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My new 3/4 inch golden Severums are sick!!
6/10/08
Hello, WWM
2 months ago, I bought a pair of 3/4 inch golden Severums. One is doing fine
with good feeding habits and swimming around pretty well. But the other one (the
relatively bigger one) is not ...............well...........very "lively". Its
heavily spotted, like snow.
<Almost certainly Whitespot/Ick if the grains are like sugar; otherwise Velvet
if the grains are very fine, like flour, often giving the fish are yellowy
sheen, hence the name "velvet". The former disease is the more common,
especially with newly purchased fish. So let's assume that's the problem. Do see
here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwich.htm
There are many treatments available. Use them. Soon.>
I did not observe it during the purchase. You might think its snowing
underwater!
I recently suffered the loss of a pair of discus (due to a faulty heater).
<Hmm... fish rarely die directly from the fault of a heater: if the tank got too
warm or too cold, you should see the warning signs LONG before the fish die.
Like, days before! So please, get alert to the signals, and act accordingly. If
the fish are lethargic and disinterested in food, they may be too cold. If
they're gasping at the surface, they're too warm. If you already know this (and
forgive me if you do) then do reflect on other things that may have been to
blame. Rapid swings in pH, the wrong diet, high levels of nitrate, etc. Discus
are very difficult fish at the best of times!>
So lets just say im tired of losing fish. since this is my 7th new pair in the
last 3 months.) Please help me! I really want the fish to grow up to their adult
size(8 inches right?).
<Yep, Severums can get to this sort of size.>
I've had my two fish tanks since 10 yrs. The Severum tank is a 9-inch by 18-inch
tank. (enough for the "babies" right?). No heater. 1 sponge
filter (the air driven one, which takes care of the aeration). Feeding-twice
a day (Tetrabits). the tank also has a 1.5 inch Pleco.
<Ah, lots of stuff here to worry about. Lack of heat may be an issue, depending
on where you live. Here in England at least, you'd need a heater for most of the
year. The same for most of North America. The main thing for Severums is the
temperature doesn't drop below 24 C for extended periods. Do also review water
quality -- in a small tank, it's not easy to maintain good quality water. You
need ZERO nitrite and ammonia, and as low nitrate as possible (cichlids are
sensitive to nitrate).>
No matter what I do the spots are just not going! I tried Rid-All Anti-Ich (the
anti- ich solution from the local vendor) from the local store (which I've used
on the other tank successfully) I even went through all your articles for ich.
<Do review the obvious things. Carbon removes medications. Water changes dilute
medications. If the disease is Velvet, then a Whitespot medication won't work.
If the disease is something else entirely, like Fungus or Finrot (which both can
produce off-white patches on the body/fins) then you'll also need another
treatment.>
(unfortunately, we, in India, don't get all the medications you have mentioned).
So please help me out. Something that will work, using salts n anti-ich
solutions from the local vendor.
<Do try the salt/warm water option. Cheap, easy, reliable. Severums occur in
brackish water in the wild and are very salt tolerant.>
(If it helps, the one I've got is blue in color)
<Could be anything!
Thanks a Million!!
-Sharath
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: My new 3/4 inch golden Severums are
sick!! – 6/11/08
Hey, Neale,
Thanks for the information, but i should say it came just 4 hrs late. The fish
was dead by 9 PM local time. I received your mail at 1 AM. Anyway, thanks for
the pointers, will be helpful for the remaining one. And i also added a pair of
1.5 inch Oscars. Any special care to be taken, in case they get nasty with the
remaining Severum)??
-Sharath
<Oscars and Severums generally make good companions, but do remember that both
species become very territorial and aggressive once sexually mature. Should a
pair form, and that pair decide to breed, there will be trouble. Oscars are
about 50% bigger than Severums, so any fights will be rather one sided. In other
words, by all means keep them together, but be prepared to separate them, and
make sure there is no overcrowding. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: My new 3/4 inch golden Severums are
sick!! – 6/11/08
PS- the heater kind of broke during the night, so the discus could have died
due to electrocution.
<Possible, but in my experience broken glass heaters blow the fuse before they
do any other kind of damage. I've often had to deal with broken glass heaters
and have yet to see the fish (or turtle, in most of these cases) show signs of
stress or electrocution. So I'd *definitely* review other possible problems. Not
saying anything negative about your fishkeeping skills, merely suggesting you
keep an open mind. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: My new 3/4 inch golden Severums are
sick!! 6/12/08
Sure! i was a bit inattentive. So will try to do better from next time.
<We all make mistakes and have accidents. What matters is we learn! Good luck,
Neale.> |
Turquoise Severums
New Severums Just Sitting On The Bottom - 11/26/07
I just bought 5 small turquoise Severums on Saturday. They are staying at
the bottom of the tank. Is this normal? I have them in a 30 gallon tank.
< You new fish should be alert and active. The water temp should be around 80 F.
Look closely for ich.-Chuck>
severum
disease, poor English, reading – 09/29/07
hi guys , i have a blue severum that i rescued from a crappy pet
store where it was getting beaten up, i have had it for several months
in a large tank where it has been happy with an Oscar and some scats,
but it had developed an infection of small but few large white spots 1mm
across which break out , it only stays on the head and gills and there
are rarely more than 4-5 spots at any one time which break out heal
,sometimes leave a small pockmark and reappears somewhere else on the
head or near the gill ,
<Environmentally mediated HLLE...>
it definitely doesn't look like normal white spots disease, he still
eats but looks itchy and uncomfortable . what do you think it might be
because it doesn't look like cauliflower disease or white spots .and how
could i treat it ? many thanks Laurent Australia ps al water conditions
are Aok
hope the picture helps
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/severumdisfaq.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner> |
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Golden Severum lying on side 9/27/07
Hi Please Help.
Our male golden severum has been lying on his side for a week or so. He will
swim normally sometimes but just go back to lying on his side. It also looks
like he is slightly paralyzed at times at his bottom fins and tail but
occasionally he swims normally. Not too interested in food. 1 and a half years
old. Could this be his swim bladder? We are novices.
We are going away for 5 days and have someone else to look after them. What do
you suggest we do please help. Also what do you suggest to feed them.
There is also a large female golden severum in the tank.
Rob
<Hi Rob. Loss of balance when swimming can be caused by a wide range of things.
There really isn't a single "swim bladder disease". That said, there are a small
number of things that are believe to be common causes. The first is environment.
Fish often lose their balance when conditions suddenly become poor. So check the
aquarium: temperature, water quality, and water chemistry. Severums want
something around 25C, pH 6.5-7.5, and hardness around 5-20 degrees dH. Second is
diet. Severums are, as I hope you know, primarily herbivores. A lot of their
diet should be plant material. Say, 50%. Sushi Nori, algae-based flakes and
pellets, and soft vegetables such as spinach and tinned peas are all ideal. They
will of course eat soft aquarium plants like Cabomba and Elodea, and there's a
good argument for putting these in the aquarium to give them something to graze
on. The worst thing you can do to a Severum (or any other herbivorous cichlid)
is give it a diet based on animal protein, i.e., mostly standard flake, prawns,
fish, etc. Low protein meaty foods, like bloodworms, are an excellent
alternative and will be greedily accepted. Failure to give herbivores a
plant-based diet leads to constipation as well as damage to the internal organs,
and one of the classic symptoms of this is loss of balance. Finally, bacterial
infections can cause loss of balance, usually once the infection has progressed
to an advanced degree. In terms of first aid, raising the water temperature 5
degrees C can help, and some vets recommend adding aquarium salt at a dose of up
to 1 gramme per litre. If you do decide to add salt, do so in stages. While
Severum cichlids do occur in brackish water and have a high tolerance of salt,
your filter bacteria will not appreciate a sudden change in salinity! Switching
to some high-fibre foods will help clear out the gut, if constipation is a
problem. Tinned peas seem to work well for this, and most cichlids enjoy them
(especially if they're hungry!). Using an anti-internal bacteria medication,
like Erythromycin, might be helpful, but this is a scattergun approach and
shouldn't be done as your sole response, because there's no guarantee that this
is a bacterial infection at all. Hope this helps, Neale>
Re: Golden Severum lying on side – 9/27/07
That is wonderful information. Thank you so much Neale.
I will let you know how they go. He looks a tad better this morning.
<Good luck, and hope he recovers soon. Severums are simply lovely cichlids,
sadly overlooked in these days of blood parrots and the like, but still among my
very favourites. Cheers, Neale>
Desperate for advice Golden Severum with
puffy red fin. Env. 9/10/07
Hi There,
I have just found your website and wonder if you can help me please. My 6 yr old
female golden severum has a severely red and puffy fin on her side. She is
eating and swimming ok. The tank is 80 litres
<... too small>
I have another male severum and 2 small fish in the tank. We do half water
changes reasonably regularly and here is some more info from our local aquarium
who also doesn't know what to do as nothing has worked so far.
Water quality has always tested ok with ph, nitrate and ammonia.
<Okay?>
We have tried Aquaricycline, which is tetracycline hydrochloride. Also several
fungicide and white spot remedies of malachite and formalin. Also tea tree
solution.
<... I'd be monitoring your ammonia closely...>
I am really worried about my fish, the vets cant seem to help, the aquarium
man doesn't know what else to do and I really hope you can help.
We haven't done a gravel change
<A gravel change?>
for sometime. We did a half water change last week and her fin became redder and
worse from then but it has been like this for 2 months now.
<What is your pH, nitrate?>
Please help
Regards
Jennifer
<This fish needs more room... Likely the ambient total bacteria count here is
huge... can only practically be kept low by having more space, better
filtration... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/severums.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Golden severum with red
puffy fin (2) Attn Bob 9/11/07
Hello Bob thanks so much for getting back to me regarding my
female 6yr old severum with the red puffy fin. I will follow
your advice and get back to you on the ph and nitrate level.
<Good>
Would it be the best idea to move all the fish to another tank
(at the local aquarium) while we do a full clean and gravel
change
<No on the gravel changes...>
on them or do you think that would be more upsetting for them to
change environments?
<In a manner of speaking, yes>
Thanks again I really appreciate your advice.
Kind Regards
Jennifer Edwards
<Read where you were referred
to...http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/severums.htm
this animal's troubles are very likely environmental... Fix its
world and you'll fix its health. Bob Fenner>
Re: Golden severum with
red puffy fin (3)... not READING 9/12/07
Thanks Again Bob, I have read all the info you directed me
to and it was excellent.
Obviously it is not a good idea to move the fish while we clean
the tank 100%, too stressful.
<Yes... it is just too stressful to do this period...>
I just wanted to get one thing straight. Should we do a gravel
change or not??
<What? No>
I think the whole underground filter needs a clean or
replacement which means we would have to take the gravel out as
well (I think?).
<... please, don't write... Read>
As you can gather I am a total novice and inherited the fish 6
years ago when I bought the house.
I just want to give them a good home and will do my best to fix
their environment. Have done another half water change this
morning, but the tank needs a lot more attention.
Thank you for your replies Bob.
--
Jennifer Edwards
<... The indices, search tool:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm...
Get a larger system, do regular partial water changes... RMF...>
Severum With Damaged Mouth 9/10/07
Hi - Thanks for much for any help you're able to give.
My 75 gallon tank is nearing the end of its cycling - yeah, I made the beginner
mistake (besides the LFS knowledgeable help) and overloaded the tank early on -
had a few losses, but most of the fish are coming through fine. All cichlids and
one Pleco.
I was sold a Snook (supposed to have a very cool jaw) that opened so much it ate
one of my small midas cichlids, and I believe half of the other (which I found
alive but missing half it's body) - I did ultimately find the pieces inside of
my Ario Hydor light/aeration spinnny thingie. It's possible the Snook was not to
blame.
Still, around the same time, one of my Severum had it's mouth ripped off and
dangling - we're talking lips, etc. - I was able to catch it (by some miracle)
and put it in an isolation box, along with a little Melafix which predominately
concentrated within that little floating hospital. I also put a tiny flake of
food in there in case the fish had an appetite - losing one's mouth would I
suppose curb it for at least a day or 10.
Anyway, some 2 weeks later, the mouth is healed - there's a small opening - no
lips, etc.
I had seen it try to eat tiny bits of food - it would try, and then back off
(pain?) during the healing phase. Now it seems like it doesn't even try to eat.
I've had the fish for about 3 1/2 weeks - they are all substantially larger
except for this little guy who I suppose is living off his reserves. Now he's
hanging out by the heater in the corner and not doing much - each day I expect
to see it floating when I get into my office.
I tried to catch it a few times with the net but don't want to rip up he tank
(like I did catching the Snook and returning to the LFS) - I would like to put
in the floating hospital tank (breeder) along with a bit of food and just leave
it to rest for a while - it probably is seriously stressed if not outright
starving.
Any suggestions or advise would be greatly appreciated - I do 5 gallon changes
roughly 3 times/day as time permits, ammonia has been zero for about 2 weeks,
nitrites were toxic and off the chart as were nitrates, now the latter two are
starting to drop (yippee)
All the other fish seem fine and I see what appears to be evidence of mating so
things can't be too bad in the tank.
Water is 80 degrees, pH has gradually dropped over the past few weeks from
roughly 7.4 to 6.6 though I don't want to fool with the pH - I'm hoping the
water changes are making things go alright.
I have tons of plants, and tons of aeration - and as mentioned I run the Hydor
(during the day) to super aerate along with the other 4 water effects going on
-- thanks again!
Have a great day! Gary
<Many cichlids damage their mouths when they fight. Sometimes fungus sets in on
the damaged parts and the mouth does not heal properly. I would get the
nitrogenous wastes under control. The ammonia and nitrite should be zero and the
nitrates should be under 25 ppm. Isolating the recovered Severum from the other
fish is not a bad idea. As it tries to eat it will help break up the scar tissue
and try to get the mouth tissues back to being more flexible. Offer something
like worms to get him eating again.-Chuck>
Green Severum sick for a
month ! 8/13/07
Hi,
<Hello there>
Hope you can help with a sick 5 year old Green Severum. ( 5-7 years about )
He's about the size of a man's hand, beautiful fish. About a month ago he
abruptly stopped eating and was swimming in an odd manor.
<Heeee! Manner>
( kind of jerky )
Shortly after that he was on the bottom, very dark, almost black color. It
happened so fast that I figured it must be "his time ". He was really looking
bad, yet all the other fish in the tank looked fine, water was fine etc. It's a
150 gallon tank with some parrot fish, another Severum, Iridescent shark, some
Red hooks, all pretty docile. No fighting at all ) So rather than treat the
whole tank I decided to just add some additional aquarium salt, some stress
coat, and do the 1/3 water change and see what happens.
<Mmm, good moves, with the exception of your statement "more" salt... Not good
to add this continuously>
I fully expected he'd die overnight. It's a month now, he still looks the same,
stays in one spot, 1/2 on his side on the bottom. Sometimes swims to the other
side of the bottom, but never fully swims. ) He appears to be somewhat alert,
fins deteriorating a bit. Very dark black. I feel so bad for him. I can't
believe he has a disease or he'd be dead by now. I did have one fish get a piece
of a plastic plant stuck in his mouth recently. I caught the fish, removed it
and he's fine. Got rid of that plant. I caught " Seve ", but he's much bigger
and could have swallowed it. I know it's a long shot but that would explain why
" the disease" has killed him already. What do you think?
<Mmm, as you say, perhaps something internal... likely not pathogenic>
No fungus, no parasites, I don't think he looks bloated and I don't see any hole
in the head. Is there any broad spectrum meds I could treat the whole tank with?
<I would NOT>
Have you ever heard of a fish being X-rayed?
<Yes... have done some of this myself... for taxonomy use...>
( I know that sounds silly, but I feel so bad for this poor thing. I was going
to let him just pass, but he's struggling for so long I have to try. I'm pretty
sure it's not old age like I thought at first. Background, these fish have been
together for many years, no fights, all other fish a fine. No new additions.
Water test normal. Tank clear. If they could X-Ray him I don't think they could
get it out even if it was there, could they?
Thanks so much,
Ken
<I would try catching this one fish, moving it to another cycled system and
treating it with Epsom Salt... this may "move" whatever may be blocking its G.I.
tract... Please read here re:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/saltusefaqs.htm
and here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/neotropcichdisfaqs.htm
Bob Fenner>
Re: Green Severum sick for a
month ! 8/14/07
Hi Bob,
<Ken>
Thanks for getting back to me.
Can you give me an idea of how much Epson's Salt to add per gallon? I read much
of the link you gave me, but still not sure, is Aquarium Salt the "same" or just
as good as Epson Salt ?
<... Epsom, Magnesium Sulfate... is posted...>
If this fish did swallow a plastic plant top about the size of an erasure, do
you think there is any chance he might pass it? Especially after a month?
<Always hope... with caring, action>
I've never had a fish recover from looking this bad before, unless it was
because of an injury. However I've also never had a fish "sick" this long and
not get better, worse, or die. It's very odd.
Thanks so much for you advice.
ken
<Read on. BobF>
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Is this lymphocystis?
7/28/07
Hi again Crew,
<Ave!>
I could use some help identifying a growth on my Severum. I first
noticed it this Sunday when I got back home from a 4-day trip. At that
time, it was a vague puffy spot (first picture). Over the last few days,
it's turned from that broad puffy spot into one smaller rounder white...
thing (second picture). It's opaque at the base but clear at the top.
It's not fuzzy at all so I don't think it's fungus. Nothing seems to be
moving so I guess it's not a parasite. My best guess, from the FAQ's
here, is that it's lymphocystis. If that's the case, all I can do is
work on keeping the tank cleaner so my fish can heal on his own, right?
<Does indeed look a lot like Lympho. Not uncommon among cichlids, though
generally much less often reported from freshwater fish than marine
fish. Typically, Lympho has an off-white colour (varies though, almost
to coffee brown) and has a dry, rough texture very different to, say,
Fish Pox, which looks slimy or waxy. Anyway, the good news is that
Lympho is a cosmetic issue like warts on humans rather than one that
puts a fish's life at risk. And as you seem to be aware, there's no real
treatment, and yes, water chemistry/quality is generally considered
(from studies on wild fish) to be the triggering factor though exactly
how isn't known.>
Thanks for all your help. The site's always a great read... even when
Bob goes a little... overboard... with the ellipses... <<Heee..... RMF>>
-Michael
<Yes, Bob is certainly a friend of the ellipse! I don't mind them so
much provided they have the right number of dots. A friend of mine (also
a marine fishkeeper funnily enough) loves to use them but she insists on
using the dots by the bucket-load. I think the more dots, the more
emphatically she means the statement. Anyway, good luck, Neale.>
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Severum With Seizure 3/21/07
I acquired a 5 year old female severum over a month ago who was fed only
flakes and water quality was poor. The male had just died. I did a water change
and started feeding her peas and bloodworms plus pellets. She loved them.
About 4 days ago, she quit eating. I noticed she would twitch sometimes. This
morning she went into a seizure, swam up and hit the glass, sunk to the bottom
and died. I am devastated! What caused her to have a seizure?
< Usually parasites attacking the internal organs and nervous system cause these
violent bouts of the fish jumping all over the tank.-Chuck>
Need help!!! Severum sick with large sore
that won't heal... 12/10/06
Hi.
<<Hello. Tom with you.>>
I acquired an 8-inch green severum from a pet store where he was
suffering from ick.
<<A healthy, stress-free fish is highly unlikely to come down with Ich.
The purchase was an act of mercy on your part, perhaps?>>
The ick has cleared up but he has since developed a large sore on his
side.
<<May have been the root cause leading to the Ich infestation, or a
result of it, even if the sore wasn’t clearly visible at the time.>>
It is increasingly getting worse (red is showing thru now) even after I
was advised to use tetracycline along with MelaFix and PimaFix.
<<This is too much medication at one time, in my opinion. It’s likely to
be keeping your new pet stressed even more. Also, Tetracycline has a
couple of shortcomings that, as a Cichlid owner, you need to be aware
of. First, Tetracyclines are light sensitive and turn brown as they
decompose. Second, they bind with calcium and magnesium, found in harder
water conditions that Cichlids are frequently kept in, rendering them
useless medicinally.>>
I have salt in the water and the temp is at around 90 degrees to keep
the ick in check.
<<Okay.>>
I do water changes everyday to keep the tank clean.
<<How large? On the surface this may seem appropriate but daily water
changes without an overwhelmingly compelling reason such as high ammonia
or nitrite levels can be counterproductive to the health/well-being of
the beneficial bacteria and, ultimately, your fish. Are more medications
being added with these changes? If so, we’re back to potential
stress-related issues.>>
He is currently being medicated in a 20g tank.
<<Very good.>>
He hasn't eaten anything since I brought him home.
<<Almost certainly stress-related here.>>
I am attaching a picture of the sore. Sorry for the quality of the
picture but the medication in the water conceals the true image. Thank
you so much for anything you can advise.
<<My recommendation would be to stop medicating your Severum. I’m
suspicious that the coloration of the water is the Tetracycline
decomposing. By way of explanation, medications, in and of themselves,
don’t cure. They merely “control” until the fish’s own immune system
kicks into gear and facilitates the actual healing process. This isn’t
going to take place until the fish is free of stress, whatever the
cause. Stick with the salt and higher temperatures for now and keep the
light levels low in the tank. Also, make sure the tank is well-aerated.
Warm water holds less oxygen than cooler water and it’s imperative that
the fish isn’t struggling for oxygen right now. With good care and a
spot of luck, this will turn itself around and your fish will return to
good health. Best of luck to you and your pet. Tom>> |
Re: Need help!!! Severum sick with large sore that wont heal...
12/11/06
Thank you for the advice Tom. It is much appreciated.
<<You’re quite welcome, April.>>
After doing a water change to get the deteriorating tetracycline out, and adding
a filter with some charcoal to get out the remnants, this morning he ate for the
very first time. I was so ecstatic!!
<<Who wouldn’t be? I’m happy for both of you!>>
I shouldn't get my hopes up quite yet, but that certainly is a sign his stress
factor went down alot.
<<Certainly heading in the right direction, April.>>
I am doing what you suggested and just keep salt in there and temp up. He has
two filters for circulation and two airstones for oxygen. He is acting normal
again and taking quite an interest in his reflection (flaring) unlike before
with all the meds, he would sit in the corner and sulk.
<<All sounds great.>>
I will keep you updated on his progress.
<<I’d appreciate it very much if you would.>>
Thank you again so much.
April
<<Once again, you’re welcome. Best regards, April. Tom>> |
Re: Need help!!! Severum sick with large sore that wont heal...(Happy
follow-up) 2/18/07
Hi Tom!!
<<Hi, April. Good to hear from you!>>
I promised you an update on my severum, since named Ichybod :), and here it
is...he didn’t seem to be doing well in the smaller tank I had him in so I
moved him to my 55g planted tank where I had lots of plants (not expensive
ones) he could chew on from time to time and have more room.
<<I like the move you made here, April.>>
I must say, he has totally healed. The open sore has since closed and now
his tissue has regenerated so that it matches the rest of his body. You can
also see bars forming when he gets angry at a plant or something lol.
<<Wonderful news!>>
I am sorry I no longer have a camera to take a photo of him but your advice
to me was a godsend. You saved his life. I will forever be grateful to you
and wetweb media for helping me save him with the proper advice I needed.
<<Thank you most kindly, April. Don’t forget to give yourself a lot of
credit, though. I merely offered advice. You did the “hard” part. :) >>
The story behind acquiring the fish was that I found him suffering in a
"drop off tank" at my local fish store where he was housed with a largemouth
bass and a Tilapia butikoferi who was beating him relentless. he was covered
in ick and suffering.
<<The store might have put him in with an even worse tank mate, April, but
not a lot worse! Ichybod couldn’t have lasted much longer without your kind
intervention.>>
I know it was a huge decision on my part to try and rescue him and I am glad
that I did (with your help). He is a beautiful fish and sadly must have
been someone’s beloved pet at one time or another. Thank you again for all
your help. You are the best!!
<<It’s posts like yours that brighten my day, April. Thanks a million for
the follow-up. My best to you and Ichybod! Tom>>
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Old Severum Bloating Up 11/27/06
Hello, I have a 12 year old banded Severum that has recently begun to show
signs of deterioration. His dorsal fins are breaking. He is breathing hard (we
think) - he constantly opens and closes his mouth as if hungry. I say this
because I believe that he isn't eating enough- we feed him but he doesn't eat,
and I believe it is because he can't see the food- it floats past him. He must
be eating something or I think he would have passed away by now. Can fish go
blind? He is now also swollen on his underside and we have no idea what is
causing this. Is there anything we can do for him- he's been a part of the
family for so many years?- Thank you!
< Your old Severum is sick with an internal infection. Because of his age and
advanced stages of the disease he may not make it. Do a 50% water change, vacuum
the gravel and clean the filter. Treat with a combination of Metronidazole and
Nitrofurazone. Good luck.-Chuck>
Please Help...Gold Severum is sick! 11/24/06
Good Afternoon
<<Hi, Geri. Tom here.>>
OK, I am new to this site and so far have found it very helpful.
<<Welcome and I’m glad to hear we’ve been of some assistance.>>
I have a fish that I thought was a goldfish (won it at a carnival about 5 yrs
ago). He was in my tank with another fish. There was never a heater in there and
I just fed it tropical flakes. Well, the other fish started turning black and
then died.
<<What kind of “other” fish? Other than normal changes in coloration, the most
common cause of “blackening” is exposure to ammonia and/or nitrites which causes
burns. As the healing process takes over, the burned flesh turns black. It’s
also possible that low pH and high nitrate levels can cause the same problem.>>
I took the dead fish to a store along with pictures of the fish I have now. They
informed me it was a Gold Severum, not a goldfish.
<<Hello? That’s the most upscale "carnival" fish I’ve heard of yet. :) >>
I asked what is compatible with them and she told me parrot fish.
<<Among others…>>
I bought 2 parrot fish and then put them with this Gold Severum. She told me I
needed to get a heater in there and slowly up it every few days to get to about
a 78 degree temperature...OK, so my problem is this...My Gold Severum looks very
sick. It has (I think from reading your sight) Ick...It also looks like his fins
are chewed up.
<<The advice you got on adding the heater is sound enough on the surface. It
doesn’t take into account, however, that your Severum had been acclimated for
five years to an unheated environment. Extra aeration via an air stone or two is
needed since warmer water holds less oxygen. The Parrots were added, I assume
without quarantine. You don’t say whether, or not, any acclimation procedures
were followed prior to placing these in with the Severum. I can only surmise
that water that the Parrots were transported in might have been introduced into
the tank. Last, an adult Severum is a good-sized fish but you don’t mention how
large the tank is. Any, or all, of these factors can contribute to stress which
your pet is certainly suffering from. For now, it would be best to begin a
regimen of treatment with aquarium salt to handle the Ich problem and likely the
fin rot as well. Two to three tablespoons of salt per five gallons of tank water
is recommended. Raise the tank temperature to 80 degrees but no higher at this
point. The mid-80’s would be more appropriate for fighting Ich as it speeds up
the parasite’s life cycle but higher temperatures may contribute to even more
stress right now.>>
The two parrot fish hide so I never see them...
<<Not all that unusual. These are typically shy animals.>>
The Gold Severum used to be very active and now stays at bottom of tank right
near the heater and seems to gasp for air.
<<Again, due to stress and, probably, lower oxygen levels.>>
The fish don’t seem to be eating the food anymore either. The parrot fish seems
to be turning a little black.
<<Lack of appetite can be expected. The coloration changes in the Parrots is
probably somewhat normal provided it doesn’t go to an extreme. All things being
equal, this will likely fade away in a fairly short time. It may repeat this
process from time to time, too.>>
I took the water to go get tested and they said it is fine.
<<”Fine” isn’t very descriptive for you or for us, unfortunately. As I mentioned
earlier, low pH coupled with high nitrates (over 20 ppm) can be problematic in
some cases. Might appear “fine” if other factors aren’t taken into consideration
but could provide a clue as to what’s going on in your tank.>>
I think something was wrong with the food. It is the same thing the Gold Severum
has always eaten. I just got a new container about a week before the original
fish died.....So please if you have any advise I would appreciate it...THANKS a
MILLION !!
<<The food issue might simply be coincidental but I’d replace it nonetheless.
Let’s eliminate as many possibilities as we can. Also, you need to change up on
the diet to provide variety. Fish need a variety of foods in order to thrive. A
monotonous diet of even high quality food can lead to problems in the long run.
Make sure that you keep up with regular water changes to optimize the conditions
your fish live in. I really can’t over-emphasize this. Under ideal conditions,
fish are FAR less likely to become subject to disease/infestation. By far, it’s
the best thing you can do for your guys.>>
Geri
<<Don’t be shy about following up with us, Geri, even if the information doesn’t
seem overly significant. The more detail you provide, the easier it is for us to
help. Best regards. Tom>>
