# Flowerhorn straight up and down R.I.P.



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

I vacuumed my tank other removing gravel! I removed to much apparently! Today flowerhorn not eating so I knew right away there is a problem.I checked parameters and Nitrite .25 and ammonia .25 did 50% w/c right away water back to normal now added prime, stability!

went out for a couple hrs and came home and he is straight up and down? and staying that way?

I assumed swim bladder disease? added Epsom salt and aquarium salt! and metro

If anyone else can recommend anything would appreciate it!
\I raised this guy from a baby don't want to lose him!

Also thought I would mention I had a female fh in there I got from member and it didnt eat then started pooping white fluffy stuff so I hospitalized.

Hope it didnt get anything from her! I also put another flowerhorn in same tank last week cause of baby rays needed tank!

Also breathing hard mouth opening and closing fast all started after w/c??

please help!!


----------



## mollyb (May 18, 2010)

well, for starters, if there is laboured breathing/gilling, right after a water change, I would double dose with my dechlorinator. also, raise temp, add salt never hurt a thing. could it be a constipation thing?, or, and I am really reaching here, maybe the gas bubble thing Rick talks about with baby discus?


----------



## MEDHBSI (Sep 4, 2011)

prime prime prime prime makes that ammonia less toxic


----------



## cadillac_jack (Jul 12, 2013)

x2 for prime, you can quadruple dose for emergencies

also if the fish is pooping white stuff that can be a parasite flowerhorns often have issues... the name escapes me but i know its pretty common ... ahhh come on where is cowis he would know what im talking about ... man sorry total brain collapse..


----------



## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Prazi is good for parasites, Have you tested your water parameters?


----------



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Sorry to hear that, You may need to get a syringe and put some medication into his stomach directly if it is hex or some sort of parasite. Hope your fish pulls through.


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

dont have chlorine in my water I use a nozzle on phython for w/c! did have ammonia and nitrite .25 nitrate 80 I guess when I removed gravel I stirred it up!! it all started after w/c?? other flowerhorn ok same tank I change water daily for discus contest no problems??

No change today head straight up!! I did the 5 x prime no change!!


----------



## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

did you re arrange or take out any of his decorations/ hiding spots?
i did that once. is he in a corner or in the middle of the tank when he was doing this? i took out his log but even when i put it back in he was that way. he was straight up and down because he was hiding behind the temperature label. he was also much happier with sand. he wold spend hours excavating and when i switched to gravel he didnt like it...too hard on his mouth to dig with. I wnet back to sand and he was much better. people suggested dither fish to occupy his mind too..


----------



## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

also if breathing labored add a hob or air stone for more water movement/ therefore more oxygen.


----------



## MEDHBSI (Sep 4, 2011)

I've put fish in a chamber a little bigger then he fish with lots of flow before to correct swimming until they got better. Just a thought if he starts going upside-down


----------



## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

Sorry to hear Bob, hope he gets better


----------



## cadillac_jack (Jul 12, 2013)

prazi pro is the med i was thinking but what the heck is the parasite called.... hex there ya go ... thank you elle and fish rookie zoinks


Elle said:


> Prazi is good for parasites, Have you tested your water parameters?


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

I had prazi in tank for two rounds due to fish that was in there (removed now) pooping white! 
Thanks everyone for help going to due daily w/c and maracyn for swim bladder disease! see what happens


----------



## mitchb (Apr 27, 2011)

Did you say that you have detectable nitrate? If you took out lots of gravel then the nitfrifying bacteria might be a bit out of wack.

If you are detecting ammonia or nitrite I would add some prime, add some seachem stability and continue to monitor those levels.


----------



## mollyb (May 18, 2010)

Prazi works on tapeworms (cestodes) but not on nematodes or dinoflagellates, both of which can turn poop white, or clear castings. You need levamisole for that. but these wouldn't be related to a water change.


----------



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

How is your flowerhorn now?
If you have hexamita, you can try to treat with an Epsom salt solution directly injected into his stomach via a syring. If he is not eating, mediacation applied in the water column will not help too much. However, I do not think standing upright is related to hexamita although white poo and such are.
Metronidazole is also recommended to treat hex but it is a stronger medication; Epsom is safer. Usually around 1 table spoon for 500 milliliter of water is all you need.
If he still eats, you can just soak it in his food and feed.
I am not sure if it is the appropriate measure but just think I would suggest it here cos it is safer than using medication when the cause is nto known yet.
Good luck.


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Thank you seems to be getting worse getting worried this guy is gorgeous had since juvie from Rick! about a year old now! he is also rolling complete circles off and on? and still straight up!

I noticed a couple days ago he was not eating (day after I removed half the gravel) so i knew something was wrong sure enough the tank was going through mini cycle nitrite .25 Ammonia .25 did a 50% w/c and added 5x prime and stability! and salt Epsom salt and maracyn!

doing this every day since! seems to be getting worst!

Also have lots of extra air stones going!!


----------



## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

in the second pic it looks like h has lesions on his chin and bottom lip??


----------



## hondas3000 (Apr 22, 2010)

This is very common with flower horn Bob, since it is a man made fish so it is not as strong as normal fish and they tend to get sick out of no where. Don't use to much medication as it does no good anyway. Sometime no medication is a best medication, epsom salt only good for swim bladder or upset stomach, I would just use aquarium salt and water change regularly and hope he pull through.


----------



## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

So sorry Bob, he doesnt look good at all


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

No no marks on him just went straight up after w/c??


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Dave you don't think it's swim Bladder? that's what I'm thinking?? due to he can't straighten out??


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Still no improvement


----------



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Mr. Bob,
Have you thought about putting him in a smaller barebottom tank so it is easier to medicate and to keep clean (no gravel in case there is something weird in your gravel)?
Just keep your water in top notch condition, which I am sure you already are, and hope that he pulls thought.
Good luck.


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Very good idea but no tanks available......


----------



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

I lost a flowerhorn that I grew out as a very small baby. This flowerhorn was very dear to my whole family. He would let us pat his kok and follow us around. 
He started to poo white poo and would not eat and then lost his color. I was doing daily big water changes, high temperature, lots of salt, epsom salt at first and when it did not help I started to medicate. I think my problem was originated from some feeder fish I fed him but I am not 100% sure. We were all very upset to lose our flowerhorn. I really wish there was something I could have done to save my flowerhorn, and I sincerely hope that you can find a way to save yours. Hang in there!!!!


----------



## Kimrocks (Aug 30, 2011)

Hope yours pulls through - lost mine a month or 2 ago symptoms very similar. 

We were all very fond of our FH too as he was very interactive.

Tried a few things to save him - but lost him after a couple of days.

Crossing fingers that yours will pull through!


----------



## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

mrbob said:


> Very good idea but no tanks available......


Do u have space to setup another tank? If so let me know, I am going to m storage today and i can grab a tank and u can give it back when ever u r done


----------



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Nice to see the bca community coming together to help one another, kudo to you Claudia!
Good luck Mr. Bob.


----------



## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

Havent heard from him so i am gonna text him as i am leaving to my storage and i need to know if i need to dig out a tank or not lol


----------



## MEDHBSI (Sep 4, 2011)

Mr.bob Ive got a 25-30g you can borrow sitting in my garage if you need it. Ive got a sponge filter for it too


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your offer wish I was closer!! to you all!! Sorry to hear that kimrocks!! wasnt that fw the brother to mine? from Rick? mine still hanging in there, color has completely faded thou he is fighting to straighten up?? hope he makes it is like a puppy as well, a family member!!


----------



## Kimrocks (Aug 30, 2011)

Yup mine was from the same batch. Literally just went belly up one day.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

Any updates Bob?


----------



## indreamx (Dec 5, 2013)

He has some parasite problem called whitepoop. Get this medicine called Clear. They sell them on ebay.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

R.I.P Max sorry to announce I had to say goodbye to my little friend my flowerhorn passed he fought a good battle he just turned 1 year old.

Thanks to everyone for there help!


----------



## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

Oh no  sorry Bob, he sure did tried and u did all u could


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Yes ty


----------



## MEDHBSI (Sep 4, 2011)

Sorry to hear that. Its always sad to lose a fish


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Seems worst when there big and they follow you like a puppy...


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Ty Jason ......


----------



## Vancitycam (Oct 23, 2012)

Even worse when you grow them out sorry to hear man but I swear after all that time the fish can recognize you. Sorry to hear.


----------



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

I am truly sorry for your lost. You have done all your best to save him. RIP.


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Yes for sure he knew me....ty guys


----------



## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

I'm so sorry for your loss.. Like I said many times, this is the only part that I hate about this wondrful hobby RIP..


----------



## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Yea I agree sucks.


----------



## Fire_eel (Aug 12, 2013)

RIP Flowerhorn


----------



## The Guy (Nov 26, 2010)

Sorry for your loss Bob, it really sucks when they are personable and seem to know you. RIP


----------

