# Help! Paradise Fish Won't Eat/Sits on Bottom



## Mongo (Aug 2, 2014)

Tank: 6 gallon (hospital tank)
PH: 7
Ammonia/nitrates - don't know, but have done 75% water change yesterday. (I don't have a full test kit at the moment)
Temperature: 24C/76F

This fish is a rescue. Came to me with mouth fungus, callamnus worms, and probably some sort of bacterial infection.

His mouth was also almost entirely full of fungus (i.e. bacterial infection) and he would eat/gulp air out the side. I have been dosing with tetracyclin to help with the mouth fungus. The mouth has healed up a bit which is great. I thought he was doing okay on this but recently he stopped eating. Hasn't eaten in at least 2 days.

He did spend one day with some kind of swim bladder problem, where he would sink to the bottom of the tank. I thought constipation and gave him an Epsom bath. I also lowered the water level to This helped a lot. He started pooping well and swimming around and I thought he was out of the woods.

Now, he is spending a lot of time on the bottom. Or right up near the top of the tank where he sits and sips air. He's a little pale. Still won't eat. He's not bloated and his scales aren't sticking out. I've kept the light off and kept the tank dark to try and lower any stress.

I finally got medication for his worms but of course, it's medicated flake feed and I can't get him to eat. I'm also not sure if I should be dosing him with levimasole feed and antibiotics at the same time. I'm also hesitant to give him worm meds if he is too weak to poop them out.I figure this will just lead to more infection.

I have a heater. Should I put it in and raise the temperature...and if so, to what? Should I lower the water level again to make it easier for him to surface for air? What else should I try? I have aquarium salt as well but have not added any to the tank.

Also - I feel like I keep trying stuff. Am I at the point where I should just leave this guy alone. Am I just stressing him out at this point by trying too many things?

This fish is so tough. He's already been through a lot. I'm hoping he can hold on a little longer.

Thanks in advance for any advice.


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## Mongo (Aug 2, 2014)

The fish died sometime last night. I guess he had too many things going on. At least he had a good couple of weeks.


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