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Weird Shell Dweller behavior…


SupersoNick95
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  • pH: 8.4
  • Nitrates: below 20ppm
  • Hardness: 300ppm
  • Nitrite: 0ppm
  • Ammonia: 0ppm
  • KH/Buffer: 180-300ppm
  • Water Temperature: 79 degrees

so recently I have noticed one of my Shellie’s acting oddly. He will sit like this for most of the day but then infrequently he will get up and swim around and find a shell to inhabit. when it does go around swimming he looks perfectly normal.
 

He (or she) sometimes also will display against some of the other Shellie’s through tail slapping.
 

It sitting at the bottom only recently started and was somewhat sudden. I was gone for a day in University and came back to it sitting at the bottom.
 

It seems healthy other than this weird behavior. Could it have been that he or she got picked on by one of the other Shellie’s displaying dominance? I know they can be quite aggressive towards each other and may even kill each other. Tank is a 20 long with 6 shellies. Shell to fish ratio is about 5-1. It’s also “overfiltered” with a  canister filter meant to handle around a 55 gallon tank. 

 

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On 4/16/2022 at 8:43 PM, Fish Folk said:

Any sign of a breeding tube? Is there an anal bulge at all? Does he / she pass waste properly? Dies free swimming appear normal, or is there some  wobbling?

The free swimming is completely  normal. I have ceased feeding the entire tank for about 4 days just to give its stomach a rest. No sign of breeding tube or anal bulge but I’m not 100% sure so I’ll give it a good look once I get home.

today I observed it throughout the day and it was swimming much more often and interacting with the other fish. I did notice before I left that it began fighting with another Shellie and then started laying down again.

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On 4/16/2022 at 8:52 PM, SupersoNick95 said:

The free swimming is completely  normal. I have ceased feeding the entire tank for about 4 days just to give its stomach a rest. No sign of breeding tube or anal bulge but I’m not 100% sure so I’ll give it a good look once I get home.

today I observed it throughout the day and it was swimming much more often and interacting with the other fish. I did notice before I left that it began fighting with another Shellie and then started laying down again.

Could it have a slightly damaged swim bladder?

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On 4/16/2022 at 9:47 PM, Fish Folk said:

Could it have a slightly damaged swim bladder?

I’m thinking this may be the issue. These fish are very feisty and constantly go at each other several times a day. Wouldn’t be surprised if it got damaged through fighting. Any way to help fix this issue?

Edited by SupersoNick95
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Y ou could add some Epsom salts maybe 1 tbsp per 5-10 g and then leave it for less than an hour then water change to see if you can induce them to poop. You could just pull him out and treat him with an Epsom salt bath, I’d leave him in an specimen container for 5-10 min then pull him out. The safer option would be some aquarium salt 1 tbsp per 3-5 g but leave it in. My Shellie’s hover over their shells or they’re in them not on the substrate. Agree it’s odd behavior. 

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On 4/16/2022 at 11:20 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

Y ou could add some Epsom salts maybe 1 tbsp per 5-10 g and then leave it for less than an hour then water change to see if you can induce them to poop. You could just pull him out and treat him with an Epsom salt bath, I’d leave him in an specimen container for 5-10 min then pull him out. The safer option would be some aquarium salt 1 tbsp per 3-5 g but leave it in. My Shellie’s hover over their shells or they’re in them not on the substrate. Agree it’s odd behavior. 

 

On 4/16/2022 at 9:58 PM, Fish Folk said:

I’m not sure. I think you’re right to hold off food a bit. Maybe nudge up the temperature. Someone suggested feeding fish a boiled, skinned pea… 🙄

UPDATE: fish is acting normal again. Since they all look very similar it’s hard to differentiate which was the one acting weird so I can no longer monitor him😂 I had decided on doing the quarantine trio (minus maracyn) so just paracleanse and ich x. He began to behave normal after one day of treatment. I ceased feeding for 5 days and just fed them frozen brine shrimp which induced some pooping. Their poop looks good. 
 

all fish acting normal! 

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