Arched Back

[lee]

G'day. I went away for a few days. Before going away, El Guapo wouldn't eat. When I got back he still wouldn't eat. Then I noticed blood coming out of one of his gill slits. Today I noticed that his back is quite arched. The blood, well, it was like a clot thing and I was able to remove it from his slit. He's still not eating. What's with the arched back? I always read about people putting their Axie in the fridge during times of illness, but I don't know the requirements (apart from a fridge!) to do this. My poor El Guapo, have I inadvertantly just about killed him?
Please help...

 

[kapo]

Putting him in the fridge:

Only put in the fridge if your fridge temp is 5deg cel. or above. (If unsure of temp, put a thermometer in a glass of water and put in the fridge. Check in about a 1/2 hour to see what the temp. is)

You need 2 containers with lids of dechlorinated water (icecream containers shud work) enuf to cover his top fin but allow him to rest his feet on bottom. (no need for holes in lid, colder water has more oxygen - lid is so he doesn't freak out with light and jump out)

Put El Guapo in one container and wrap with a teatowel (to stop temp/light fluctuations as the fridge door opens/closes.)
Put other container in fridge too so it chills as well. You need to do complete daily waterchanges at the same temp. The next day just put El Guapo into this one and empty and rinse the other and fill with dechlorinated water - place it back in the fridge. Repeat each day.

El Guapo may not feed while in the fridge and may vomit or poo whatever is in his gut/intestine as the cold slows his metabolism down (anything left in the gut would rot).


Have you checked your tank parameters - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? And what is the tank temperature? How often do you usually feed him?

 

[lee]

Thanks for explaining the fridge procedure to me...

I used to feed El Guapo every second day. I think it's been about 2 weeks since he's last eaten. How long before an axie starves to death? I can't believe my El Guapo has an eating disorder...!

I also noticed today, when I was trying to force feed him, that he has a white lump on one of his hind legs, right up the top, near the 'hip' joint.

His water temp is good, but I haven't checked his parameters yet. He's usually such a piggy, and nothing about his tank has changed.

 

[lee]

Well, I eventually tested the tank parameters and they were fine. I gave him a couple of salt baths. He had developed blood spots on his tail and I noticed some blood near/on his gills. And last night El Guapo passed on

 

[sarah]

awwwwww rip EL Guapo