Lethargic Female Swordtail

[Hally M.]

I have a Swordtail pair in a 20 gallon with a few of their fry. The mom is currently pregnant again but I’m concerned with her behavior. She hasn’t been eating much and usually just lays on the bottom of the tank. I tried to get a video of how she swims but she hides. She kind of wobbles from side to side like shimmying but her parameters are perfect so I’m not sure why she is swimming in that way. I have the substrate as Crushed coral and wonder shells in there as well, as well as some baking soda. I always dechlorinate the water during water changes. I added some salt because I did see some fungal infections on the fry’s fins but again normally the shimmying is because the water parameters aren’t hard enough. So I’m not sure what’s up. The male is a little annoying so I did move him. But she still hides. 

 

 

Edited September 4 by Hally M.

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/4/2023 at 2:34 PM, Hally M. said:

But she still hides. 

It could be due to stress from being pregnant.  It's difficult to say.

Seeing the fungal issues previously, I would look into something like salt or Ich-X as a starting point and just let it soak the tank for a week or so.

If you're actively treating for a fungal issue, then I would recommend 3 doses a week of something like Ich-X with 30-50% water changes prior to treatment.

 

[Hally M.]

@nabokovfan87 I have been keeping up with the treatment and she’s only getting worse. Here’s a picture of her now. I’m not sure if I should euthanize or not. 

[nabokovfan87]

Yeah, it looks like the bent spine is now forming and getting worse.

What do you think? @Colu@ @Odd Duck

 

[Hally M.]

I think I’m gonna put her in her own tank for right now. Nobody else is looking affected at all. She is also refusing food. Temp is at 83 Fahrenheit. Let me know if that’s too high, I was thinking if there was any bacteria or parasites that the higher water temp would help aid in treatment. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/17/2023 at 8:24 PM, Hally M. said:

Temp is at 83 Fahrenheit. Let me know if that’s too high,

yes that is way too high.  Temps should be 76-78 at most.

[Colu]

It could be developing scoliosis that really common in liverbears you usually see it more often in the long fined liverbears such as guppies I would quarantine her I can see a red patch on the side that could have a bacterial component what I would do is treat with aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 2 gallons and do a course of kanaplex or maracyn2 @Hally M.