Orchid dottyback won't keep food down

[jelazar]

I've had a tank-raised orchid dottyback for almost three years and recently he's not eating properly and has become emaciated. He's got an appetite and swallows several pieces of food, but after 45-60 seconds, he'll spit out all the food he's eaten. This happens even when the food particles are very small.

This isn't the normal behavior you see where a fish tastes something and spits it right back out. It's also not "chewing" where the food is too large, so the fish spits it out and eats it again. It's like he can't fully swallow it. He may be getting some nutrition, but not much, and he's looking pretty bad.

Has anyone seen anything like this before?

 

[Tahoe61]

When the word emaciated is used I have to think internal parasites, or a more advanced disease process such as tumors.

 

[melypr1985]

agreed.. Have you seen him poop lately? Is it brown or white and stringy?

 

[jelazar]

I haven't seen him poop in a while. I treated the tank with prazipro last week anyway, and will follow up with a second round this weekend.

 

[melypr1985]

I haven't seen him poop in a while. I treated the tank with prazipro last week anyway, and will follow up with a second round this weekend.

Prazipro doesn't usually work for intestinal worms, so it's still a possibility. Keep an eye out for poop. You can try adding garlic to his food and see if he can keep it down for now. Wait another day or two and see what develops.

 

[jelazar]

Prazipro doesn't usually work for intestinal worms, so it's still a possibility. Keep an eye out for poop. You can try adding garlic to his food and see if he can keep it down for now. Wait another day or two and see what develops.

I added metroplex and focus to pellet food and started feeding that. I think he kept some of it down, but it's hard to be sure. He certainly liked eating it.

 

[jelazar]

I fed him medicated pellets for about a week, but he continued to cough them up a minute or two after eating. I could never really be certain whether he was getting any of the food to stay down. Then he stopped showing up at feeding time.

 

[melypr1985]

I fed him medicated pellets for about a week, but he continued to cough them up a minute or two after eating. I could never really be certain whether he was getting any of the food to stay down. Then he stopped showing up at feeding time.

I'm sorry to hear that