Vet Q&A-Fish

If my fish is recovering from stress, is covering the tank a good thing to do?

If Dempsey's tank is in a highly lite area, exposed to drafts/sudden temperature changes or a high traffic/loud environment, covering the tank (only around the side, not the top in case it could be a fire hazards) may help to buffer some of that stimulation. Otherwise try to keep things quiet, avoid bright lights and sudden temperature fluctuations. Also avoid running or other floor vibrations. I hope this helps and that Dempsey continues her recovery.

My betta fish is bloated and has a dark patch on his left side where the scales are not laying flat. What I tried feeding him a pea, but it didn't help. Please help!

Check water chemistry, quality and temperature. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing to confirm an absence (0ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with a nitrate level of 20ppm or less. High ammonia levels may cause "burns" which may present as black spots on the scales. Most pet stores will test water for free or for a small fee. Perform a partial water change, no more than 30 percent of the total volume, to stabilize chemistry and maintain or improve water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Check the water temperature as well. Bettas are tropical fish and do best between 78F and 80F. Low temps can affect digestion in fish causing constipation. Maintain water at 80F and fast for 3 days. Resume feed tiny bits of cooked and shelled green peas. Feed peas until defecation and swimming are normal. Feed a quality pelleted diet and fast him one day a week to promote regularity.

You I’ve had jake for 4 yrs-shelter cat- he’s always been one to sneeze here and there but last night and into today he is sneezing more than normal. No discharge from nose or eyes. Sometimes he paws at his mouth while he’s sneezing. Not his nose but his mouth. He is eating and drinking fine. Playing a little less than normal. Should I wait it out for a few days? Leave work and go to vet now lol? Give him fish mox that I give the feral cats? I just don’t know what to do or what to look for.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jake. He may have an upper respiratory tract infection based on his increased sneezing recently. As long as he is eating, drinking and acting normally, then it should be fine to monitor him for another 24-48 hours. If his symptoms are not resolving or he brings acting ill, then he will need to see his veterinarian. Good luck!

I have three fish and two budgies, and also I have a kitten. I'm petrified that the kitten might eat the other pets but I can't bear to give away either of them. Is there a way to stop the kitten from eating the other pets?

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! I would keep a lid on the fish tank and I would keep the birds in a separate room when you are not home. I would also keep the birds caged. You should be training the kitten to not jump on the bird cage and the fish tank. They make noise deterrents to scare a cat away from an area you do not want them to be. Be sure to provide plenty of outlets for Holly to play and be stimulated so she isn't bored and try to interact with the other animals. Good luck!

I have fish oild 1200 mg but has 360mg of omega 3 can i still give one capsule to my fog

Since this is considered "off label use", as this is not a product designed specifically for dogs, your veterinarian would be the one to direct your specific dog in terms of using this product since its "off-label." To adhere to my veterinary license, I cannot advise off-label doses for a patient I have not examined and a client that I have not met. However, I will tell you that I would tell my clients that this is generally a safe product to give a 50 pound lab once a day. You may notice some increased gas/flatulence, and a "fishy" odor to his breath. If you notice any vomiting, diarrhea or decreased appetite, get him in to see your vet and discontinue use.

My goldfish is losing its colour, it gets lots of sunlight (but not too much) and have regular clean outs of the tank. The other goldfish is sticking to its colour

Goldfish naturally change color as they age. Though most do so during their first year or two of life, others change throughout their lifetime. There are two different types of color changes in fish: physiological and morphological. Physiological changes occur when the pigments in the cells either spread out, which makes the colors more pronounced, or when the pigment clusters in the center, which makes the colors more muted. Morphological changes occur when the actual number of pigments in the cells increase or decrease. An example of a morphological change is when a black goldfish starts to turn orange or a young goldfish loses its black markings as it ages. In this case, as the fish matures, it’s losing its black pigment cells. How and when their colors change really depends upon their individual genetic makeup. I would not be overly worried if he is acting otherwise normally.

why is my yellow parrot fish fight by mouth and rounding each together ?

This "lip wrestling" can indicate aggression if you have two males or if you have a male and female, it may be breeding behavior. You'll need to watch them to differentiate between the behaviors. Males may need to be separated or placed in a larger tank. A female parrotfish will lay eggs on a hard surface in the tank and the pair will take turns caring for the eggs.

How to increase colour deep red and yellow citation of red blood parrot fish and yellow parrot fish ? And how far shyness of red blood parrot fish ?

Food, genetics and stress can all affect colors. There are color enhancing diets that you can buy. Maintaining pristine water quality and stable chemistry will limit stress. If the fish has muted colors due to genetics, there is nothing to be done. As far as being "shy", this can be due to anything that is stressful or potential illness or injury. This would require and exam to diagnose.

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I'm setting up an aquarium for a dynastes grantii beetle and I was wondering if I could put 3-4 males in the same cage. will they still fight if there's no female in there? and if so could they possibly kill each other? Thanks.

If a female or the scent of a female Dynastes is near the males (could be in a tank in the same room) then the males will fight. Unfortunately most males will also fight when there are no females around. If you are going to put several males in the same tank, make sure they are all the same size as larger ones will be able to hurt smaller beetles and can seriously injure each other, possibly even killing each other. Here is a decent care sheet: http://www.bugsincyberspace.com/Rhino_Beetle_Care_Sheet.html