# Sick Severum



## jacqui235 (Dec 13, 2014)

Hi,

Would really appreciate some help to save my Red Spotted Severum.
About three weeks ago I got a new (secondhand) tank with a built in internal filter. I transferred the entire tank water and two existing external filters and ran them alongside the internal filter. My tank is stocked with: 2 sevs, 3 Angel Fish and 2 pictus catfish. It is a 400l tank (87 uk Gallons). I have tested the water everyday and the results have remained the same. Nitrate 40, Nitrite 0-0.5, PH7, KH80 and GH between 60.I have had these fish happily or several months in the old tank.

Shortly after the move one of my Angelfish developed what look like a very clean hole on the side of his gill. I wondered if it was hole i the head so took a photo to my local fish shop. At this point he also started swimming in circles and not eating and spending alot of time near the surface. His head also looked twisted to one side and he seemed unable to close his mouth. The fish shop sad they thought he was just a deformed fish and maybe and injury occurred during the move. They didnt feel he was diseased. He died the next day. At this point all my other fish seemed fine, my sevs where thriving and loved the new space they had. 
2 weeks my Red Sev started gasping at the bottom of the tank. I could see what looked like a small piece of fluff hanging from his gill. I did some online research and thought it was probably gill flukes, he was also shaking himself. I treated with flubenzadole, no improvement, so 7 days later did a second treatment, that was on thursday this week. He is still hiding away and gasping. He tries to eat but seems to get exhausted and give up. He has always been a very strong healthy fish but is definately losing weight. He also has some very faint white dots on his tail in (doesnt look like white spot).

I really really dont want to loose this fella, he is my favorite fish!! The treatment I used (NT Labs Anti fluke and Wormer) says o not use any other treatment for 10 days.

None of my other fish show any signs of illness.
Id really appreciate any help.

Thankyou
Jacqui


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Since your nitrates are 40 I would suggest a rather large water change. While 40 is considered the high safe limit for nitrate, keeping it below 20 is a good practice. I would change at least half of the water, probably more. This will remove half of any dissolved toxins and pathogens in the water column. Clean water gives fish a fighting chance at resisting infection or parasites. It won't get rid of parasites, but it isn't exactly certain that you have any parasites.


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## Ape-Fish (Jul 1, 2006)

I also have a red spotted severum. my pride and joy. He has what you describe (see my post from yesterday, requesting help). I have been struggling for a year to keep him healthy. What does seem to keep him going is Furan 2 treatments, but since the whole tank of 130G has the infection, i cannot continue with antibiotics because they are too expensive. As an alternative i have been doing 80% water changes every three days, making sure i keep the incoming water at exactly the same temperature as the tank water was when i do, using 3-4 times the required amount of 'prime' each time, and treating with a trifecta - 'Interpet anti-parasite', lowering the pH to below 6.0, and adding a few table spoons of aquarium salt after water changes. When i lowered the pH and added salt the severum very quickly stopped shaking, twitching, and breathing hard. This has been a recent discovery so i'm not sure if this will continue to hold of the infection.
I hope this helps. let me know how it goes for you, and if you are able to clear it up. 
Best wishes,


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## Ape-Fish (Jul 1, 2006)

Here's a thread with a photo of his white spots. they are not like ick - more translucent and slimy. they start to 'dissolve' when he starts to recover.
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=288546&p=2147498#p2147498


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## Ape-Fish (Jul 1, 2006)

Oh, i forget to mention the third part of the trifecta - i lowered the temperature a few degrees, from 80-81 down to about 77.


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