Bala Shark Is Seriously Unwell

[Toole]

Well, my OH and I returned yesterday afternoon after having spent a night at a friend's house to find our bala shark very lethargic and swimming upside down/on his side. Unfortunately my OH (who owns the tank etc.) doesn't seem to be too bothered about it so I've come on here to try to find out some kind of possible treatment! The normally very helpful people at my LFS said to give him a salt bath and if that didn't work to euthanise him!

Tank size: 100 litres
pH: 7.5-8
ammonia: 0
nitrite:0.1mg/l
nitrate:10mg/l
tank temp: 25C

All readings are consistent and have been taken lest night at around 9pm and today at around 4:30pm. The tank has been set up and stable for around six months ago and all the other fish seem perfectly happy.

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

The fish (bala shark) is very lethargic and swimming normally on his side or back - he can be encouraged to swim the right way up but only for a very short amount of time. He is also not eating (I have tried normal tropical fish flakes and blood worms). He's spending a lot of time resting on the bottom of the tank or among the plants (upside down or on his side). There is also a green tinge around his gills and his eyes appear dull and a little swollen.

Volume and Frequency of water changes:

Around 25l every 2-3 weeks. A water change was done last week and the filter was cleaned in tank water.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:

Interpet bioactive tapsafe added to water around 20 mins before water is added to tank.

Tank inhabitants:

Moss barb, rosy barb, 2x albino barb, 2x cherry barb, 4 x neon tetra, albino cory, common plec and a spotty cory who's precise species I can't recall.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

The tetras and corys around six weeks ago. Plants were pruned two weeks ago as they were taking over the tank!

Exposure to chemicals:

He had a 15 minute salt bath in a small 2 litre tank with 2 teaspoons of salt last night with little improvement.




Thank you very much for any help here guys! I'm really stressing out about this little guy!

 

[cutiestarangie]

Well, my OH and I returned yesterday afternoon after having spent a night at a friend's house to find our bala shark very lethargic and swimming upside down/on his side. Unfortunately my OH (who owns the tank etc.) doesn't seem to be too bothered about it so I've come on here to try to find out some kind of possible treatment! The normally very helpful people at my LFS said to give him a salt bath and if that didn't work to euthanise him!

Tank size: 100 litres
pH: 7.5-8
ammonia: 0
nitrite:0.1mg/l
nitrate:10mg/l
tank temp: 25C

All readings are consistent and have been taken lest night at around 9pm and today at around 4:30pm. The tank has been set up and stable for around six months ago and all the other fish seem perfectly happy.

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

The fish (bala shark) is very lethargic and swimming normally on his side or back - he can be encouraged to swim the right way up but only for a very short amount of time. He is also not eating (I have tried normal tropical fish flakes and blood worms). He's spending a lot of time resting on the bottom of the tank or among the plants (upside down or on his side). There is also a green tinge around his gills and his eyes appear dull and a little swollen.

Volume and Frequency of water changes:

Around 25l every 2-3 weeks. A water change was done last week and the filter was cleaned in tank water.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:

Interpet bioactive tapsafe added to water around 20 mins before water is added to tank.

Tank inhabitants:

Moss barb, rosy barb, 2x albino barb, 2x cherry barb, 4 x neon tetra, albino cory, common plec and a spotty cory who's precise species I can't recall.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):

The tetras and corys around six weeks ago. Plants were pruned two weeks ago as they were taking over the tank!

Exposure to chemicals:

He had a 15 minute salt bath in a small 2 litre tank with 2 teaspoons of salt last night with little improvement.




Thank you very much for any help here guys! I'm really stressing out about this little guy!

i dont know much about the species but wat u have done so far is great but post your post on all the topics which are to do with your fish because some really experienced people wouldnt bother to come on the emergency topic but maybe they would be interested in the
e.g. bala shark topic

hope that was helpful

 

[Nick16]

hang on, most people click view new posts (at the top) and all the new posts appear there so it doesnt matter what section it isposted in for them to see it but plz do still put it in the right section. how big is the shark? becuase ive heard they like to be in groups and 100l is not enough. i wanted to get one or 2 and i only have a 120ltr and i was told it wasnt big enough.

if you get aquarium salt you can put that into the tank instead of stressing him out by putting him in a tiny tank. also 25l water changes 2-3 weeks isnt eniugh. you should be doing that twice a week. so the disease is probably caused by poor water conditions. so i recommend do a large water change now say 50l. and then from now on change 35l twice a week. however do a water change every other day while dosing medicines to improve the quality of the water otherwise he wont make it.

 

[cowbla1]

You need to do a water change more often i forget what this is but i know that it is caused by poor water quality. Another problem might be that you are kinda overstocked which causes water quality to be even worse. You should do a 50% water change immediately.
HTH

 

[kribensis12]

What size is the tank? I belive you are over stocked. I would remove the pleco, and euthinize the bala shark. Im sorry, but he sound too far gone. Plus, in order it live a happy life, he would need to be in a 55g tank ( around 150 l?) and be in a group. Also, when you do a water change. Do you rinse the filter under the tap? If so, you are killing your bacteria again and again ect. So your tank is probably cycling every week aswell.

 

[Nick16]

he said he cleaned it in tank water if you read the post.

 

[Toole]

Sorry, I was incorrect with regards to the water change amount as it's my OH who does them - the water is changed 50% every 2-3 weeks. The filter was washed in tank water and I've done another water change today (last one was only a week ago at any rate) and the thank is also 125l sooner than 100. I have just performed a water change and I'm going to give him until late this evening and then I'm going to have to let him go without a big improvement .

As for him being in a tank that was too small - I was not advised of this when I bought him and as soon as I found out I talked with our LFS to have him rehomed - he was going to be going in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for the advice guys.