Weird

[Gilli]

Hi folks - hoping someone can shed some light on this for me as ive never come across this problem before. A few days ago I noticed one of my black phantom tetras suddenly went beserk and started spinning around a few times - then returned to normal. This morning I noticed one of my cory pandas did the same thing. No other clues as to what this could be - all eating normally - no signs of any growths fungus etc.

I tested my water this morning with the API liquid testing kit -


Tank mature 1 year old - 250L external filter - live plants- weekly 25% water changes

Ammonia 0

Nitrites 0

Nitrates 20

PH 7.8

Stocking

10 cardinal tetras
4 black phantom tetras
5 panda corys
3 kribs
4 rainbow fish
2 cockatoo cichlids


Any ideas?

 

[andy.ahad]

Hi folks - hoping someone can shed some light on this for me as ive never come across this problem before. A few days ago I noticed one of my black phantom tetras suddenly went beserk and started spinning around a few times - then returned to normal. This morning I noticed one of my cory pandas did the same thing. No other clues as to what this could be - all eating normally - no signs of any growths fungus etc.

I tested my water this morning with the API liquid testing kit -


Tank mature 1 year old - 250L external filter - live plants- weekly 25% water changes

Ammonia 0

Nitrites 0

Nitrates 20

PH 7.8

Stocking

10 cardinal tetras
4 black phantom tetras
5 panda corys
3 kribs
4 rainbow fish
2 cockatoo cichlids


Any ideas?

Did they look like they were chasing their tail? If so it could be whirling disease. (Myxobolus parasite). What do you feed your fish? Apparantly this is a very rare disease in aqauria and is normally transmited in live food. Usually live tubifex worms, but can be in others too.

I'm not saying it is this but it's a possibility. I'm sure other opinions will be forthcoming.

Best of luck!

 

[Gilli]

No not chasing thier tail - they kinda whirl around like a corkscrew for about 6 turns then just swim off and act normal. I have never fed live foods - only frozen. so far the 2 fish that have done this I have had in the tank for about 9 months?

 

[Bella]

well I had a fish that only did that a few times and by the next day.. she def had whirling disease I have no idea how she got it and no one else in the tank was sick. She would still try and eat but did not live very long after that. Keep a close eye.

 

[WILDER]

Whirling desease is very rare in tropical fish.

Whirling can be internal parasites that have damage the brain or brain damage, swim bladder. A cork screw motion can also be internal parasites.

Signs of internal parasites are.
Long stringy white poo, or clear mucas poo.
Enlarged anus, red inflamed anus.
Fish will look skinny or bloated.
Sunken in belly.
Not eating.
Bent spine sometimes.
Fish will sometimes swim on its side.
Worms prutruding from the anus.


Whirling Disease (a.k.a. Myxospora)



Symptoms:

Whirling disease infects only salmonid fishes. Symptoms of severe whirling disease infections include whirling behavior, blackened tails, and head and skeletal deformities. Whirling disease gets its common name from the circular, uncontrolled swimming of some infected fish. Subclinical infections are common, and fish can be carriers of infective spores without any visible outward signs of disease. Confirmation by histology and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is recommended for diagnosis of Myxobolus cerebralis infections.



Cause:

Whirling disease is caused by the microscopic spores of Myxobolus cerebralis, a multicellular parasite in the phylum Myxozoa. The disease usually progresses slowly, taking several months to kill the fish. Mortality is generally limited to severe infections of susceptible species during the early stages of their skeletal development.



Treatment:

Unfortunately, there is no curative treatment or vaccine. Elimination of Tubifex tubifex worms, the parasite's alternate host, and their habitat can interrupt the parasite's life cycle and prevent fish infections. Treatments of water and structures with chemicals, ultraviolet radiation and electric fields have been tested, but have not proved extremely successful. Prevention of M. cerebralis contamination is key, and can be accomplished through the use of certified disease-free fish sources and clean, secure water supply.



For more information:

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

No not chasing thier tail - they kinda whirl around like a corkscrew for about 6 turns then just swim off and act normal. I have never fed live foods - only frozen. so far the 2 fish that have done this I have had in the tank for about 9 months?

My cory did this once for about a min or two...I haven't seen him do it since...

 

[Gilli]

Thank you to everyone who replied to this thread. I will just keep the water as clean as I can and keep an eye on them.

 

[saz326]

Phantoms (males in breeding mode) will swim towards each other and break off just before colission - this can look like they are spinning.

Keep an eye out and good luck.