Phlipper
Mon Jul 31, 2006, 10:57 PM
Hi all, just completed a little experiment with one of my sick Angels that was a great success, and thinking it may also work on Discus if the need arises ???
One of my breeding stock of Smokey Angels developed a bad case of swim bladder disorder, likely caused through a sudden temperature change and thermal shock ? For several days it could not swim properly, mostly upsidedown or lying on the tank botton on it's side, tried various medications to no avail. A long time ago I remember seeing an article on a vet attatching a float to the dorsal fin of a Goldfish to counteract a swim bladder diosorder, a stabilising device.............so I figured what have I got to lose, the fish would die as it was so I gave it a try 8-)
Removed the fish and placed onto a warm, wet towel and using a small piece of polystyrene as a float, a length of fishing line and a plastic paper clip and attatched it to the dorsal fin of the fish, a fiddly procedure. Placed the fish into a smaller 25 litre tank with just enough water so the fish could feed off the bottom when the line was stretched tight. To my delight the fish immediately swam semi-normaly and didn't seem to stressed by it all 8-)
After 2 days it was eating normally and seemed OK, so I removed the float and attatchments briefly, it immediately lost it's balance and floundered again, so I replaced the stabilising float assembly again. I left it all in place for a full week before removing the float again, and to my delight it is cured, swimming normally and eating ravenously :P :thumb
It's been 2 weeks now and the fish is back to normal, with the exception of a little damage to the dorsal fin rays, but nothing a little salt and Melafix cant remedy. So there you have it, desperate situations sometimes require desperate measures, and I'm sure this may work on a variety of fishes should this problem occur, particualrly deep bodied fishes like Angels and Discus.................pictures follow 8-)
One of my breeding stock of Smokey Angels developed a bad case of swim bladder disorder, likely caused through a sudden temperature change and thermal shock ? For several days it could not swim properly, mostly upsidedown or lying on the tank botton on it's side, tried various medications to no avail. A long time ago I remember seeing an article on a vet attatching a float to the dorsal fin of a Goldfish to counteract a swim bladder diosorder, a stabilising device.............so I figured what have I got to lose, the fish would die as it was so I gave it a try 8-)
Removed the fish and placed onto a warm, wet towel and using a small piece of polystyrene as a float, a length of fishing line and a plastic paper clip and attatched it to the dorsal fin of the fish, a fiddly procedure. Placed the fish into a smaller 25 litre tank with just enough water so the fish could feed off the bottom when the line was stretched tight. To my delight the fish immediately swam semi-normaly and didn't seem to stressed by it all 8-)
After 2 days it was eating normally and seemed OK, so I removed the float and attatchments briefly, it immediately lost it's balance and floundered again, so I replaced the stabilising float assembly again. I left it all in place for a full week before removing the float again, and to my delight it is cured, swimming normally and eating ravenously :P :thumb
It's been 2 weeks now and the fish is back to normal, with the exception of a little damage to the dorsal fin rays, but nothing a little salt and Melafix cant remedy. So there you have it, desperate situations sometimes require desperate measures, and I'm sure this may work on a variety of fishes should this problem occur, particualrly deep bodied fishes like Angels and Discus.................pictures follow 8-)