# Fire Eel behaving very oddly. Is he sick?



## SonicNonsense (Dec 23, 2010)

Hi all, 

I've had my Fire Eel for a few months now, and he's the best fish I've ever owned, but he seems sick now. 

He used to spend all his time in his little cave, but now he's spending all his time vertically in the corner of the tank fairly immobile, just hanging there. 

He responds to food and if I move my finger around on the glass next to him.

I've had a couple of other fish die last week due to apparent floatation problems and I was wondering if it's related. 

Any ideas please, I really really don't want to lose him!

Jason


----------



## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

I'm not an eel expert but by the sound of it, it sounds as if some parameters may be off. Have you done any water tests?


----------



## SonicNonsense (Dec 23, 2010)

Thanks for that. I'm going to do one tonight. I'm colour-blind and can't read the colours well enough, so will have to wait for my girlfriend to get home!


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Any other physical signs that could be showing? Did the other fish that died show any physical signs that may have been out of the ordinary, like ich, fungus, etc?


----------



## SonicNonsense (Dec 23, 2010)

Nope, they all looked fine, just started floating around strangely, then went to the big aquarium in the sky. 

The Eel looks physically fine. Nothing on his skin/scales, breathing normally, fins not clamped. The only thing I've noticed is that his mouth is open, but he's not gasping...


----------



## SonicNonsense (Dec 23, 2010)

Hi all,

Just tested the water and everything's within normal parameters...

I think I might try some aquarium salt tomorrow. See if that helps. 

J


----------



## SonicNonsense (Dec 23, 2010)

Update time!

He's still sick. Getting worse I think. 

I put in aquarium salt as per the instructions on the box. 

I also took a flier on it being bacterial swim bladder infection and have treated for that. It's a course of 4 doses at 4 day intervals, so I've only been able to put the first dose in.

Meantime, I've lost 3 denison barb (red line torpedo barb). They're gradually going more and more vertical (always with their tails pointing upwards) until they eventually die. That was what made me think swim bladder. 

Now, the eel is gasping badly. He's not going to the surface for air, just hanging vertically (head pointing upwards) and resting on a piece of bogwood. 

HELP!


----------



## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Sorry to hear that, it doesn't sound good for your eel. Can you tell us more about your aquarium. Gallons, other fish, your water changes? Are you using test strips or the liquid type test kit? Did you test for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?


----------



## SonicNonsense (Dec 23, 2010)

snail said:


> Sorry to hear that, it doesn't sound good for your eel. Can you tell us more about your aquarium. Gallons, other fish, your water changes? Are you using test strips or the liquid type test kit? Did you test for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?


Thanks Snail. It does sound pretty grim!

The aquarium is about 450 litres. Other fish are various tetra, opaline gourami, rosy barbs, red line torpero barbs, common plec, bristlenose plec, clown plec, clown loach. Water changes are about once a week to once a fortnight. about 20% at a time. 

I'm using a liquid type test kit with the soluble tablet things. Tested for all the three you mention, all were normal. ARGH!


----------



## SonicNonsense (Dec 23, 2010)

I think it might be nearly curtains now. This morning he was floating at the surface... Not gasping quite as badly I don't think, but I've not seen him actually at the surface before...


----------



## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

sorry to hear that.


----------

