Need Help BADLY!!!

[puffy_1234]

I have had my banded cat shark for 4 almost 5 weeks now... hasn't ate a thing... still is active at nite, but not eating and getting skinny.... any suggestions on that?
One more thing, the white stripes on him are turning like a brownish color, is he okay??? or is he sick from not eating?????

 

[hnf2k]

he is probably getting sick. you might want to post in the disease forum also. list your water params when posting. i work at a vet's office and an animal's gums when they are healthy are pink. when they start to turn white that means they are toxic and sick. i dont know if that goes for fish. hope this might help.

 

[novice150]

I've been watching your posts for a few weeks, and it seems everyone has given you some really good advice. But I cant remember all the foods they suggested, so forgive me if I repeat them.
You definitely need to get the shark to eat. Although its not uncommon for newly hatched sharks to not eat, it seems yours is going a little too long.
What have you tried in terms of live food? Believe it or not, the first thing my baby bamboo tried to eat was a dying damsel. He couldn't get it down, but this let me know he was ready. Have you tried live ghost shrimp with their tails broken? How about a small goldfish with an incision on its stomach?
If those are not working, try to find something really smelly. Mine likes small strips of Atlantic cod. This may be worth a try. Maybe you can try to find a bait shop, and see what they have in terms of live swf.
If all else fails, I have read about ways to force feed your shark, but this is a last resort.
HTH

 

[puffy_1234]

How do you force feed? I am afraid I am gonna have to do this... I tried shrimp from the grocery store tonight.... he seemed to have responded to it better then he has anything else...but still not eating it... I have some in there now, and have the lights out, to where it's really dark, hoping that's gonna help... he is looking terrible, very very skinny, and reddish-brown color on top of him, probably from not being healthy at all... I have treid feeding him silversides, no response at all, goldfish, he moved away, frozen squid, he moved away from that also... so, so far have had little response to shrimp, hoping that's gonna do the trick, or I'm afraid my baby is gonna die.
water parameters aren't bad, but a little high.... doing a water change tomorrow...
Nitrites--- .1
ph-- 8.4
amonnia--- almost but not quite .25
nitrates--- 10, and that's my worst one....
Like I said water change tomorrow...
I haven't tried ghosh shrimp... where do you get them from? and are they saltwater, or fresh... I've seen some in freshwater.... If you put them in salt will they die....
help please!!!

 

[hnf2k]

youre nitrites and ammonia are completely unacceptable. any nitrite above 0 is too high same with ammonia.

 

[puffy_1234]

yes, I am aware of that.... and that's why I am doing a water change tomorrow.... I just tested the waters today.... so water change tomorrow.... first thing.

 

[novice150]

Well, it sounds too me like your tank is still cycling. Either that, or something caused it to recycle. Either way, this is the first thing you need to look into.
I would try all of the suggested foods before attempting to force feed it. Especially the ghost shrimp. Yes, they are FW, but your shark should show interests in them. You should be able to find them at any of your LFS. Ghost shrimp were one of my bamboo's first and favorite foods. Get small ones, break their tails, and try hand feeding. If this does not work, try a feeding stick, or even leaving the shrimp in there for a while.
How small are the pieces of shrimp you are offering? For a baby bamboo they need to be very small. Also, buy a small strip of Atlantic cod. If the ghost shrimp fails to work, I think the cod might.
Like I said, force feeding should be a last resort. The stress of doing so could cause even bigger problems. I think you should give these other foods a shot first.

 

[puffy_1234]

Do you think it's still worth a try... he is breathing very rapidlly. gills are red, and last nite he was swimming upside down, and when he would be done swimming, he would be upside down for the most part....
My tank shouldn't still be cycling... I've had it up and going since January, with no problems until now... I think the levels are high, from me leaving silversides in there to see if he would eat them, over nite... that was a suggestions from someone....
I'll get some ghost shrimp today, before it's too late though....

 

[puffy_1234]

Doing a water change today also.... hopefully that's gonna help him get through it......

 

[novice150]

Well, the water change will lower the levels, but only temporarily. What ever has caused this recycle, will still be a problem. Did something disturb your bio filters? Have you washed or removed any of them recently? Were the silversides only in there overnight? I don't think they could cause levels that high, that quick.
I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but the signs of distress you say the shark is showing do not sound good. The red gills and erratic swimming could be signs of a bacterial infection. Does the shark have any red spots or areas anywhere else?
Do you have another tank you can put him in until this tank is cleared up?
I'd say you should try the ghost shrimp ASAP.

 

[puffy_1234]

He has a reddish color on top, around his gills, and a little down his body....I don't have a different tank to put him in, because I have my puffer in that one for now.... He is by himself in that tank now though, and I will get ghost shrimp today, and give that a shot...
As far as the bacterial infection, is there a way to clear that up, any medications or anything that you know of?

 

[novice150]

Well, I'm reluctant to say for sure, but I'd try macracyn II. Definitely no copper based meds. Also, the water quality will help alot.
I'll do some more checking for you tonight, and try to find out if there is a better, or alternative med.

 

[puffy_1234]

Thanks, you've been great help to me, and I greatly appreciate it.
I also have a call into the Sea World aquaurists also, here in California.... it's a number I am not supposed to have, but I am hoping that they are gonna be able to help me as well.

 

[fish boy]

sometimes if you take a small piece of food and put it on a squere and move it around in front of them it might entice them to eat also how big are the pieces of food you are feeding it they might be to big

 

[puffy_1234]

Sadly to say, my shark hasn't made it to shark heaven, but he is on his way... I talked to an aquarist over at Sea World, and they have to same kind of sharks... they said that they've had that happen. He did a biopsy on a shark at said that it was intestional blockage, and it prevents him from eating, leading to other things since him immune system is flushed. So I didn't do anything wrong (thank god) for when I get a new shark eventually... after reading up on them and learning more about that. I just wish my baby doesn't have to die though. SAD DAY!