strange problem

Hi to everybody!

Today something strange happened!

I took over a Golden Arrowana from my brother some months ago because he didn't eat.

After treating him well, he started to eat very fast again and became a good fellow in our home.

From the beginning I took over the Arrowana, it was clear he will need a bigger Aquarium than he has now (300) Liter. The Arrowana is about 30 cm long.

So a month ago I bought a 1000 Liter Aquarium. I set it up and let it run for a month. Also I put some Jewel Chilid and Buttikoferi inside to let the filter start to work.

Today was the big day: First I fed the Arowana before putting him into his new home. After that came the moment.

He was in. I watched quiet closly to see how he will interact with the buttikoferi ( they can be quiet mean). But it came out I have to worry about the Butti's more than the Arrowana.

The Arrowana was obvious very comfortable in his new home. And started very soon to catch after the chilid's.

Swimming arround and being very happy. I wanted to have a cigarette break after my observation. 4 minutes, I came back and I couldn't believe what I see.

The Arrowana is swimming in a 45degree angle heads down. Trying to put him straight, but it was the back which pulled him up again. It looked like the back was filled with air and didn't want him to go under water!!!

What is that!! What happened!!!
After a little research, escpecially here in this forum, I cam e to the conclusion, that he must hurt himself in the 4 minutes I was away, also I saw him getting air from the surface. But so suddenly???

For the moment I brought him back to the old aquarium and I filled just that much water that he can breath (water level=back level) this way he is not turning arround (bottum's up). in the last hour he was fighting quiet strong, so he became so tired that I needed to do this step (even I knew it is stress again for him). No he became relaxt and he can regenarate!

Does anyone know what this is? Does anyone have an idea how to help this fish?

Thank you very much!

Mark

[Ryan Red]

Seem like you didn't the old water to new tank. It might be ph shock or your new tank water not cycle well. To play safe, always mix 50% of old water to new. Hope tis help.

Bro i think while u were catching ur aro during transfer, it was trying to jump out of the water rite? It might have caught some air into the body..
Give it a few days, if this was the case it would be alright soon..

[atan]

I think its the feeding before transferring and during the course of transferring.

Sounds more like SBP to me. Indigestion of food and trapped air in stomach.

SBP = Swim Bladder Problem

If it is, get some epsom salt and on heater to 31 degrees C.

[AlvinLeong]

Not sure how you acclimatize the fish during the transferred to her new tank and back to her old tank.

Might be the different in water parameters such as PH/GH causing stress and discomfort to the fish.

The fish swallowed air during the transferred or during chasing her tankmates could be the reason as well.

But you are right to lower down the water level to prevent more stress to the fish.

For adult fish, no feeding at least 2~3 days before making any transfer.

Thanx to everybody for the replies!!

I just want to give an update on the situation.

THE ARO IS FINE!

I just want to give a small observation protocol for future readers of this thread:

- After the the fish had the symptoms, as written above, the fish was in a big fight trying to get himself straight (This cost him a lot of energy).

- I lowered the water level down to "water level +2cm = fish level", when I put him to the old aquarium. I have read in a Thread that I should not lower the water than fish height +2 inch. But I saw his body was turning arround (bottoms up)!!! I took some water out again (water level = fish level). Now he can recover without having stress and beiing stabelized.

- I put an air stone into the AQ

- The fish reacted well, it seems he likes this situation. He choosed the left side of the aquarium and digged himself a bit in the sand. So he was stable now.

- He became calm and is resting. There I saw the fish has a scratch in the back fin. Probably from the fighting before.

- Small assumption: The fish is injured not ill. This means I will not put any salt into the water, also I will not raise the temperature. Probably the water changes would stress him more than it helps (Salt will raise the PH). There are no bacteria to kill.

- Next moring: Fish still lying and resting. I raised the water level (fish height = water level +2cm).

- Now the Fish could swim a bid. He is trying also, but it looks like he is still unstable. He digged himself back in the sand.

- For 2 days now I kept the fish like this. I just obeserved, I didn't changed the water level, no food, no salt, nothing.

- 3rd day: I raised the water level for 5 cm. Fish is swimming. But it looks like he has his problems with swimming. Seems the injury is in the top back (probably arround the backbone). Now I know how it happened. The clowd is gone. The new AQ has a piece of glass to stabelize the AQ on top. When he was in the new AQ, he probablly wanted to catch something on the surface and jumped against the glass.

- 4th day: Fish is swimming arround still having the injury. I raised the water for 5 cm. No food. No changes. BUT: I see a big worm on the bottom!!! This Point was clear: I went to my wife and asked if she gave him food. Answer: "He didn't eat for so many days, I wanted to give him some food".
I smiled= Good intention <> Bad result.
So typical for AQ.
What to learn??: Not just take care of the AQ, also of the people arround it (Human Error)

After explaining her the situation and asking when she put the worm in (This Important!!!: If the worm is already lying longer inside the water could become bad). 10 Minutes: Ok I just take the worm out.

- 5th day: Fish seems to be better. Already making his rounds in the AQ. I raised the water 5 cm. No changes.

- 6th day: I raised the water to the top. Fish looks fine, swimming arround and reacting fine.

- 7th day: I try some food. I gave him a live mealworm. Woops the worm is away. The fish eats I am happy. I gave him one more. Than I put some Guppies from my Guppyfarm to the AQ.
- in the evening: All Guppies are gone!!!

- 8th day: Everything is fine and I am going back to his diet routine.

I wrote this small protocol for future readers, who have the same problem. Please be careful and observe good. My Aro was injured!!! If it was really a SBP, the Protocol would look different. Also be aware the only person who can observe the best is you in front of the AQ. In the forum you find a lot of help from good and experienced AQ owners, who can give you many views and possibilities.

But you have the best view to observe and decide. And you can see, sometimes a good intention brings a bad result. So observe good than you have a good result.

Thanx Mark

Thanx to everybody for the replies!!

I just want to give an update on the situation.

THE ARO IS FINE!

I just want to give a small observation protocol for future readers of this thread:

- After the the fish had the symptoms, as written above, the fish was in a big fight trying to get himself straight (This cost him a lot of energy).

- I lowered the water level down to "water level +2cm = fish level", when I put him to the old aquarium. I have read in a Thread that I should not lower the water than fish height +2 inch. But I saw his body was turning arround (bottoms up)!!! I took some water out again (water level = fish level). Now he can recover without having stress and beiing stabelized.

- I put an air stone into the AQ

- The fish reacted well, it seems he likes this situation. He choosed the left side of the aquarium and digged himself a bit in the sand. So he was stable now.

- He became calm and is resting. There I saw the fish has a scratch in the back fin. Probably from the fighting before.

- Small assumption: The fish is injured not ill. This means I will not put any salt into the water, also I will not raise the temperature. Probably the water changes would stress him more than it helps (Salt will raise the PH). There are no bacteria to kill.

- Next moring: Fish still lying and resting. I raised the water level (fish height = water level +2cm).

- Now the Fish could swim a bid. He is trying also, but it looks like he is still unstable. He digged himself back in the sand.

- For 2 days now I kept the fish like this. I just obeserved, I didn't changed the water level, no food, no salt, nothing.

- 3rd day: I raised the water level for 5 cm. Fish is swimming. But it looks like he has his problems with swimming. Seems the injury is in the top back (probably arround the backbone). Now I know how it happened. The clowd is gone. The new AQ has a piece of glass to stabelize the AQ on top. When he was in the new AQ, he probablly wanted to catch something on the surface and jumped against the glass.

- 4th day: Fish is swimming arround still having the injury. I raised the water for 5 cm. No food. No changes. BUT: I see a big worm on the bottom!!! This Point was clear: I went to my wife and asked if she gave him food. Answer: "He didn't eat for so many days, I wanted to give him some food".
I smiled= Good intention <> Bad result.
So typical for AQ.
What to learn??: Not just take care of the AQ, also of the people arround it (Human Error)

After explaining her the situation and asking when she put the worm in (This Important!!!: If the worm is already lying longer inside the water could become bad). 10 Minutes: Ok I just take the worm out.

- 5th day: Fish seems to be better. Already making his rounds in the AQ. I raised the water 5 cm. No changes.

- 6th day: I raised the water to the top. Fish looks fine, swimming arround and reacting fine.

- 7th day: I try some food. I gave him a live mealworm. Woops the worm is away. The fish eats I am happy. I gave him one more. Than I put some Guppies from my Guppyfarm to the AQ.
- in the evening: All Guppies are gone!!!

- 8th day: Everything is fine and I am going back to his diet routine.

I wrote this small protocol for future readers, who have the same problem. Please be careful and observe good. My Aro was injured!!! If it was really a SBP, the Protocol would look different. Also be aware the only person who can observe the best is you in front of the AQ. In the forum you find a lot of help from good and experienced AQ owners, who can give you many views and possibilities.

But you have the best view to observe and decide. And you can see, sometimes a good intention brings a bad result. So observe good than you have a good result.

Thanx Mark