Sneakers(S. longiventralis) looking sick...

[botiaboy]

I'm worried about my sinibotia longiventralis, who has not been acting himself lately. He is breathing very heavily and has 2 small red sores on his caudal fin. He also is not eating and is not as active. When I walk by, he does not dart off lickety-split the way he ussually does. What could be wrong? He is in a well areated 26 g tank with a fluval 204 filter. He lives with 4 tetras, 1 cory, 2 bristlenose pl,ecos, 2 rainbowfish, 3 UDCs,3 hatchetfish,and a florida flagfish. please help as I do not want to lose him.
Edit: I just read a post stating that good aeration is a must for sinibotia...I recently switched the pump on my 26 gallon with the one on the tank downstairs...I switched from a profile 2900 to a 1000...Could that make a difference?I'm switching them back to see if that helps.

[Mad Duff]

You would probably be better off trying to get a photo of the sores to ease diagnosis.

If you have reduced the size of your filter you will also have reduced the flow in the tank and the levels of oxygen in the water to a degree so that could be partly to blame for the change in behaviour.

You are doing the right thing changing back to see if there is any change.

[botiaboy]

I Dont have a camera so i cant get a pic, but When I said pump i meant aerator not filter. Odd thing is, when i put the supposedly stronger pump on the output seemed weaker than the supposedly stronger one...Hes really scaring me-now hes swimming sideways very eratically...Maybe ammonia poisoning?The tank has been running for 3 years though, never had any problems...

[Mad Duff]

Sorry my mistake

I would be tempted to go back to the other pump and carry out a couple of decent water changes as soon as possible.

[botiaboy]

My mom did a 40%yesterday(I was at school)

[botiaboy]

definately not ammonia,just tested, absolutely nothing.

[botiaboy]

Anyone else have any idea what it might be? Ive only had him for a year, and i really don't want to lose him. I havent seen anything like him around here,and hes a special little guy.

[mickthefish]

it's a long shot but when you clean the tank do you syphon the gravel as well,
i have a lot of cory's , if i'm a bit idle and don't clean the base i start to get trouble with the cory's but mainly on the anal fin.
so i'd give the gravel a good disturbance and then syphon the waste then do another water change.

mick