Concerned About Mandarin

Nutramar
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I guess he just has a pot belly. I do hope he can eventually distribute the fat/girth. Poor guy looks like he may burst.

Does the Selcon make the food any healthier? My hunch is yes to it being a vitamin enhancer. I started using that infrequently but I am happy to use to everyday if it might help.
 
Tidal Gardens
Jd85 said:
Not trying to scare you but look up fish tuberculosis.
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Not sure how that can not scare someone. After looking at google images I am going to need some time to settle my stomach. Although always possible it is a tumor or cancer, I am leaning towards it not being that. But, I will be keeping a close eye on him, as always.
 
Chewy.com
Eienna said:
Definitely male.

Selcon does help. It wouldn't hurt to do it every day, I don't think. :)
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Yeah I had a feeling a 1.5" fin streamer would probably make him a dude, but ya never know!
I fed mysis, nutramar, rods reef with selcon tonight and I saw Max eating.
I actually got the chance to stare at him before putting the tank to bed, he is quite shy, but I was able to look at him, and a (seemingly harmless) flatworm was just having a ball running all over his face, even his eyeballs! It was very odd. (The flatworms I have are supposed to be the stupid, yet harmless clear/white kind. And I could not see the FW doing anything to Max other than using his face as a playground.)
 
Deltec
Lol!!
I have a male mandarin, too. His name is Spike (after my favorite Flashpoint character.) He seems to have scarred one of his eyes, but other than his depth perception being a little off it hasn't slowed him down.
I wonder how long truly healthy mandarins live. I would love to have him for many years.
 
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Well to update on Max. I do not believe he has gotten any bigger. But tonight he didn't come out for dinner, which has never happened. He was hiding in the back and eventually came out. He seemed to be panting/gasping. When he came to the front I managed to grab him with my hand. I gave him a bit of an exam. His belly area is extremely soft and squishy, no hard mass(es) that I could feel. I very gently squeezed/pressed to see if he was unable to expel waste and needed a bit of help, but nothing came out and no change. Looking at him in the cup, his colors seem a bit off to me. Not sure if that is due to stress or what. I am still very concerned about the fellow, and honestly when I check on the tank when I come home I expect to see him dead with a burst stomach.


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View of the belly. Very soft.


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Profile shot.


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You're right, he doesn't look well, poor fella. Maybe a bleed in the abdomen? I'm just grasping at straws now, though. :(
 
Yeah I really have no idea what to do or what is going on. I wish there was a way to do some exploratory surgery that would not result in him dying. Him not coming to eat tonight was very concerning for me. But maybe he just was having an off night. I will update again if he doesn't eat tomorrow night. I don't want to put down a fish that is eating and trying, but I also don't want him to suffer.
 
Tidal Gardens
Yeah I just checked on him and he is not in his usual spot and is gasping. I am going to give him the night and reasses tomorrow. Thanks for your help
 
I want to suggest you try something. It's an experiment at best, but give him a bath in Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate). It may help reduce excess fluid and offer some relief. Not sure how much you should use...I've personally used a tablespoon in a quart or so of water in certain situations, though that may be overkill.

Keep him in it for 20-30 minutes. If he rolls over remove him immediately. You can float the container in tank water to keep the temperature at what he's used to.
 
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WWC
Okay well he is still with us. I did the bath, 1 teaspoon in a quart. I could have sworn that is what you said, but nonetheless. I did that for 20 minutes, no change. His respiratory rate seems better today. And he seems more towards the side of the living than dying. I will maybe do a tablespoon in 1 quart in another day or 2.
 
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I think that's about right. And it may not be obvious right away, especially given how long it took to come on. Was he breathing better before or after the bath?

I'm guessing here, and I've certainly never heard of it in fish before, but I wonder if he's having heart problems?
 
Breathing better before the bath and in the bath. Yeah we are going to give it a few days to see if there is any change. He is much less active today though.
Definitely possible due to the enlarged stomach, it could be pressing on other organs.
 
Nutramar

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