Floaty Hef is Floaty

[LisaCGold 1,691]

You'll want to quarantine the duckweed for at least 5-7 days or longer, changing water daily. I grow my duckweed in my shrimp tank. At each water change, I take out some duckweed and quarantine it before putting it into my goldfish tank. Within an hour in the fish tank the duckweed is all gone.

 

Duckweed is easily grown. You can put it into a container with water from a water change of your fish tank. Give it some light, but not too bright, and over time it will multiply relatively quickly.

[shakaho 6,313]

While "better safe than sorry" makes a good rule, I think you might be able to feed your duckweed without a prolonged quarantine.

 

I suggest you ask the seller if the duckweed was grown with fish.  If not, I don't see it needs a quarantine.  I just scoop the duckweed from the container into some used tank water, swish it around, then scoop it into a second container of tank water.  Parasites and pathogens do not multiply outside of a host, so are unlikely to be in the duckweed water.  

 

Even  if there were fish in the duckweed pond, huge dilutions like this will decrease any disease organisms that might be in the water to insignificant numbers.

[amoonklein 1,212]

You'll want to quarantine the duckweed for at least 5-7 days or longer, changing water daily. I grow my duckweed in my shrimp tank. At each water change, I take out some duckweed and quarantine it before putting it into my goldfish tank. Within an hour in the fish tank the duckweed is all gone.

 

Duckweed is easily grown. You can put it into a container with water from a water change of your fish tank. Give it some light, but not too bright, and over time it will multiply relatively quickly.

 

While "better safe than sorry" makes a good rule, I think you might be able to feed your duckweed without a prolonged quarantine.

 

I suggest you ask the seller if the duckweed was grown with fish.  If not, I don't see it needs a quarantine.  I just scoop the duckweed from the container into some used tank water, swish it around, then scoop it into a second container of tank water.  Parasites and pathogens do not multiply outside of a host, so are unlikely to be in the duckweed water.  

 

Even  if there were fish in the duckweed pond, huge dilutions like this will decrease any disease organisms that might be in the water to insignificant numbers.

 

Thanks ladies.  I sent a message to the seller just in case  

 

When it arrives, I'll make sure to give it some good swishies in tank water.  I'm looking forward to growing it so I can have a constant supply of deliciousness for the goldies.

[amoonklein 1,212]

The seller responded very quickly and indicated the duckweed wasn't grown with any fish or invertebrates. Just plants and water.

Also! The package arrived today! It wasn't supposed to get here until Thursday as it was shipping from Florida, so this was definitely a pleasant surprise I also received more than I ordered. Wahoo!

I've already put it in a separate bowl of tank water and then took a tiny bit, swished it again in some more tank water then added that little bit to Hef's QT. He seems to like it

[koko 14,384]

[amoonklein 1,212]

Well... Hef flew through a week easy peesy in his QT tub, nomming on duckweed.  His poop looked pretty great the whole time too:

 

 

Towards the end, he was getting a bit mopey and I could tell he was missing the 75.  On day 8, I moved him back in with his buddies and boy did he perk back up:

 

 

He still seems to be doing well.  Everyone in the 75 noshed on duckweed for the rest of the day and yesterday evening they all had blanched spinach.

 

Even though Hef's situation wasn't dire and he technically wasn't ill, I can't thank you guys enough for your help, encouragement, and advice... especially since you've been very busy helping members with their sick goldies.

 

Much love and appreciation from me, Hef, and the rest of the crew!

[LisaCGold 1,691]

Happy Hef!! Everyone looks so happy!

[mysterygirl 2,031]

So good to hear!

Keep us posted with any further updates.

[amoonklein 1,212]

Happy Hef!! Everyone looks so happy!

Thanks  It's nice that they are all together again.

 

 

So good to hear!

Keep us posted with any further updates.

Thank you  Hopefully I will only have happy updates that include photobombs and random videos ;D

[mjfromga 1,785]

Glad to see he's doing so well! Whoo hoo!

[amoonklein 1,212]

Hey guys. 

 

This past week has been a bit hectic... After I got Hef settled back in the main tank, the hubby and I were out of town from the 18th-20th.  My mom kept an eye on the fish for me while we were gone (she was my fry nanny and did a great job).  I used the days we were away as fasting days for the main tank. 

 

When we got back, floaty Hef was still floaty.  I gave them duckweed, blanched spinach, and veggie delight off and on with fasting days in between, but that hasn't seemed to help much.

 

I'm starting to get a bit worried about Hef.  His dorsal is flat and he's clamping his pectoral fins off and on... a few times, I've seen him shudder for a few seconds too.   He definitely has an appetite, but has trouble getting his food and seems weak overall.  He is at the top of the tank in a corner (where there is the least amount of current) and just rests there.

 

The other water goobers have been acting a bit off as well... Hugo bottom sat one night and keeps swimming into the tank wall over and over again.  Studly's poo has been stringy, thin, and long.  Ralph was bottom sitting off and on for a few nights and her poo is a little stringy (with an occasional air bubble in it) too.

 

The only change to the tank was the addition of marimo balls.  The same day I put Hef back into the main tank, I added several marimo balls too.  I had already done a 3 minute bleach dip (19 parts water to 1 part bleach) on the marimo balls and squeezed them during the dip.  After that, I put them into a separate container with tank water and 0.1% salt and let them sit.  I added them to the main tank a few days after that.  They only made it about 3 days before I took them out of the tank... 2 of them had started coming apart and making a mess so I removed them before we went out of town since I couldn't keep an eye on things.

 

I took two videos last night to try to get some of their activities on camera... hope some of this is helpful:

 

 

 

On the plus side, I can really see them now! I finally was able to replace the broken light with a functional one.  My what a difference it makes.

 

Side note, I picked up a nasty cold while we were gone and have been useless around the house until this weekend... needless to say, water changes and attentiveness to the fishies had been lacking.

 

Water results are about the same (these were taken yesterday):

8     PH

0     Ammonia

0     Nitrites

10+ Nitrates

73   Temp

 

I did a 90% water change, scrubbed the tank walls and tank bottom, and cleaned 1 of the canisters (I usually clean both).

 

I'm not sure what I should do for them or if I'm being paranoid.   I do have medications on hand if they are needed... a random assortment (salt, prazi, metro powder, kanaplex, doxycycline powder, nitro green powder, acriflavine, triple sulfa, antiprotozoan flakes)

 

Any comments and/or suggestions are most appreciated.

[mjfromga 1,785]

Certainly not paranoid. Hef does look pretty bad now. Hopefully a mod will be able to offer some advice.

[LisaCGold 1,691]

I've reported this to the mods. Stay tuned...

[amoonklein 1,212]

Thanks a bunch for the quick reply and also for the report.

Much love and appreciation!

[Arctic Mama 3,652]

Okay, thanks for the update. Unless you're seeing symptoms in other fish this should be managed in a hospital tank, if Hef hasn't been moved already.

First, slowly raise fhe temperature to 78 degrees, and increase salinity to .3% so we can get that slime coat sloughed off. If you see more clamping or blanched color you may want to lower the salt slightly. Some fish are sensitive but it will be helpful if we are dealing with a parasite.

Coupled with those treatments, we need impeccable water quality and a full two week course of metronidazole. Continue feeding soft foods. Any questions?

[amoonklein 1,212]

Okay, thanks for the update. Unless you're seeing symptoms in other fish this should be managed in a hospital tank, if Hef hasn't been moved already.

First, slowly raise fhe temperature to 78 degrees, and increase salinity to .3% so we can get that slime coat sloughed off. If you see more clamping or blanched color you may want to lower the salt slightly. Some fish are sensitive but it will be helpful if we are dealing with a parasite.

Coupled with those treatments, we need impeccable water quality and a full two week course of metronidazole. Continue feeding soft foods. Any questions?

Thanks, Taryl

 

The others aren't floating or listless and I've only really seen some stringy poo with occasional bottom sitting... probably not enough symptoms to warrant a whole tank treatment.  I will just keep an eye on them for now

 

I haven't moved Hef to a hospital tank yet, but as soon as I get home from work today, it will be the first thing I do.  I still have that 40QT tub on hand, so he can hang out in there.  I will need to go get a small heater and some airline tubing so I can get his QT warm and toasty and will start adding salt in .1% increments until he's at .3%.  I think he will handle the salt pretty well as went through his initial QT at that level and seemed OK.

 

Should I start the metro powder this evening as well, or wait until he's at .3% salt?

 

Thanks again!! 

[Arctic Mama 3,652]

Begin the metro right away.

[amoonklein 1,212]

Begin the metro right away.

Will do  

[amoonklein 1,212]

Hef is in his QT right now.... the temp is sitting at 73 degrees and slowly climbing.  He is in 0.1% salt now and I will raise it to 0.2% in the morning.

 

I'm getting ready to add the metro powder, but the instructions say to add 1-2 measures (each about 100mg).  Should I add 1 scoop or 2 scoops?

[Arctic Mama 3,652]

I default to two, pretty much always

[amoonklein 1,212]

I default to two, pretty much always

OK great.  Adding now!

[amoonklein 1,212]

So Mr. Heffer is plugging along.  Last night I did a 100% water change, re-added metro, re-added salt for a 0.2% concentration.  Tonight he gets brought up to 0.3%.  

 

The heater I got doesn't seem to be heating the water very well and is making me cranky.  I got it specifically for his hospital tank (Tetra 50W heater auto set to 78 degrees).  It only made it to a little over 75 before it decided that was enough heat and turned off.  Boo!  I ended up moving it to the 10 gallon tank with the smallest fry and took the Eheim heater from their tank and moved it to Hef's hospital tank.  It's also set to 78 degrees, but when I woke up this morning, Hef's tank was at 71.2.  I cranked the dial a little and will check it when I get home from work tonight.  Hopefully, the temp will be closer to 78 instead of moving the wrong direction.

 

He still has a great appetite and is eating up the duckweed I put in there like it's candy.  His dorsal is still down and he's still off, but I think he's more mobile in his QT than he was in the main tank, so hooray progress!

[Arctic Mama 3,652]

You may find adding a second small heater (like a 25 watt) to work well to keep it more stable, or one with a better sensor. Put the heater in a high flow area, like across from the filter return, and it will also help keep it warmer by keeping 'fresh' water against the heater instead of letting it sit in a warm spot and turn off before the temp is uniformly warm across the tank.

Edited March 30, 2016 by Arctic Mama

[mjfromga 1,785]

My heater seems to malfunction at shallow water depths. It heats wonderfully when my 20 gallon tank was full, but when I drained it to half for Slate, the water WAYYY heated too warm and it could have cooked my Boo Boo! I just had to remove it.

[amoonklein 1,212]

Hello 

 

I've been a bit absent from kokos, but I figured no news was good news?!

 

Hef officially hit his 14th day of Metro (as of last night) and will be finishing that day this evening.   He is on his 12th day of 0.3% salt and has been at a steady 79 degrees (this is as close as my heater could get to 78).

 

Things seem to be about the same?  He has a great appetite and his poops are looking pretty good too.  I took a few videos on the 7th to show his progress and how he is doing overall:

 

 

 

He has received daily 100% water changes with the exception of a few days throughout his QT where I missed a day.  On the days I missed, I checked his water and the ammonia was between 0.5-1ppm, but he did have Prime in QT which helped.  <-- I still felt bad

 

Curious as to what you think my next steps should be for Mr. Heffer.

 

Thank you