# Zebra Obliquidens-Sick



## morningsky (Apr 22, 2008)

We purchased a juvenile Zebra Obliquidens he was placed in our 150 gallon. He would not eat and was pale and hiding behind the filters all the time. I took him out and placed him in a 5 gallon bucket with an airstone. he is still showing no color and not eating. I added epsom salt and have been changing the five gallon bucket water with a mix of tank water and fresh daily. I tried feeding him some Metro soaked food but he would not eat so I started treating the water with Metro, since that was the antibiotic I have on hand .water parameters were good in 150 gallon every other fish we purchased is in good shape. I don't know what to do with this guy.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Well, it's hard to determine the proper course of action based on the symptoms you have described.

It's not unusual for a new fish to hide, or lose colour, just from the stress of being the new fish in the tank. It's not unexpected for him to remain stressed in a bucket, either.

You don't have a hospital tank you can move him to? This would aid greatly in determining what is wrong with him. Unforunately, not eating, loss of colour and hiding are indicative of a myriad of fish diseases.


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## morningsky (Apr 22, 2008)

We purchased him on Saturday. He has not eaten since then and is looking worse. I know the bucket is not a good hospital tank, but I was afraid the other fish would make him worse. I dont think he is going to make it. It could be a lot of things wrong with him but after five days of not eating he is getting really weak


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

morningsky, he may have just been relentlessly harrassed by the other fish during the time he spent in the main tank.

It's just impossible to say whether metro is in order under these circumstances.

Just in case the meds are stressing him worse, why not try just daily water changes and adding some aquarium salt?


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## morningsky (Apr 22, 2008)

Thanks I have already done a partial water change today and will add more salt. Do you think he might do better in a breeder net?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Not if the other fish are picking at him from below...

It's really best to have a hospital tank for times like this.


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## morningsky (Apr 22, 2008)

Cichlidaholic, thanks for your help. I am getting a hospital tank a.s.a.p., but the zebra died. I left home and when I came back his color was back, but he could not swim he was laying on his side. He died shortly after that. I don't think he had much of a chance, he never ate or did anything besides hide behind the filter up high on the aquarium. I added 7 other fish at the same time in a tank that we had taken most of the rock out and rearranged because we new we were adding fish. He was a beautiful fish.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Sorry about that...It really sounds like you did everything exactly as I would have done.


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