My Pearl Danio Is Acting Drunk!

[sank5]

Hi All,

I'm new to fish keeping. I bought my tank already established, so I haven't had to cycle it. I've had the tank for just over a month and already had an outbreak of ICH. (I treated for the Ich a few weeks ago and have not seen any since).
I noticed last night that my pearl Danio was behaving strange. He's still active but once he starts moving, he seems to be drifting to one side, then the other. I was quite supprised to find him still live this morning. Does anyone what know what the problem could be?

My water test last week showed

PH between 7 and 7.5 (Difficult to tell accurately with the kit I've got)
Amonia, Nitrite & Nitrate are nearest to the lowest grades on the colour chart.

He's an active fish and schoals quite happily with 4 zebra danios. None of my fish have been aggressive towards him.

Any Help or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Dave

Forgot to say its a 180 litre tank, lots of live plants and hiding places with the following fish

4 zebra danios
1 pearl danio (LFS caught the wrong fish, didn't have the heart to take it back)
1 small pleco
1 large angel fish
1 Boesemans Rainbowfish
1 Red Rainbowfish
1 Pearl Gourami
1 Sucking Loack
1 Golden Sucking Loach
1 small Tyre Track eel (about 6 inch)

I vac the gravel and change about 20 - 25% of the water every week (except when treating for whitespot)
The only chem's I add are to remove amonia from the tap water.

 

[*Fishkies*]

Well if your ammonia and nitrite readings are not at 0 then I don't believe that your tank is completly cycled. Because you should have a small reading for nitrate. If you could get exact numbers up that would help much more.

Now...Does your fish seem fatter then normal?
What's the current temperature of your tank?

 

[sank5]

Hi Fishkies,

thanks for the reply. I'm using a 'nutrafin essential mini master test kit', which a friend gave to me. It's a couple of years old, so I'm not 100% sure of it's accuracy. The amonia was closest to the first reading on the chart which is 0. the next colour (0.6) is virtually identicle, so It could easily be that high, but nowhere near the next colour which is 1.2. The PH again was very difficult to call exactly, but was between 7.0 and 7.5. My nitrate was nearest to the first colour on the chart which is 5, maybe possibvly lighter. My nitrite again was nearest to the first colour which is 0.1

Current temperature is 80 deg F (27 c)

He's still swimming and quite fast too on occasions, but it seems like he's stiffening up and topples to one side or another when he slows down ( like a kid riding a bike without stabilisers for the first time). The fish hasn't fattened - looks slimmer if anything. There's no marks on him, nor anything else to suggest he could be ill. All my other fish look fine too.

Thanks

Dave

 

[WILDER]

If hes stifffing up he dying.
Can he maintain his balance in the water.

 

[sank5]

no....that's the problem.

Thanks for your help

 

[WILDER]

Swimming and laying to onside can be swim bladder to internal parasties, has he bloated up.

 

[sank5]

He's not bloated at all. He's still swimming round with four zebra danios, but he seems to be tipping more and more. He almost always stays within the top 2 inches of the tank.

Thanks for your help

 

[WILDER]

Has he been laying upside down yet, or barrel rolling.

 

[sank5]

gets to a max of 60 degrees off centre. Maybe only 30, they move so bloody fast....lol

 

[WILDER]

Sadly if he looks like he's going stiff usually a sign they havent long left.
Might be btter off issolating him even if its in a container at the top of the tank.

 

[sank5]

Hi

I'm not sure stiff is the right word. I've just taken a video of him with my g/f's phone. I'll upload now, so you can see exactly.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Does his spine look bent or look thin.
http/www.nationalfishpharm.com/Q&A/behavior.html

 

[sank5]

Sorry, it won't allow me to upload. Time for bed I'll get it working tomorrow. Thanks for your help.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Good luck.

 

[sank5]

Just got home from work and my danio's took a turn for the worse...he's still trying to swim...bless him, but he's upside down, doing sumersults and everything.

Is there anything I could try to save him???

I'm getting desperate....if it's not done today, I think he'll be gone by tommorrow.