General tonic advice

[CattyV]

@plankton salt bath number one in progress now they’ve arrived. I’m hoping they perk her up

[CattyV]

Ok well it’s been about an hour since putting the honey back in the tank. She appears perkier but is also taking more air in. She’s hovering at the top of the tank and popping up for a gulp every couple minutes. Not sure if that’s as a result of the salt bath though.... she was swimming about the tank before so seemed to have helped initially.

[plankton]

They do breathe air anyway, so it's not unusual.

[CattyV]

She’s still not interested in food. Just watches it float by. She’s still breathing very quickly. It’s almost as if she has the hiccups the way she breaths quickly then almost looks to be spitting? It’s difficult to describe in words. Maybe something is stressing her out.

Just hope whatever killed the pandas isn’t linked to this. I’m putting those down to the breeder, being all from the same group. But still odd they just died without symptoms of anything.

Would a general medicine be worth trying if the salt baths don’t work?

Waters testing fine. Ammonia and nitrite 0. Nitrate under 5. Water change 25% done Friday evening. Ph 6-6.5 (hard to tell the colours are so similar on the card). Looks more 6.5

[plankton]

The water sounds fine.
You don't have anything going on outside the tank (e.g. painting/perfume spray/air fresheners[especially plug-ins]/roadworks/cleaning products/etc.) do you?

[CattyV]

@plankton no nothing at all. I have my tank in the lounge and specifically banned all plugins (I don’t actually have any throughout the whole house), no air fresheners etc. No paint either. I clean with a static dust wipe but nowhere near the tank.... and it’s also completely enclosed (it’s the Fluval Roma style).

I wish I could post a video... she is just breathing constantly with the odd “hiccup” and not eating. Very strange. I’m hoping it wasn’t anything to do with the pandas. I did have two filters running when I upgrade the tank but removed the second about 2 weeks ago as was giving the beneficial bacteria chance to take up in the new filter, which water parameters suggested they had.

[plankton]

Soak the food in garlic juice (use fresh garlic) - that should stimulate the appetite and boost the immune system.
Leave the garlic for about 10 mins after you crush it.

[CattyV]

I tried this but unfortunately didn’t work. She just doesn’t seem interested. I have also previously soaked food in Saechem garlic guard to no avail. Doesn’t look good

[plankton]

She isn't egg-bound is she?
I had trouble with honey females and lost two due to being egg-bound.

[CattyV]

She isn't egg-bound is she?
I had trouble with honey females and lost two due to being egg-bound.

I did wonder this but I’m not sure how to tell? Any tips? It’s the fast breathing that’s putting me off and making me think she’s ill. The male honey does court with her, so maybe she’s not I’ll and it’s is eggs. I just don’t know how to help her. Fish keeping can be cruel at times.