HELP - Danio hasn't eaten in a week!!

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Hello,

Here is the situation:

I have a 10 gallon tank and 10 days ago my zebra danio was at the
bottom of the tank gasping for air, and the color of his head appeared
very dark, almost black. His gills were very puffy and red too.

I put in some General Cure medication and two days later gave the tank
a massive cleaning...

Although his color came back, his gills were still red and puffy...
he's since stayed in the same spot at the bottom of the tank, barely
keeping himself off the gravel floor... his mouth never fully closes...
it moves from fully open to 3/4 open... he ATTEMPTED to eat the first
day after cleaning (darted at the food and then darted away quickly,
without eating anything)

He has now missed what would be his FIFTH feeding since that time... he
hasn't appeared much different... he's just sputtering around the
bottom right corner of the tank, with an occassional burst of energy

What can I do? Part of me wants to put him out of his misery rahter
than watch him starve to death, another part me of me is hoping he'll
finally eat and regain his strength... he just seems weak at this
point, there is no threat of sickness as far as I can see...

My tank is otherwise very healthy, I have 3 tetras, 3 dwarf chiclids
and a ground feeder... all doind fine.

Thanks in adbvance for you help :-)

Jay

[Alpha]

This can be a sign of ammonia ulceration, which the species is prone to.
The fish may also simply be old.

[Elaine T]

wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Here is the situation:
>
> I have a 10 gallon tank and 10 days ago my zebra danio was at the
> bottom of the tank gasping for air, and the color of his head appeared
> very dark, almost black. His gills were very puffy and red too.
>
> I put in some General Cure medication and two days later gave the tank
> a massive cleaning...
>
> Although his color came back, his gills were still red and puffy...
> he's since stayed in the same spot at the bottom of the tank, barely
> keeping himself off the gravel floor... his mouth never fully closes...
> it moves from fully open to 3/4 open... he ATTEMPTED to eat the first
> day after cleaning (darted at the food and then darted away quickly,
> without eating anything)
>
> He has now missed what would be his FIFTH feeding since that time... he
> hasn't appeared much different... he's just sputtering around the
> bottom right corner of the tank, with an occassional burst of energy
>
> What can I do? Part of me wants to put him out of his misery rahter
> than watch him starve to death, another part me of me is hoping he'll
> finally eat and regain his strength... he just seems weak at this
> point, there is no threat of sickness as far as I can see...
>
> My tank is otherwise very healthy, I have 3 tetras, 3 dwarf chiclids
> and a ground feeder... all doind fine.
>
> Thanks in adbvance for you help :-)
>
> Jay
>
I'm not sure what you mean by no threat of sickness. The fish is not
eating, hiding in a corner, lethargic, and gasping with his mouth open.
That exceeds my definition of sick. Your fish is having severe gill
problems from either an infection, old age, or most likely ammonia
ulceration as Alpha suggested. If it is an infection, your other fish
could be at risk of contagion.

http://aquarticles.com/articles/breeding/McKane_Zebra_Danios.html has a
bit on treating ammonia ulceration. You'll want to quarantine the fish
and use an antibiotic (kanamycin is good) since your fish is showing
signs of infection.

--
Elaine T __
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