HELP! SUDDEN DOJO DISASTER!

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Dojosmama
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:37 pm

HELP! SUDDEN DOJO DISASTER!

Post by Dojosmama » Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:06 pm

All three dojos were fine up until about 20 minutes ago. Then I found one of them scooting on his back along the substrate, unable to right himself. He was breathing laborously. I now have him in a bucket of tank water with an airstone, and I have treated with a half-dose of Melafix and a half-dose of Pimafix, which I was told would be safe for scaleless fish like loaches.

He had been opening his mouth wide and laborously, but now doesn't seem to be doing that, anymore. He is still moving around inside the bucket, but mainly he just lays on his side and back. When he does right himself, he can't stay upright.

His underside, which is normally whitish, has turned pinkish, and the dark grayish streak behind his gill which may be a part of his normal marking has also taken on a pinkish tinge.

He seems to have developed a bit of extra slime on his coat.

I just cleaned my filter yesterday, and when I tested the parameters a couple hours ago, they were all fine.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 7 ppm

Is it possible he could have swallowed something he shouldn't? I did feed pieces of an O'Nip tablet a short while ago, and uncharacteristically for him, he stayed by himself in the rear corner of the tank and largely ignored it! Not at all his normal behavior!

What is going on, here? Has anyone else experienced this with their Dojos?

As far as I can tell, all other tank occupants are perfectly healthy.

-- Dojosmama

Dojosmama
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:37 pm

Re: HELP! SUDDEN DOJO DISASTER!

Post by Dojosmama » Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:08 pm

One more detail:

When I gently netted him out, I inspected him and he doesn't appear to have any wounds on him or any fin damage. No sign of fin rot, at all.

-- Dojosmama

Dojosmama
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:37 pm

Re: HELP! SUDDEN DOJO DISASTER!

Post by Dojosmama » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:56 am

ANYONE ?????

EmilyMarie85
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 12:22 pm
Location: Boise, ID USA

Re: HELP! SUDDEN DOJO DISASTER!

Post by EmilyMarie85 » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:41 pm

Well - I have never kept Dojo's -- but I keep clowns...
That being said, when you say "can't right himself" -- swim bladder issue comes to mind.

Dojosmama
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:37 pm

Re: HELP! SUDDEN DOJO DISASTER!

Post by Dojosmama » Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:34 pm

To mine, too. But, I'm trying to figure out what caused it. My water quality for these well-loved pets has always been excellent. My tank is disease-free, as far as I can tell. None of the fish, including the dojos, show any sign or symptom of any kind of infection. Yet, this one started scooting upside down along the gravel, and was struggling to right himself, as well as struggling to breathe.

A couple of possibilities come to mind, and I am wondering if anyone else keeping dojos has encountered the same situation.

I know that dojos stress easily. I try to keep conditions such as subdued lighting and hiding places for them to feel more secure within their environment. I provide soft beds of floating plants which they seem to enjoy resting in.

I do have do routine maintenance on the tank to keep their water quality good. That means vacuuming the substrate at least once a month. This does stress them out, and I am wondering if this poor little guy got over-stressed and may have suffered a stroke or heart attack?

From what I observed, it almost appeared to be a partial paralysis.

The only other thing I can think of is maybe he swallowed a small piece of gravel and couldn't pass it.

It's also possible he might have brushed against something in the tank that left a tiny abrasion on his skin that is too small for me to see upon inspection, but which might have become infected. If that had happened, though, wouldn't I be seeing some sort of obvious blemish on his body as the infecting bacteria or fungus continues to grow? His body is clear, except for a little extra slime secreted.

I'm just trying to figure out what so suddenly made him sick when he had been completely healthy until yesterday.

Perhaps the dojo experts can weigh in? Sure would appreciate it. Thanks.

-- Dojosmama

Dojosmama
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:37 pm

Re: HELP! SUDDEN DOJO DISASTER!

Post by Dojosmama » Mon Apr 04, 2011 3:29 pm

Here is an update:

He seems to have made a total recovery! Good news!

He is swimming upright and completely normally, and has been for hours. His color is a little pale, but other than that, he seems fine.

I have transferred him back into the main tank.

Now, as for the cause -- I am thinking epileptic seizure. Can dojos have these?

Anyone else experience this with their dojos?

-- Dojosmama

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ahmandi2
Posts: 221
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Location: Northeast Pennsylvania

Re: HELP! SUDDEN DOJO DISASTER!

Post by ahmandi2 » Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:05 pm

Dojosmama,
I had something similar a few months back with Fatso, our original golden dojo. She had what appeared to be complete paralyses, only her head was able to move. She was bent like a lazy L.
She lasted like that for a couple of weeks! I wanted to put her down, but from asking others' on the site, realized that sometimes miracles do happen, and let her coast on her own. We had to keep her in a trap, otherwise, she would attempt to move around (by using her HEAD to drag her body along the substrate), to keep her still.
Well.
She's still bent. But she is FINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Totally awesome, healthy, and very flirty as usual. She's good.
But...no idea what happened to her. I think it might have been a stroke, as you mentioned.
"I'm not *THAT* kind of hunter"

Dojosmama
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:37 pm

Re: HELP! SUDDEN DOJO DISASTER!

Post by Dojosmama » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:52 am

More good news -- little dojo has colored right back up and his normal markings have returned. He is swimming around as though nothing ever happened.

I'm keeping a close eye on him, though. Apparantly, this was just a temporary swim bladder issue, but I'm not sure what caused it.

Had this been a seizure, it probably would have been much more serious with less chance of a full recovery.

Little fishies are already getting good care, now they'll get even better!

Algae pellets await -- just softening up in water, first!

-- Dojosmama

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