Swim bladder issue?

LovesDogs_CatsRokay · Jan 18, 2020

Does this look like a swim bladder issue? I’ve had him for exactly two weeks. No other fish are showing any symptoms. He has a couple wounds on him now, the other fish were nipping at him before I got him out of the DT. There was no aggression before he started acting this way. Is there anything I can do to help him or is it just wait and see?

edit - posted wrong video, here’s the correct one.

Big G · Jan 18, 2020

Looks more like the behavior for a spinal injury.

Spinal injury
Symptoms: Fish swims vertically with its tail down. Sometimes the fish just lays on the bottom of the tank; sometimes swims in a swirling motion. Most believe spinal injuries are caused when the fish jumps and hits a hard object (or swims/rams into one.) However, there is some evidence that internal flagellates and/or harmful bacteria which has migrated to the spinal canal may be contributing factors to spinal injuries. Wrasses seem most prone to spinal injuries, especially fairy & flasher wrasses.
Treatment: The injury can heal if the damage is not too severe. Sadly, this is most often not the case. Dosing Metronidazole (for internal flagellates) + Erythromycin or Enrofloxacin (for bacteria) may help. If the fish is still eating, food soak metronidazole + neomycin as well.

LovesDogs_CatsRokay · Jan 18, 2020

Big G said:
Looks more like the behavior for a spinal injury.

Spinal injury
Symptoms: Fish swims vertically with its tail down. Sometimes the fish just lays on the bottom of the tank; sometimes swims in a swirling motion. Most believe spinal injuries are caused when the fish jumps and hits a hard object (or swims/rams into one.) However, there is some evidence that internal flagellates and/or harmful bacteria which has migrated to the spinal canal may be contributing factors to spinal injuries. Wrasses seem most prone to spinal injuries, especially fairy & flasher wrasses.
Treatment: The injury can heal if the damage is not too severe. Sadly, this is most often not the case. Dosing Metronidazole (for internal flagellates) + Erythromycin or Enrofloxacin (for bacteria) may help. If the fish is still eating, food soak metronidazole + neomycin as well.

Is there anyway to tell if it could be internal flagellates or bacteria? I have both metro and erythromycin in hand but no enrofloxacin. She does swim belly up quite a bit and kind of rolls around which is why I was thinking swim bladder but the video didn’t capture much of that.

Big G · Jan 18, 2020

Swim bladder disorder
Symptoms: Fish swims vertically with its tail up. Basically, the back half of the fish will seem more buoyant than the front half, and the fish will swim in a way to compensate for that. The fish may also stay near the surface of the water (or even float), unable to swim downwards. A protrusion (i.e. gas bubble) may be visible near the swim bladder area. In most cases, swim bladder disorders are caused by improper decompression of deep water species of fish.
Treatment: If a gas bubble is present, you can lance the air out using a 30 gauge insulin syringe. For swim bladder infections, the following are possible treatment options:

(1) Dose magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salt) at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons.
(2) Give the affected fish a 30 minute Methylene Blue bath.
(3) Dose Metronidazole in conjunction with Neomycin. (You can food soak this combination as well.)

LovesDogs_CatsRokay · Jan 18, 2020

Big G said:
Swim bladder disorder
Symptoms: Fish swims vertically with its tail up. Basically, the back half of the fish will seem more buoyant than the front half, and the fish will swim in a way to compensate for that. The fish may also stay near the surface of the water (or even float), unable to swim downwards. A protrusion (i.e. gas bubble) may be visible near the swim bladder area. In most cases, swim bladder disorders are caused by improper decompression of deep water species of fish.
Treatment: If a gas bubble is present, you can lance the air out using a 30 gauge insulin syringe. For swim bladder infections, the following are possible treatment options:

(1) Dose magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salt) at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons.
(2) Give the affected fish a 30 minute Methylene Blue bath.
(3) Dose Metronidazole in conjunction with Neomycin. (You can food soak this combination as well.)

Oh, I see. Spinal injury is tail down, swim bladder tail up. He definitely is tail down when going vertical. I will treat with the metro and erythromycin and hope for the best. Thanks.

RMS18 · Jan 18, 2020

Definitely not swim bladder. I would say spinal.

LovesDogs_CatsRokay · Jan 21, 2020

Big G said:
Looks more like the behavior for a spinal injury.

Spinal injury
Symptoms: Fish swims vertically with its tail down. Sometimes the fish just lays on the bottom of the tank; sometimes swims in a swirling motion. Most believe spinal injuries are caused when the fish jumps and hits a hard object (or swims/rams into one.) However, there is some evidence that internal flagellates and/or harmful bacteria which has migrated to the spinal canal may be contributing factors to spinal injuries. Wrasses seem most prone to spinal injuries, especially fairy & flasher wrasses.
Treatment: The injury can heal if the damage is not too severe. Sadly, this is most often not the case. Dosing Metronidazole (for internal flagellates) + Erythromycin or Enrofloxacin (for bacteria) may help. If the fish is still eating, food soak metronidazole + neomycin as well.

I’ve been treating with metro and erythromycin since Saturday night and he’s only gotten worse. Laying on the bottom of the tank belly up, but now there appears to be something coming out of his belly. White and about the size of a grain of rice. He hasn’t eaten so I don’t think it’s poo. Could it be a worm of some sort? Should I try treating with something else? I can’t get a picture unfortunately due to the angle and place he’s laying.