bristlenose flicking

[Cavafish]

My recently aquired female bristlenose plec has started to flick herself against the filter casing and glass. She is sorting of rolling over onto her back really quickly - like doing a canoeist doing an eskimo roll and righting again but fast.

Wot is this about?

 

[samthefishman]

... poor thing...
hope you werent to attacted.

 

[corrosive]

... poor thing...
hope you werent to attacted.

That sounds hopeful!

 

[LadyMinion]

Sounds like internal parasites or similiar - have you quarantined her?

I'm afraid the problem may be too advanced to save her, but you need to make sure your other fish don't become infected.

 

[Earthgirl]

Yep, sounds like parasite or something!
So, sorry though!

 

[Oddball]

Sam do you always have such a happy outlook on life? Hmm well it does sound bad, have you medicated against internal parasites, and is it still feeding?
there may be hope if its eating, or you may have to make a hard choice about your fish.........

 

[Boots n all]

It sounds like you guys have written off this poor fish before it has had a chance , what is the temp of your tank, ph and have you done any other tests?
If this action started two to five days after it arrived it maybe a simple case of "White spot" in its early stages.
Up the temp of your tank for starters, dont do any water changes until we find out what the water conditions are, if it is "White spot" a water change my help to spread the problem.
White spot is very curable, all water carry the desease, it is stress related bought on by moving or a sudden drop in water temp causing the fish to weaken and sucum to the desease, most aquriums in Australia carry "White spot Cure" of some kind on their shelfs as l am sure they do where you are, remember half strength treatment for catfish good luck

P.S When asking for help with a fish try to give as much detail about the tank conditions and occupants as possible

 

[smithrc]

yeah - give the fish a chance

if its occasional flicking - it could be the starts or either ich or whitespot.

if it is doing it when ever it swims - its not going to last long

 

[samthefishman]

lol sorry, but i am not gonna put hope into a situation when its just gonna end in heartbreak

 

[Cavafish]

Blinking heck!!!

She looks good, is constantly eating and I've only seen her do it a couple of times although I have been away for the last week....

We got a breeding pair from our LFS last Wednesday and then went on holiday on the Friday. My Dad looked after them while we were away and says that 'the girl' was out an about all over the tank when he came in to feed them. As we have only just got them the ammount of algae on the glass was considerable - there is hardly a spot left now and she is still going around the tank grazing.

We also have 5 golden barbs - these have been flicking themselves against the wood/gravel occasionally for months now but show absolutely no other sign of ill health. I have never seen whitespot in the tank/on the fishes.

My water parameters are stable -

pH 7.6 - 8.0
KH 20
GH 21
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 50 - 60

You guys have got me really concerned now

 

[samthefishman]

you have me concerned! i thought it was only your bnose that was infected!

 

[breezer40]

If the fish is eating and looking good then I really don't think it is at the stage we should be giving up on her!

I'm not too sure how hard the water for bristlenoses should be and I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong but that does sound a little high.

The signs she is showing of flicking would indicate that something is irritating her..if not the water parameters then ICH would seem obvious.

 

[samthefishman]

lol i didnt look at the ph.
That is way to high! they can live in anything from 6 - 7.5 maybe lower then 6. But yours is to high, you may have found your answer to why your fish are sick

 

[Cavafish]

oh.

not contradicting you guys as you know FAR more than me but the LFS is local to me and the fish (and all their subsequent babies) were kept and raised in the area on the same water.

I know that we only ever spend a fraction of the time actually observing our fish but I look hard and have never seen a single whitespot - this information any use?

I really hope that she is ok, I saw her babies in the LFS yesterday and boy are they cuties

 

[samthefishman]

I am not saying it has white spot. I am saying you need to lower your PH. Not alot, but that may be causing the flickering.
We r just trying to help you, if you think you know better dont ask next time...