Sick Red Devil

Hello,

I have a 5+ year old red devil that I have had in the same 55 gallon tank by himself for the last 3 years. Recently he started acting funny swimming vertically and lying upright in the bottom corner of the tank for long periods of time. After several days of this behavior and a talk with the local pet store we treated with kanoplex. I did the 3 recommended doses, and a water change, nd he appeared to be getting better. However after a few more days the behavior returned and got worse. He swims up side down, and bumps into stuff all over the tank, and lies sideways at the top of the tank. The LFS recommended another round of treatment, but this time the kanoplex did not seem to have any effect. The store thought it might be a swim bladder infection and said the fish could continue to swim erratically, but could live on for

a year or more. I have been doing water changes on a monthly basis for the last 5 years, and nitrates nitrites, ammonia, PH, temperature, and alkalinity test great. I hate to see my fish in this condition. He is not eating much if anything. At the last visit to the fish store they recommended a kanoplex and focus with krill mix to ensure the fish is absorbing the antibiotic. I have not done this yet, because the fish is not eating the untreated krill. I got a little desperate tonight, and put him in a new 10 gallon tank just in case there is something going wrong in the other tank that the test are not picking up. There has been no change in his behavior.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

How old is your nitrAte test kit (?) - I would retest with a newer kit, then I would do 20% water changes and gravel vacs for the next 3 or 4 days. Second guess would be constipation, add one teaspoon per 5 gals.of Epsom Salts - it's a great purgative and won't harm the fish if it isn't constipation. Third guess would be swim-bladder disease or a bacterial infection, both treated with TMP Sulfa or Sulfa 4 TMP. Last, check for Hexamita or Hole-in-the-head. Start those water changes right away.......... Frank

I have had the water tested at the fish store, and they said everything was fine with the water also. I have been doing lots of water changes, and for the past 48 hours he has been laying sideways at the surface of the tank. I am afraid it is too late because he will not eat, and I don't know what else to do.

What did they test for? An unplanted tank that has been set up and going for that long (3+ years), even with one fish in 55 gals. of water and doing one water change a month (unless your changing 50% or more), would at least have high levels of nitrAtes and DOCs. A fish that stays in one place on the bottom for long periods of time, and swims up and down when it does swim, are typical symptoms of high nitrAtes. And, a tank with high nitrAtes most likely has high levels of DOCs........