clown knifefish

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hi i need some help. my clown knife is not doing to well. i have two of them one is about 18 inches long and the other is about twelve. my big guy is the one not doing well. he is barely breathing (gills almost not moving at all). it first started one day i happened to notice him not swimming around so much and when he would he would go straight to the top and gulp air and go stiff as a board vertically. he would then sink back down to the bottom of the tank with air bubbles coming out of his mouth and gills. when he hits the bottom of the tank he just lays there which ever way he lands, sometimes belly up, sometimes on his side. its like he goes into convulsions and then quits moving like he is stunned. all the other fish in the tank are fine and it seems like its even breaking the heart of the other clown knife. any help would be appreciated.
Answer -
Hi Eric!

I am so sorry about your Clown knife! :( There are a few things you left out that might have helped in me answering your problem with him. What size tank is he in? How is the water quality? how many water changes? how much and what type of filtration? Any signs of disease like spots or ANYTHING that looks abnormal on his body? Is there enough oxygen? This seems sort of a mystery to me and until I know the answers to these questions, it will remain pretty much mysterious to me.

Immediently do a huge 50% water change and be sure to add plenty of de-chlorinator and insure the temp of the new water is the same as what he and the other fish are use to. Doing the 50% water change will insure his health in case it is bad water quality. It will also help him feel better having so much fresh water in his home.

Another thing I am sad to ask you about is, how many years have you had your little boy? He might be old...I'm sorry to say... :(

~It made me feel so bad reading about your Knifefish, it was so sad reading about him.....I hope we can find out why he is acting that way...

~Wishing the very best to you and your Knifefish. I absolutely love these fish. I would feel so bad for you to lose him....keep up hope, be strong, don't give up!

Happy fishkeeping!
Karen~

Thanks for the quick response. he is in a 90 gallon tank. my water all checks out on the tests. i am running an under-gravel with a powerhead in both back corners of the tank. and also running 2 emperor filters rated at 75 gal. a piece. he has no signs on his body other than that when he does do that muscle spasm thing his sides suck in like he's sucking his stomach in and his body is starting to section itself kinda like cracks in his skin running vertically. he has these about every two inches all the way down to the tip of his tail. i've had both clowns for 3 years, they were both about 4 inches long when i got them. i will try the water change and hope that brings him around.
Answer -
Hey Eric!

Hmm...Since everything is fine in your aquarium and you have plenty of filtration.....With him gulping at the surface and then sinking back down might suggest a swim bladder problem. Since Clown knife fish do take gulps of atmospheric air from time to time, I wouldn't think he is gasping for breath...This is so hard to diagnose, I have never really heard of anything like this. One of the symptoms of swim bladder disease is a sunken stomach so that may be a possibility unfortunately, another sign is erratic swimming behavior and sluggishness. This is just a possibility, if you think he has a swim bladder problem please let me know and I will tell all I can about it and treatment...

In the meantime, let me know how he acts after the water change and we will go from there on.

Wishing the very best for him!

Hope he gets well soon!

Take care,
Happy fishkeeping!
Karen~
i did the water change and he is still acting the same. he does kinda swim erratic, since he has been laying on the bottom he is having a hard time getting up like he is drained of energy. it could possibly be a bladder problem, when he does fall to the bottom there are times he lands on his back and will lay there for hours belly up. i sure hope you can figure this thing out. thanks a bunch for all the help you have already given me.
Answer -
Hey Eric!

~So perhaps he might have swim bladder since it has nothing to do with water quality as you have figured out. I feel so bad for him! :( I am racking my brain on what other things might be wrong and the only thing that comes to mind is again maybe swim bladder diease. Perhaps in knifefish is affects them differently than other fish though I am not for sure. Due to my research I have found that Swim bladder disease can be caused by deformed bladder (unlikely), parasite infections, or constipation. One website's symptoms of the promblem are lack of balance and/or abnormal swimming. Treatment is considered hard unfortunately. One source says the product for treatment recommended is called Paragon II by aquatronics that supposedly aids in the treatment of swim bladder disease.
Another thing I am sad to be honest amd admit about, I have never experienced this disease before and only know things from what I've read and compared from internet sources. But I will still try to give you as much info as possible during from my research. I have found that swim bladder can also be caused not only by the bladder itself, but other causes that affect the bladder, diseased and inflamed organs, improper water conditions(not a possibility in your case) or poor nutrition (unlikely), and wounds recieved from fighting with another fish can also affect the equilibrium of the fish. Antibiotics seem to be recommended treatment. I really trust Mardel Lab brand of fish medication. Their medications have saved the lives of many of the fish I own who are now happy and healthy, thanks to Mardel's great medications. I have searched through the Mardel Disease guide and Marycyn-two seems to be worth a try on your part. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic that is absorbed by they fish through the skin and is especially effective at internal bacterial infections. You should look into Maracyn-two. This is so hard to try to decide what you should do, I want your Knifefish to get better so badly!
Now another source's treatment for swim bladder is-
Raising the temperature to 27*C (80*F)          and using the treatments Maracyn-two like I figured. Feeding sparingly is also recommended.

I think that is the best thing you should do. I hope it doesn't bother you too much to buy the proper amount of Maracyn-two for your 90 gallon aquarium! I know it can be pricey with medications. You may decide in the long run after all, it was worth it. I wish I could lend you some money! I would if I could Eric!! :)

I am really truly wishing the best for your Knifefish!

Wishing the best of luck in treating him!

Remember if you need to talk about anything else or more about swim bladder, I am always here to help!

Take care and happy fishkeeping!
Lov,
Karen~


thanks karen so much, i will get some maracyn-two and try that. price wise it will be worth it. he is the main reason for me getting the tank when i saw both of them in the pet store they were so cool i had to have them. little did i know they would get this big but i like them and everyone who comes over to my house is in awe seeing them. the medication will be a small price to pay compared to the joy they have given me. i have no kids and no other pets so it will be easy to spend the money on them. thanks again for all your help and will let you know how the big guy turns out.  

Answer
Hey Eric!

I'm glad you care so much about your pet knifefish! I really appreciate people who care as much as you do about their aquatic animals!

~You're lucky you don't have any kids or any other pets! That's wonderful too! You can spend all your extra money on your knifefish. You might consider your Knifefish as your "Aquatic children"! LOL! I myself consider all my pets (including non-aquatic) as my own children. ;)

~*I really hope Maracyn-two works for your Knifefish! Don't give up and be sure keep his water sparkling clean as much as you can. Here's Wishing the very best for him! keep up hope!

~If you don't mind, I would love hear how he is doing and if Maracyn-two is helping him!

Take care, and happy fishkeeping!
Karen~