Concerned. behaving oddly.

[Claire24]

Hey, Wondering if anyone has any advice, my axi Pancho has not been eating for a week now. He is still a good size, and doesnt appear to have lost much weight, but he is hiding alot. He was semi floating with his butt in the air, and I fridged him over night believing he just hadn't passing waste and had wind, and it would help. He floated a little still afterwards but had little problem getting down onto all 4 feet on the bottom. Now he is hiding in a corner and is upright, facing the surface in one of the two hides he has. He usually rested horizontally in the other hide. Last week his water temps did spike for two days and i did a very large water change, but all the perameters were ok, and still are i have checked. the temp is holding at a steady 19-20 c with the warm weather. I just wondered is it normal for them to hide like that, and not eat. I feed him earthworms I buy from a bait shop. He usually gobbles them up, but he has shown no interest in feeding, and the last one he did eat, he spat back up and not eaten anything since. I havent noticed any faeces in his tank. Should I fridge him again? He was REALLY not happy last time I did it.

 

[Claire24]

A few pics so you can see Pancho's space. The one is from 5 days ago when he had his rear in the air, he could get down onto his feet if he wanted to. The others are new and show him hiding in the corner hide.

(pics broken, will add asap)

Best i can manage right now sorry

 

[Claire24]

There seems to be a narrowing of the waist, and a slight bulge in Pancho's belly. he is concerning me more now. The water is testing fine in the normal perameters, the temperature is good at 17c. I'm waiting for the fridge to get to the right temperature and going to fridge him, but i am very concerned now. He hasnt eaten in over a week.

 

[Caesar]

There seems to be a narrowing of the waist, and a slight bulge in Pancho's belly. he is concerning me more now. The water is testing fine in the normal perameters, the temperature is good at 17c. I'm waiting for the fridge to get to the right temperature and going to fridge him, but i am very concerned now. He hasnt eaten in over a week.

Is it possible he could've swallowed a rock in your tank? If he hasn't eaten and his size is still consistent there might be a rock inside him.

 

[Claire24]

None of the rocks are small enough for him to eat. They are all large pebbles bigger than his head. I had him in the fridge for 24 hours. Just came home from work and checked him straight away. The temp on the thermometer in a glass of water next to him said 7c. He was in water enough to cover him so his feet were on the he floor. I found him floating sideways. There seems to be a bulge on his right side where yesterday it was central and he is floating right side down. His back legs not moving much. His gills flushed a bright red amd longer than I have ever seen them before. His tail I could see red veins. He was moving and active. I quickly changed him into a second container of fresh water and he is moving around it. I'm very worried now.

 

[Donna001]

Please could you post some more pictures.
I hope that one of the more experienced keepers can offer some advice, but in the mean time have you considered contacting a specialist vet? Just to be on the safe side.

 

[Caesar]

None of the rocks are small enough for him to eat. They are all large pebbles bigger than his head. I had him in the fridge for 24 hours. Just came home from work and checked him straight away. The temp on the thermometer in a glass of water next to him said 7c. He was in water enough to cover him so his feet were on the he floor. I found him floating sideways. There seems to be a bulge on his right side where yesterday it was central and he is floating right side down. His back legs not moving much. His gills flushed a bright red amd longer than I have ever seen them before. His tail I could see red veins. He was moving and active. I quickly changed him into a second container of fresh water and he is moving around it. I'm very worried now.

Did you leave holes/a towel on the top of the container? If it was completely sealed that may be why his gills are so long, they're trying to get more oxygen. I am not sure why he is bloated like that, perhaps he swallowed a bunch of air. Sorry, I can't be of much help

 

[Claire24]

After 10 minutes in fresh water he had stopped floating and looked better. I just woke and checked him he isn't bloated. It's more of a bulge. Which had gone. I was hopeful and tried to feed him a worm but he snapped at the tip and refused it again. Trying to add pics

 

[Claire24]

 

[Claire24]

Did you leave holes/a towel on the top of the container? If it was completely sealed that may be why his gills are so long, they're trying to get more oxygen. I am not sure why he is bloated like that, perhaps he swallowed a bunch of air. Sorry, I can't be of much help

A towel was loose around him and the lid was very loose.

 

[Claire24]

He is back in his tank today. Still hasn't eaten or passed waste and he's hiding in his upright hidey facing the water surface again.

 

[Donna001]

These fellas can go quite some time without eating, so that's not too much to worry about. I'm afraid I can't suggest any reason for the bulge on his side, so hopefully one of the more experienced keepers will be able to give you some advice.

 

[Claire24]

He won't come out of the one corner..He did earlier and had terrible trouble trying to get his feet on the bottom. He is again upright facing the surface inside an upright hide that looks like a tree root.