sick baby parrot fish

Question
Hi how r u I have a baby parrot fish swimming very little light pink body black tail and fins also he floats on side at bottom of tank then he will right himself he eats but won't look for it  what's wrong I want to save him just got him from a pet store he was half day and I told them I want he hope u can help

Answer
Hi MarLena, I'm very good thank you!

What a kind thing for you to rescue the little Parrot Fish.

The first thing we need to figure out is if the parrot fish is struggling with a swim bladder disorder. This is a condition where the swim bladder (which is an organ that controls the fish's equilibrium and overall balance) has complications from any number of triggers and will cause the poor fish to lay on his side. Sometimes sink to the bottom or float uncontrollably at the surface. If he struggles greatly to right himself and cannot stay in a normal position for long then we know there must be swim bladder issue.

This condition isn't fatal. But its very uncomfortable for the fish. It takes some investigative work to figure out what the cause may have been and then we can move forward to offer the right treatment for the little creature.

*But since I can't see the fish. You will be the best judge to determine if he has this condition.

~Keep in mind these little fish are very well known to lay on their sides when they are upset with the environment. The water quality is very poor. They are scared and even if they are sick.

Petstores often don't offer the best care for their fish and young fish like your baby parrot fish are very suceptible to harsh water conditions like high levels of pollution as well as stress from handling, overcrowding ect...  

The good news is that your little parrot fish eats. That's always a good sign! The most important thing I can recommend you to do is make sure his water is as perfect as possible. This basically means don't allow pollution to build up. I'm not sure if your aquarium has been setup for awhile and it has already established the 'biofilter' (good bacteria that get rid of ammonia produced by the fish) but this is -very- important to take into consideration. If your tank has been setup for a good couple of months at least then just give your little parrot fish a few extra water changes than normal. He'd really appreciate as clean of water as you can give him. You don't have to scrub the tank sparkling clean. Just do partial water changes of 30-50% every other day just to help his immune system. There's nothing better you can do for your fish than water changes.

Also, give him a little cave or two to hide in. Parrot fish have a great need to have a little special place to call 'their own' where they can go rest and take a break from their normal daily parrot fish duties. :-)
If they don't have hiding places, they will get very 'moody' and lay on their sides and try their best to hide anywhere they can manage.

These are the two basic things I would recommend you do to help your baby parrot fish get through his little dilemma.

It will likely take him awhile to actively search for food. These fish (like most cichlids) are sensitive when they are first moved to a new environment. It may take him a week or more to get fully settled in and comfortable. If he is the only fish in the tank, it may help to add some active bold fish to the tank to help him feel more secure. Platies or Zebra Danios are great to use as they are not too shy to swim all around even when first added to the tank.

I hope this helps you and let me know how he is doing!
Best of Luck!
Susan~