Fuzzy dwarf lion

[Rosey]

Hi all,

I recently got the smallest fuzzy I've ever seen! About the size of an Australian 50c piece. She's eating live shrimp really well from tweezers but the past few days she seems to be 'coughing' a lot. Like when they eat too much and regurgitate...Doesn't look like she's getting ready to molt and her tummy isn't over swollen though..

Is this something they do when younger? Admittedly the ammonia was a bit out 24hrs ago at 0.25 but back to 0 now after 1/4 water change... All other parameters normal...

Any ideas? I'm debating giving a fresh bath in case parasite or swelling of gills.

Any advice greatly appreciated [emoji16]

 

[Mr. Limpid]

is she breath fast? swimming normal?

 

[lion king]

I would say a freshwater bath might be what the doctor ordered. Could be an irritate to the gills, maybe even a reaction to the ammonia. Some people believe these guys are bulletproof, when they actually will give you indicators to poor water quality, they don't like super high nitrates either(not this cause, just stating). A fresh water bath can't hurt and it will give you a chance to check for flukes. Off hand I would say it could be indicative of the ammonia spike or flukes. As far as feeding, when they are tiny I feed every other day, to see a little bulge in their belly.

Do you know if your source treat their tanks with copper, lions especially dwarf species can have some residual and even deadly consequences from copper exposure.

 

[Rosey]

is she breath fast? swimming normal?

She's breathing a little fast for a lion but swimming normal and active... Actually better this morning (72hrs after water change)

And lion King: thanks for the advice, no copper in my lfs tanks, I'll give a fresh bath as a precaution.. would you recommend meth blue after as a chemical bath for swelling?

 

[lion king]

She's breathing a little fast for a lion but swimming normal and active... Actually better this morning (72hrs after water change)

And lion King: thanks for the advice, no copper in my lfs tanks, I'll give a fresh bath as a precaution.. would you recommend meth blue after as a chemical bath for swelling?

Have you tested for ammonia, you said she got better after the water change, I did mention it could have been because of high ammonia. I would never use meds unless you have definitely diagnosed a problem. How does her eyes look? If you are skilled with a fw bath, that wouldn't hurt, and make sure to look carefully for flukes.

 

[samnaz]

Can you post a pic?

 

[Rosey]

Hi all, I thought I would see if it was an obstruction and if it would pass on its own.. she's still coughing though and there's been no ammonia or nitrites since the first bit of ammonia... I've put her into a QT so she's got the chance to eat as much as she wants (I use my QT as a shrimp holding tank .) Until today she's been eating great but today she took a shrimp then spat it out like it was painful...

Been trying to upload a video but no luck... Definitely going to fresh water bath her tomorrow.

Any other advice???

 

[lion king]

You say she's been eating, have you noticed any stingy poo. I still won't rule out copper poisoning, I have seen sooo many dwarf lions die unreasonably after exposure to copper, even ones that survive initially usually don't live a year. Even if your lfs doesn't run copper, he could have stayed too long at their source. Here's the test to see if your lfs runs copper, are their tanks spotless without a speck of algae, if so=copper.

If I couldn't see a definite issue, I would not treat with meds. Don't guess, did you already do one fw dip. Checking for flukes would be a plus, but nothing you've said would lead me to think that's what might be bothering her. From what I can see in the pic her eyes looks clear, right?

 

[Rosey]

Yes I've done the fw dip about an hour ago, no flukes or parasites that I could see and now she's breathing very heavily and still coughing... I've put her back in qt with the lights off to let her rest

My lfs did have brown algae in their tanks and she wasn't coughing when I got her, that started about 3 days after being in my system..

I'm really worried about her, she's starting to drop weight quickly and her breathing bothers me.