lionfish stopped eating and. . .

wen tom

wen tom

Member
Wow! Totally lost this post. Can't find it anywhere yet Imforbis, yours showed up on my e-mail. Anyway, sending a pic. Story is stopped eating and now he's loosing color and looking mottled. Seems he's been breathing hard for some time. Went on Lionfish Lair but no one could come up with anything on that.
Where did you find your glass thermometer? Is it one of the very small inexpensive ones? Trying to send a pic.
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I borrow mine from the lab I work in but most alcohol filled glass thermometers should be accurate.
 
wen tom

wen tom

Member
Prawns from the store (frozen) tried the variety that is suggested but he would have none of it. I was thinking if this continues I'd get him some live shrimp (ghost or peppermint just to keep him going)Silversides then prawns. The whiteish is spreading to the back of his body since this morn. He breaths so hard his gills come out a bit (the inside)
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
Your water is OK? No ammonia? Could he have some sort of parasite? The heavy breathing is very concerning.
 
wen tom

wen tom

Member
Yep, no ammonia. PH good, Nitrate, Nitrite, salinity. Everybody swimming around like nobodys business. And he's been doing that heavy breathing thing for some time. I found an old post from me on Lionfishlair.com from two yrs. ago! So it has come and gone (as well as the coloring) but not to this extent. Just wishing I could give him a pill and make it all better. ARG! Why can't they talk to us?!!!!
 
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beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Do you have a quarantine tank? I'm thinking a course of antibiotics if you have an established hospital tank. He's still eating?

Post your water readings, including nitrates, pH, salinity, water temp.
 
wen tom

wen tom

Member
wen tom said:
Do you have a quarantine tank? I'm thinking a course of antibiotics if you have an established hospital tank. He's still eating?

Post your water readings, including nitrates, pH, salinity, water temp.
Click to expand...
Have a 10 tank that is not established. Should I get some sponges going? No, stopped eating last week. Will post readings when I get home. This is probably going to sound stupid but I spoke with gal at the store I've gotten very healthy fish from and she asked if my pumps were pointed to the top of the tank for oxygen and I did not know that! Probably going to go to city to get some ghost shrimp tomorrow. Is 3 1/2 yrs. old for him? Thank you so very much.
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wen tom

wen tom

Member
I had a non-dwarf for 5 yrs. As I say, I'm going to go ahead and drive into city for ghost shrimp, should I pick up an antibiotic as well? What kind?
 
wen tom

wen tom

Member
PH- 8.3/ Amm.- 0/ Nirtrite -0/ Nitrate- 40 with API and 0 or 1 with Seachem. Temp- who knows. Each thermometer says something different. Anywhere from 76-78. Salinity-35/ He looks better this eve. Colorwise, still breathing hard. But I wonder about it being bacterial. Would it come and go the way it has? I'm thinking nutritional or my tank. Wonder if theres something else I should be testing for?
 
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beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, I would go ahead and work on establishing the QT.

Can you post more detailed pictures of the problem areas on your lion? Pick up some zoecon or selcon which is a very good supplement.
 
wen tom

wen tom

Member
Okay, here's the update. Drove to city LFS (4+ hrs. for the bugger) brought a water sample. High phosphates. They also thought perhaps low nutrition. Bought the phosphate stuff and test kit as well as Zoe and Zoecon along with some ghost shrimp. So that was last week. He seems about the same. Phosphates are dropping. No interest in food. Posting new photo. (trying)
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
He still doesn't want live ghosts?? Thats weird, lions can go on hunger strike. However live food usually is irresistible
 
wen tom

wen tom

Member
Yes, that was something they thought too so I made sure all three powerheads hit surface and have had nice bubbles going all week.
 
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