randomnick randomnick
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  • Posted on: 15/4/2013 12:18
xipho issue ( im using interpet swimbladder treatment ) #1
hi, my xipho is very sick.

she was swimming slow from few days ( due to probably high nitrate in the tank, so i changed 40% of the water in the tank )

yesterday she started to lose a bit of her color, becoming more white. ( usually its dark red n black )
eyes got swollen, almost outside of her face. She got generally swollen and she wasn't able to swim. she started to rotate on herself and now she's just laying upside down, breathing deep.

i took her out of the tank, i put her in an emergency small tank of about 5 liters, and i used 1/4 milliliter of Interpet swimbladder treatment.

did i do wrong? what should i do? i thought she wouldn't pass the night but now she's still alive and im hoping she can get better. how should i continue to use the medication? i'm lost about how to use it, the instruction are a bit confused. Should i feed her? should i give her peas ( i read they are great for the swimbladder, but she never had some )

please help me
nathangoudie nathangoudie
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Re: xipho issue ( im using interpet swimbladder treatment ) #2
Hi and welcome
A bit more information information would be great!
What fish is she (which specie if you can)

Please give us(Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, kH, gH and temp).

What's the tank volume? (scroll down the page and you will see the volume calculator).

How long have the tank been set up?

What's her size? and are there any other inhabitant in the tank? how many and which fish?


First of all, 5l tank is way too small for any fish (even as a nursery tank). You should try to buy a staple it's much bigger and cheap, many people here use them as emergency tank. Also keep a filter running in where ever she is for oxygen
randomnick randomnick
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  • Posted on: 15/4/2013 13:07
Re: xipho issue ( im using interpet swimbladder treatment ) #3
hi, she is a xiphoporus

Usually she lives in a fishtank of about 80liters with

1 goldfish
1 platy
2 corydora
1 ancystrus
and another xipho

usually the ph is 7,4 and the temperature is about 28? c
I can't do the test right in this moment but i'll do them in few hours.

right now i put the fish in a small tank of just 5liter that i use only when fishes get sick and i have to heal them ( i have 2 tank at home, a 80liter and a 120 liter )

i have an air machine inside the small lil tank but no fliter... what should i do ?

sorry for my english, im from italy
nathangoudie nathangoudie
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  • Posted on: 15/4/2013 18:19
Re: xipho issue ( im using interpet swimbladder treatment ) #4
What do you mean by usually? You switch tank for her???

There're some really bad news here.
First is your ancytrus and gold fish are not suit for that tank, both of these will outgrow your tank and won't live healthy. Check this article out for more information
http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/modules/ ... emid=74&keywords=goldfish. The same applies for other big fish as your ancystrus too.

Secondly there are many type of cory, you have to be more specific which specie is it and corys are shoal-swimmer which means they need to be in group of atleast 6, the more the better.

Moving your fish to a much smaller tank will stress her, the symptons you gave was mainly cause by poor water quality. High ammonia is what usually cause this, we need your full readings to tell what's wrong

Keep in mind that goldfish will eat your xipho, platy and cory when they grow big. re-home the fish and stock correctly is much more important now.
nathangoudie nathangoudie
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Re: xipho issue ( im using interpet swimbladder treatment ) #5
Also are you aware of nitrogen cycle?
http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles ... hless-cycling-article.htm
randomnick randomnick
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  • Posted on: 15/4/2013 19:27
Re: xipho issue ( im using interpet swimbladder treatment ) #6
when i got my first tank they made me put 4 angelfish, 2 goldfish, 2 corydora, 1 ancystrus all in one. then i read about it and i got a bigger tankfish where i moved the angelfishes... i didn't know ancystrus would be too big too for the 80lt tank. thanks

the values as of now are nh3 0, no2 0, no3 50, ph 7.5

i dont usually swap tank, i just called the veterinary and he told me to put the sick fish in an emergency tank, and use swimbladder treat by interpet.

What should i do? continue using it? its from yesterday afternoon that the xipho is laying down upside down, with swollen eyes and hardly breathing. I tought it wouldnt pass the night but she's still alive, suffering :(

do you think she is still alive cause the medicine is working? what to do? i want to do all to save her :(

should i feed her? change again water? i'm lost
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  • Posted on: 15/4/2013 19:49
Re: xipho issue ( im using interpet swimbladder treatment ) #7
Hi there, lets hope FK can help given the time lapse between our countries

By Xipho, I assume you mean what we normally call a swordtail; linky here for you to ID
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/xiphophorus-hellerii

Has the tank only been recently set up? I do wonder if it could be water quality. What test kit are you using, strip tests or a liquid one?

The tank temp concerns me for the goldfish. 28 degrees is much too warm. He could really do with a chiller unit/fan.

Other thoughts that immediately come to mind are:

Tank size - the tank is very small really as Nathan has mentioned for the fish you have. Fancy goldfish need 145 litres for one fish, larger if you want to accommodate a buddy. They are cooler water fish. 120 litres lends itself to some trop stocking well.

Tank mates - most here in the UK would not add other fish to a goldfish tank. From an aesthetic point of view the others are warmer water (trop) and need generally higher temps than the goldfish.

We have had posts here too where goldfish have tried to eat other smaller fish - one with a cory which was absolutely awful as the fish got embedded for days in the goldfishes mouth due to it's spines. Goldfish are therefore generally kept to species only tanks.

Water Hardness and pH - not all fish suit the same type of water. Some need quite soft and acidic water to thrive such as your plec and cory. Others need harder, more alkaline water i.e. the swordtail, platy and goldfish.

Do you know your tank water pH and GH at all?

Your stocking ratios seem a little out. Whilst this wouldn't cause death per se, it will cause stress which can cause a fish to become ill over time. The Cory for example are shoaling so should be in a group of at least 6, the platy and swordtail are livebairers and ideally need a stocking ratio of 1M:2F to avoid the ladies getting harassed to death.

Apologies, quite a bit to take on board but I hope this helps. Personally I wouldn't be adding meds until tank water quality, pH and GH issues can be ruled out. Daily water changes in the interim will do no harm.

Swimbladder is not a disease but a symptom of many types of illness and the above need to be addressed to see if any of these issues are triggering the illness really.
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randomnick randomnick
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  • Posted on: 15/4/2013 20:12
Re: xipho issue ( im using interpet swimbladder treatment ) #8
the values as of now are nh3 0, no2 0, no3 50, ph 7.5
Violet Violet
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Re: xipho issue ( im using interpet swimbladder treatment ) #9
Yes, I saw those, thank you

Any chance you can give us the low down on the other questions raised? The more info the better really.
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