Help!My lionfish looks sick

805puffer

805puffer

Member
Hi, i had my lion for about a month now and he was doing good. Then i did a water change and took him out of tank and put him in a 5 gallon bucket of water from the tank( i took him out because i was afraid of being stung.) After i did the water change, i put him back in the tank and now he's not eating and lying upside down hanging on rocks and other weird stuff. I don't if it's because i took him out or what, but please help.
 
nicetry

nicetry

Active Member
More info please; water parameters, when did you do this water change, how long was the fish in the bucket?
It was really unnecessary to remove the fish from the tank. This caused undue stress, and the fish may be reacting to that alone.
Post all of your water parameters. If these are out of whack, any fish could be in distress.
 
805puffer

805puffer

Member
All the water parimeters are good except nitrates. the ph is 8.2.Nitrites, amonia at 0. Nitrates are high at 80. His back fin looks like it's getting chewd up. There are these little bug like looking things on him and in the tank, my lfs said that they are good for the tank, but who knows. He is in an 80 gallon tank with a soapfish and fimbriated eel. Hope this helps you out more. He is just sitting on the gravel and swimming alitle, not much. He hasn't aten in a couple of days. Please help. Thanks
 
itchy

itchy

Member
looks like nitrates are causing this. They are high and causing stress. Try to do small water changes to get them down. Do not remove the lion again as that could also add to his stress.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
I'm sure it is because you took him out. Was that bucket a deadicated bucket? What did you use for O2 in the bucket while the fish was in there?? How did you control temp in the bucket?
 
805puffer

805puffer

Member
The bucket was just for doing water changes and i haven't used it for anything else. I had him in the bucket for about 15 minutes, so i didn't put an air line in there. I didn't Have anything to control the temperature, because he wasn't in there that long. Do you think i should put him in a qaurintine tank. I have a 20 gallon tank that has been cycling for about 3 months, maybe that will help him. Thanks
 
805puffer

805puffer

Member
It's kind of hard to explain, but i'll do my best. They are half moon shaped, they are really hard to see, they are about 1/8 inches long.Have tiny legs and two antennas on the head. When there is a piece of food left on the ground you can see them all over it. I think for some reason that they are eating my lions tail becasue it is like half gone. It basically looks like a minature rolly polly. Hope this helps. Thanks
 
805puffer

805puffer

Member
They are on my lion, and i think they might be eating his fin, because his back fin is almost all the way gone. I moved him in a quarintine tank, and made sure there were none of those "bugs" on him, becasue then they would probably show up in the qaurintine tank. Right now he is sitting on the bottom and breating sort of heavy. Thanks
 
jer4916

jer4916

Active Member
just remember lions wont starve themselves..he'll eat sooner or later, just remember also that lions are picky eaters...there like children...you have to find something he likes to eat...like mine likes salad shrimp (we eat it) ..he loves it. also dont worry about him stinging you...he wont sting you unless your a dork and you hit him.
:)
 
805puffer

805puffer

Member
thanks Jer4916&Beth for helping me. So do lions just sting when they want to sting or when you touch them does it sting you automatically. Thanks again
 
jer4916

jer4916

Active Member
My lion has never stung me, trust me i dont want him to, i've cleaned my tank and i've touched him on accident, and i didn't get stung... you have to scare them honestly ...they aren't aggressive fish, they just eat what will fit in there mouth, your guy just hanging around is normal...there VERY lazy fish...mine right now is extremely active because its night and hes hungry. so im about to feed him...im sure you'll notice if you turn your lights off in your tank and watch from a distance your lion will become more active...atleast mine does...what i do at night is just leave one light on in my tank and shut the other off...and the lion seems to enjoy it much more.
anyways im rambling...just know your lion from what im hearing sounds somewhat normal...my lion likes to float on the top upside down too...and hang on rocks...and just watch life go bye. :)
good luck
and remember after awhile your lion will eat out of your hand :)
mine loooves to eat shrimp out of my hand.

~chris
 
805puffer

805puffer

Member
my lion doesn't look so good. his back fin is all gone and you can see his flesh. Can someone please help save my lion. thank you
 
jer4916

jer4916

Active Member
take him out of the tank, make a qt tank, and atleast remove him from his current environment...also i would submit photo's to beth.
how are your levels...etc?
give us a full reading...are you doing water changes if needed?..what kind of water are you using...what are you feeding him...etc.
~chris
 
805puffer

805puffer

Member
I have him in a quarintine tank right now. My ph is 8.2,nitrites 0,amonia 0, nitrates 80. I did a water change and that's when my lion started going down hill. I knew i shouldn't have done this and i regret it. when i did a water change i took him out of the tank and put him in a 5 gallon bucket. I then put him back in the tank and he layed on the bottom for about 4 days, then i noticed his back fin was basically gone. I'm trying to post pictures, but i really don't know how becasue i don't have photshop or anything like that. Thanks for helping and i will stay updated. Thankyou
 
jer4916

jer4916

Active Member
image size, then make it 500 by 500 and go to " manage image " ..and upload..and bada bing bada boom ... your in like a fat kid in a candy store.
~chris
 
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