Daryl
08-01-2009, 06:56 PM
I often take in injured or sick goldfish for others.
I was brought a fish, about 3inches in body. It is reported to be one of a group of 5 Oranda that were purchased from Thailand through a western importer. It is supoposedly less than 1 year old. I was told that it was supposedly fasted for 2 weeks before shipping to the US. The dealer fasted it for 1 week longer and then it was sold, being shipped out. That was 3 weeks fast - and then, 1 week with the owner and one more week with me - 5 weeks without food.
The owner states that of the five, this is the only one left alive. They all died - showing no outward symptoms. It is the often quoted "There was NOTHING wrong with the fish - except that it was dead".
I have it in a 15 gallon qt tank - changed 100% every day and treated with Amquel+. There is a large bubble disk and a bubble stone in the tank.
Ammonia zero, nitrite zero, nitrate zero.
pH is 7.8 gH 100 kH 100 - Ro water combined with well water.
When the fish arrived, I did a scrape and then a 4 hours bath in potassium permanganate.
The fish is alert, fairly active. It shows no outward signs of any problems - other that the fact that is is getting skinnier and skinnier. It has not had any eliminations in the week it has been here, so I could not examine that under the microscope. Scraping reveal no parasites. treated with Prazi, anyway.
I have done a microfiltration of the water after a day, looking for further parasites, but none are visible on the micron paper.
There are no outward signs of ANYTHING that I can find wrong. The fish looks fine - except that it will not eat. It shows no interest in the food at all. If I stuff food in its mouth it just lets it drop out - it does not spit - and does not even try eating - no interest at all. I can see nothing blocking the throat or gills.
I have tried gel food, Hiakari fancy food, brine shrimp (frozen), pellets soaked in garlic, fresh greens, fresh daphnia, bloodworms (frozen), rice, spiriliana flakes.
I am ready to make a food slurry and syringe it down the fish this afternoon. I am wondering if anyone has any other ideas? Do fish get low blood sugar like kittens and puppies? If so, should I add in some glucose to the food slurry to initiate eating response?
I was brought a fish, about 3inches in body. It is reported to be one of a group of 5 Oranda that were purchased from Thailand through a western importer. It is supoposedly less than 1 year old. I was told that it was supposedly fasted for 2 weeks before shipping to the US. The dealer fasted it for 1 week longer and then it was sold, being shipped out. That was 3 weeks fast - and then, 1 week with the owner and one more week with me - 5 weeks without food.
The owner states that of the five, this is the only one left alive. They all died - showing no outward symptoms. It is the often quoted "There was NOTHING wrong with the fish - except that it was dead".
I have it in a 15 gallon qt tank - changed 100% every day and treated with Amquel+. There is a large bubble disk and a bubble stone in the tank.
Ammonia zero, nitrite zero, nitrate zero.
pH is 7.8 gH 100 kH 100 - Ro water combined with well water.
When the fish arrived, I did a scrape and then a 4 hours bath in potassium permanganate.
The fish is alert, fairly active. It shows no outward signs of any problems - other that the fact that is is getting skinnier and skinnier. It has not had any eliminations in the week it has been here, so I could not examine that under the microscope. Scraping reveal no parasites. treated with Prazi, anyway.
I have done a microfiltration of the water after a day, looking for further parasites, but none are visible on the micron paper.
There are no outward signs of ANYTHING that I can find wrong. The fish looks fine - except that it will not eat. It shows no interest in the food at all. If I stuff food in its mouth it just lets it drop out - it does not spit - and does not even try eating - no interest at all. I can see nothing blocking the throat or gills.
I have tried gel food, Hiakari fancy food, brine shrimp (frozen), pellets soaked in garlic, fresh greens, fresh daphnia, bloodworms (frozen), rice, spiriliana flakes.
I am ready to make a food slurry and syringe it down the fish this afternoon. I am wondering if anyone has any other ideas? Do fish get low blood sugar like kittens and puppies? If so, should I add in some glucose to the food slurry to initiate eating response?