were dead. I did a 25% water change and replaced the carbon in the filters. According to the metro directions. The 2 labs showing signs of wasting disease have been quarantined in a 10 gallon tank.


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