Illness/Sickness: Lottle doing 'handstands'

Hi everyone, my dearest 'Mr Lottle' who is 7 is having some issues. He has had a reduced appetite and his caudal half floats up so he looks like he is doing handstands if that makes sense - may just be floating with his front half being heavier as he is spending more time at the top of the tank. He and his partner were happy and healthy until a few months ago when I had access to a rainwater tank and thought that would be better than tap water + dechlorinator. He then contacted what looked like columnaris, wouldn't eat, was lethargic, lost weight etc. He is in a tank with an under gravel filter, two bubblers and one younger female. They were happy and prolific egg producers until a few months ago. The female has lost all her fluffy gills, just has the stumps he is similar but not as bad. Substrate = large gravel. I suspect that because we have them in the lounge along with our woodburner that over winter they may have gotten too warm. I have increased water changes, stripped down the tank and done a total water change - adding 'cycle', and a declorinator + aloe conditioner, plus conditioning salts as recommended by the local aquarium place. I did salt-water baths (2 tsp/L) when the columnaris was an issue but didn't like to do it twice a day for three days as they didn't seem to like it (10 mins). Perhaps I should persevere. This is kinda frustrating as I have to admit they've thrived for years on 'sheer neglect' and now intervention doesn't make much difference. They are both eating, but the female often spits out her food after taking it. From reading other posts I'm guessing that at this point I should be putting them in the fridge for three weeks , so I'll get on to that, but any other thoughts would be welcome.

Cheers
Kevanne

Now that I've read around the site a bit more I'm thinking - move lottles to the fridge. Strip down tank or replace it and have either a bare floor or some nice looking tiles and some perching objects and plants and one of those filters with the foam in them etc as a good start. Reg water chnages + cycle etc. Any other thoughts welcome.

Do you test your water regularly? When you strip the tank it will need to fully cycle again, i dont think adding products that are supposed to help cycle the tank actually work. Your better off cycling it properly over a matter of weeks. I would't strip the tank again as it will have started cycling and you'll be stopping that and starting again. What are your current water parameters? Mel

It sounds like you're on the right track with your new ideas.

Melfly is right, most of the 'cycle' products are a waste of your money. I would remove the undergravel filters; they just trap waste.