sick boesmani rainbow

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Hi, I have 2 Boesmani Rainbows in my community tank (with guppies,
mollies, platties and a gourami). I have had the Rainbows for about 4
months, and they seemed to have settled in fine, they eat and play and
have fun. I think they are adults (about 2"), not sure what gender,
they look identical. About 2 weeks ago, one of them suddenly had
turned dark purple brown to one side, from its head back to just past
its gills. It seemed to be happy enough, so I thought it might have
been a particular colour feature, like something to do with mating or
some other reaction to the environment. Now almost all of the brown is
gone, but it seems to be unhappy, motionless, staring into a corner,
not eating etc. It occasionally has a swim around, but I think it is
ill, and it could well have to do with the unexplained colouring. The
other rainbow seems just fine and unaffected. Anyone any idea what
might be going on here? Thanks!

[carlrs]

On Jul 3, 4:20 am, wrote:
> Hi, I have 2 Boesmani Rainbows in my community tank (with guppies,
> mollies, platties and a gourami). I have had the Rainbows for about 4
> months, and they seemed to have settled in fine, they eat and play and
> have fun. I think they are adults (about 2"), not sure what gender,
> they look identical. About 2 weeks ago, one of them suddenly had
> turned dark purple brown to one side, from its head back to just past
> its gills. It seemed to be happy enough, so I thought it might have
> been a particular colour feature, like something to do with mating or
> some other reaction to the environment. Now almost all of the brown is
> gone, but it seems to be unhappy, motionless, staring into a corner,
> not eating etc. It occasionally has a swim around, but I think it is
> ill, and it could well have to do with the unexplained colouring. The
> other rainbow seems just fine and unaffected. Anyone any idea what
> might be going on here? Thanks!

First I would consider water parameters, as this is often the main
cause of these problems, and then followed by opportunistic
infections.

Please check these parameters:
*Ammonia- 0
*Nitrites- 0
*Nitrates- Under 40-50 ppm
*pH- Stable (a stable pH is more important than the actual number,
although anywhere from 6.5 to 8 has worked fine)
*GH- above 100 ppm (important for necessary electrolytes such as
calcium)
*KH- 50-80 (important for a stable pH)

Check your filtration for mulm build up.

Regular water changes of about 25-30% are very important (watch for
chlorine and especially chloramines when adding new water)

Finally if water parameters are corrected (or OK), consider an organic
treatment such as Pimafix or a electrolyte adjusting/preventative med
such as Medicated Wonder Shells. Stronger treatments such as Kanamycin
and/or Nitrofurazone may follow, HOWEVER, please check your parameters
and adjust these before jumping into meds.

Carl
http://aquarium-info.blogspot.com/

[[email protected]]

Thanks Carl,

That is good advice, thanks. Yesterday I had another close look, and
there seemed to be a small bump or irregularity in scales to the
affected side. This morning when feeding I saw it propping itself to
the surface using just its tailfin, it seemed paralised from the
sides. It then tumbled through the plants and died soon after. I got
it out, and closer inspection did not reveal anything new.
Overall my tank gets 20% water changes and a hoover every 1-2 weeks, I
use dechlorinator, and recent checks showed normal ammonia levels. I
also used a broad spectrum antibiotic for the tank about 6 weeks ago.
My current theory is that it was attacked (maybe more than once), and
that the colouring might have been from internal bleeding, and the
bump is where it got hit. It seems to me that the slightly more lively/
aggressive fish have trouble living as couples, they seem to end up
fighting each other.
However, it could well be some sort of opportunistic infection indeed,
though the other Rainbow has not been affected, and quite happy. Hard
to say what happened. I'll keep an eye out. Thanks!
Hendrik

On 4 Jul, 19:13, carlrs > wrote:
> On Jul 3, 4:20 am, wrote:
>
> > Hi, I have 2 Boesmani Rainbows in my community tank (with guppies,
> > mollies, platties and a gourami). I have had the Rainbows for about 4
> > months, and they seemed to have settled in fine, they eat and play and
> > have fun. I think they are adults (about 2"), not sure what gender,
> > they look identical. About 2 weeks ago, one of them suddenly had
> > turned dark purple brown to one side, from its head back to just past
> > its gills. It seemed to be happy enough, so I thought it might have
> > been a particular colour feature, like something to do with mating or
> > some other reaction to the environment. Now almost all of the brown is
> > gone, but it seems to be unhappy, motionless, staring into a corner,
> > not eating etc. It occasionally has a swim around, but I think it is
> > ill, and it could well have to do with the unexplained colouring. The
> > other rainbow seems just fine and unaffected. Anyone any idea what
> > might be going on here? Thanks!
>
> First I would consider water parameters, as this is often the main
> cause of these problems, and then followed by opportunistic
> infections.
>
> Please check these parameters:
> *Ammonia- 0
> *Nitrites- 0
> *Nitrates- Under 40-50 ppm
> *pH- Stable (a stable pH is more important than the actual number,
> although anywhere from 6.5 to 8 has worked fine)
> *GH- above 100 ppm (important for necessary electrolytes such as
> calcium)
> *KH- 50-80 (important for a stable pH)
>
> Check your filtration for mulm build up.
>
> Regular water changes of about 25-30% are very important (watch for
> chlorine and especially chloramines when adding new water)
>
> Finally if water parameters are corrected (or OK), consider an organic
> treatment such as Pimafix or a electrolyte adjusting/preventative med
> such as Medicated Wonder Shells. Stronger treatments such as Kanamycin
> and/or Nitrofurazone may follow, HOWEVER, please check your parameters
> and adjust these before jumping into meds.
>
> Carlhttp://aquarium-info.blogspot.com/

[carlrs]

On Jul 5, 5:24 am, wrote:
> Thanks Carl,
>
> That is good advice, thanks. Yesterday I had another close look, and
> there seemed to be a small bump or irregularity in scales to the
> affected side. This morning when feeding I saw it propping itself to
> the surface using just its tailfin, it seemed paralised from the
> sides. It then tumbled through the plants and died soon after. I got
> it out, and closer inspection did not reveal anything new.
> Overall my tank gets 20% water changes and a hoover every 1-2 weeks, I
> use dechlorinator, and recent checks showed normal ammonia levels. I
> also used a broad spectrum antibiotic for the tank about 6 weeks ago.
> My current theory is that it was attacked (maybe more than once), and
> that the colouring might have been from internal bleeding, and the
> bump is where it got hit. It seems to me that the slightly more lively/
> aggressive fish have trouble living as couples, they seem to end up
> fighting each other.
> However, it could well be some sort of opportunistic infection indeed,
> though the other Rainbow has not been affected, and quite happy. Hard
> to say what happened. I'll keep an eye out. Thanks!
> Hendrik
>
> On 4 Jul, 19:13, carlrs > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Jul 3, 4:20 am, wrote:
>
> > > Hi, I have 2 Boesmani Rainbows in my community tank (with guppies,
> > > mollies, platties and a gourami). I have had the Rainbows for about 4
> > > months, and they seemed to have settled in fine, they eat and play and
> > > have fun. I think they are adults (about 2"), not sure what gender,
> > > they look identical. About 2 weeks ago, one of them suddenly had
> > > turned dark purple brown to one side, from its head back to just past
> > > its gills. It seemed to be happy enough, so I thought it might have
> > > been a particular colour feature, like something to do with mating or
> > > some other reaction to the environment. Now almost all of the brown is
> > > gone, but it seems to be unhappy, motionless, staring into a corner,
> > > not eating etc. It occasionally has a swim around, but I think it is
> > > ill, and it could well have to do with the unexplained colouring. The
> > > other rainbow seems just fine and unaffected. Anyone any idea what
> > > might be going on here? Thanks!
>
> > First I would consider water parameters, as this is often the main
> > cause of these problems, and then followed by opportunistic
> > infections.
>
> > Please check these parameters:
> > *Ammonia- 0
> > *Nitrites- 0
> > *Nitrates- Under 40-50 ppm
> > *pH- Stable (a stable pH is more important than the actual number,
> > although anywhere from 6.5 to 8 has worked fine)
> > *GH- above 100 ppm (important for necessary electrolytes such as
> > calcium)
> > *KH- 50-80 (important for a stable pH)
>
> > Check your filtration for mulm build up.
>
> > Regular water changes of about 25-30% are very important (watch for
> > chlorine and especially chloramines when adding new water)
>
> > Finally if water parameters are corrected (or OK), consider an organic
> > treatment such as Pimafix or a electrolyte adjusting/preventative med
> > such as Medicated Wonder Shells. Stronger treatments such as Kanamycin
> > and/or Nitrofurazone may follow, HOWEVER, please check your parameters
> > and adjust these before jumping into meds.
>
> > Carlhttp://aquarium-info.blogspot.com/- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Sorry to read about your fish passing.

> My current theory is that it was attacked (maybe more than once), and
> that the colouring might have been from internal bleeding, and the
> bump is where it got hit. It seems to me that the slightly more lively/
> aggressive fish have trouble living as couples, they seem to end up
> fighting each other.

That is a plausible theory or something similar along the lines of
internal infection/organ degeneration. Unfortunately there is little
here you could have done.

Carl

[Norbert Heidbüchel]

Hello,

Did it look like this:
http://www.drta-archiv.de/wikidis/index.php/Diseases/ThyroidTumours?

Maybe the fish had a cyst inside his body, a tumor or something like this
which pressed on a nerve for some time. Dark coloring of parts of the body
is often caused by something like this or ill nerves.


--
Grüße
Norbert (Heidbüchel)

[[email protected]]

Hi Norbert,

That is very interesting! Yes, it looked almost exactly like the
photo's behind the link. So the colouring is caused by a trapped
nerve, which could be caused by a cyst or tumor, which could originate
from internal bacterial infections (acccording the website). Certainly
a few points to check and look out for next time. Interesting that the
colouring almost disappeared again, maybe it recovered, and then had a
fatal setback. Interesting photo's, I need to photograph my fishes
more. Thanks!

Hendrik

[Norbert Heidbüchel]

Hallo,

> So the colouring is caused by a trapped
> nerve, which could be caused by a cyst or tumor, which could originate
> from internal bacterial infections (acccording the website).

Or an infection of the nerve directly.

> Interesting that the
> colouring almost disappeared again, maybe it recovered, and then had a
> fatal setback.

Maybe. Or the position of the cyst (or something else) has changed.


--
Grüße
Norbert (Heidbüchel)