Sad swordtail

[Vorpal]

Tank size: 60 L
pH: 7.5 - 8
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: ~12.5 mg / l
kH: not tested
gH: not tested
tank temp: 25.9 C

NB: moved to 8 L hospital tank with similar parameters (slightly higher nitrates)

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
moving listlessly, looking skinny, tail slightly down, dorsal fin down
eating okay, but more slowly than usual

Volume and Frequency of water changes/Tank inhabitants:: 1/3 to 1/2 of volume once every week or two. The load is quite low, with one adult, three ~ 6 month old fry, and 4 apple snails. The last water change was 50% on Sunday (two days ago).

Chemical treatments: only AquaSafe
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): none

Exposure to chemicals: none known

I offered her some mosquito larvae after the move to the hospital tank, and she ate some of those, and looks less skinny, but not much happier.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Fish depression?Maybe it just felt like going slow

 

[Vorpal]

She is definitely not well. She is at the bottom of the tank this morning, not moving much

She looks all skinny again, even though she ate plenty yesterday.

 

[Vorpal]

She does not seem to be using her tail. Does that help anyone tell me what might be wrong?

 

[fluttermoth]

Do you know how old the fish is? Did you cycle the tank before you added this fish?

You really should find out the hardness of your water; you don't have to test it yourself, the information will be on your supplier's website somewhere. Swordtails need hard water, and if yours is soft, that could be the reason your fish is sick.

 

[Vorpal]

Water hardness might be it. Ours is fairly soft. I should have checked that. The shop told me that the water hardness in our area is okay for them.

What can I do to increase the hardness? I've heard of people putting coral and stuff like that in their tanks. Can I control it well enough that way?

The tank was not cycled. It was started with a sponge filter & water from an established tank. It's been running at the numbers posted above for 6 weeks, 3 of which have included fish which were transferred from the breeding tank.

I don't know how old she is. She was fully adult and pregnant when we got her in January.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Sorry totally slipped my mind but if she is not eating could be a parasite.

 

[Karen_2656]

Most likely your water hardness, swordtails need hard water. If you have soft water the swordtail won't be very happy.

Never listen to your local fish shop, they will sell you anything to make money. Also I think your Swordtail may of caught a parasite. That's probably why it's not eating.
~Karen


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