Gas Bubble Disease...can Anyone Help Me?

[Elle3]

Hi Star,
 
I just realized that someone else posted on the other thread, that I had started before this one.  They had posted an article for me, and it read that also, adding aeration to the new water, before adding it into the tank will help.  Soo..I took out the smaller air stone, from his tank and added that into the new water, that I will be using for his tank change.  Do you think this will be okay, it will only be taken from his tank for a few hours...  The air bar I still have in his tank, is strong...I'm hoping I'm not messing things up...what do you think???

 

[star4]

So long as the bigger one is still in his tank it should be ok.

 

[Elle3]

Thanks Star, I checked on him and he's doing good...the water in the bucket is rising in the temp.  I should be able to do the water change in about 2 more hours...
 
I'll keep you posted...

 

[Elle3]

Evening Star, 
 
I just got done doing the water change, so far so good, none of those small bubbles are on the tubing or anywhere else in the tank.  I'm going to do a finger test in a few hours--give the water time to settle and hopefully there won't be any, on my finger.  I also, looked for those worms you told me about and nothing...everything is clear.  The water that I siphoned was still a bit cloudy, but not as bad as it was...  I'm sure you are 100% right, I was feeding him the cucumber, zuchinni, carrot...too often.  I'll continue, as you said...every other day and try an algae wafer, now and then--maybe he'll go back to eating them, every once and awhile. 
 
He's doing good, as he did all day...nothing out of the ordinary and the bubble on his gill is still half the size of a pea.  I'm hoping by tomorrow it's completely gone.  No others have developed anywhere on him either, which I'm "Thankful" for...
 
I'll post to you tomorrow and let you know how he is doing and the tank, as well.
 
Thank you sooo...much for being here for me and for all your continued help...

 

[star4]

Thats good news you dont have excess detritus worms in the tank , most likely then it is mushy faeces from the "white food" My Jethro LOVES potato, but his faeces after white much 

 
As for why it happened there could be many reasons, that post TTA put on your other thread was very good, the only other thing I found was an account of an ill fitting filter pipe drawing air in, or it is quite possible the extra water changes, which hopefully leaving the bucket overnight with an airline will stop this until he is better.
 
Its good news no other bubbles have developed
 
Other foods you could try him with are Bloodworm pellets, or if you can get them JMC catfish pellets, these are quite small and my big guy hoovers these up.

 

[Elle3]

Ohhh...Star...he's died on me....*crying*  I'm soo...upset...  I woke this morning and he was on his back, barely breathing...  I hurried and put my hand in the water, to turn him on his belly and his body was sooo....hard.  I'm soo..upset.  I just sat and kissed his tank and hummed, like I always have done--he would always kiss me back when I did this...
 
I'm soo..upset, I did soo..much to try and save him...
 
Why is body hard???  Why did this happen, he seemed to be doing so well yesterday???  Could it have been from leaving the water in bucket...not enough oxygen or whatever in the water???  Did I do something wrong...???

 

[star4]

Oh Elle I am so so sorry I do not think for a second it was anything you did, you couldnt have done any more to try and save him. Without doing an autopsy you wont know if he had any internal problems, this is what makes keeping fish so hard sometimes not knowing a full reason for someone dying.
 
Sending hugs x

 

[Elle3]

Thank you soo..much Star...  I just can't stop crying...I was soo...attached to him, he was such a part of my everydays....  I never expected this to happen, never...just from the water.  He was doing good yesterday and that bubble on his gill was almost gone...  I can't help to think I made a mistake with keeping that water in the bucket over night...maybe it took something out of it that he needed???  I'm really upset....  I know the bucket was clean, nothing else was ever in it...it was his bucket only...  I just feel terrible, that I did this to him....

 

[star4]

I know how you feel, I will cry buckets when I loose my Jethro (I get upset when I loose any fish). There would have been nothing else you could have done, you were doing everything right trying to rectify the problem with the gas. Chances are he had a gas bubble internally that you couldnt see, which sadly there would have been nothing you could have done. At least he was loved and cherished unlike many plecs that end up in awful conditions, you did nothing but love and care for him. I know you feel terrible but it was not your fault.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Ah, really sorry to hear this

Was keeping an eye on your progress and Star gave good advice so did not feel the need to add anything at any point at all.

Think everything you did was what I would have done and as Star mentioned, think was internal bubble damage that did this, precious little anyone could have done I think.

Hope that yourself and anyone else who reads this learns of the dangers of GBD and how to try and avoid this.
Sorry you had to learn the hard way

This happens to every keeper I think at some point sooner or later, losing fish without any real known cause or very little one can do, take comfort in the fact you gave him a good home and you did your very best

 

[Elle3]

Thank you Charlie and Star,  I just can't stop crying and I can't even begin to think to take him out of his tank yet, to bury him, I have everything still running and I keep looking at him and hoping, he's just destressing and he will be okay.  I know this sounds crazy, but I can't help it...  I keep thinking, if I didn't do the water change, he would be here with me now.  Someone would think I was nuts, because of how I'm acting, but he was part of my family, for years and had such a wonderful personality...and now he's gone....
 
I want to "Thank You, Both...from the bottom of my heart and from his "Sweet Little Soul", for all your help to us both, it truly meant the world to me, knowing you both cared to offer your help and support to both he and I.  You both are a "Godsend" to the fish community...it was blessing to have you both enter our lives, when I needed help, support, understanding and didn't have anyone to turn to for help... many blessings and ((((hugs))))) to you both, from he (Fishy)

and I....
 
Charlie, I too hope that others will learn from this thread and do more research on this, so that if this devastating disease should strike them, they will be able to catch it faster and save their fishes life.  Also, hopefully...maybe learn new knowledge on preventing this from happening or helping to fix the issue sooner, without any damage being done, to their "Fish Kid" and use what they have researched and learned to help others... 
 
I'm soo.."Thankful" for you, Star, also Two (who posted on the other thread I had started), as I've learned a lot, however...I won't be getting another one...  This hurt too much and watching him this morning was literally heartbreaking...
 
I'll check in with you all from time to time, just to see how all your "Fish Kids" are doing...
 
Thank you all, once again...for everything....(((((hugs)))) from myself and "Fishy"

 

[star4]

Oh Elle you have me reaching for tissue's

do you have anyone that could remove him for you and bury him? You will need to do it soon because he will start to decay pretty quickly and I would hate for you to see him like that it would make you feel so much worse. I do understand how you are feeling, I have lost some very loved fish and have not been able to look in the tank for a long time after without missing them terribly. 
 
If you need to chat pm me x