Vet Q&A-Fish

I have an angelfish and a red tail shark in a 15 gallon tank for about 4 days and they get along great. The angel fish has been almost swimming kind of lazy like almost floating and then will swim when off balance. And belly kinda looks swollen as well as eyes. And my red tail shark seems to have a gray patch on it's side and not swimming as active as he was. Either hides in the back of tank or in a house for hours.

Check the water chemistry and temperature. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample to test fro elevated ammonia or nitrite levels. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Partial water changes can be done, if indicated, to stabilize chemistry and improve or maintain water quality. Ideally, you want 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less in a non-planted tank or 40 ppm or less in a planted tank. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. You'll need to keep the temp at the upper limits for Red Tails in order to keep the Angelfish comfortable. That would be in the 78F to 80 F range. Both have similar pH requirements, 6.8 to 7.5. You can fast the Angel for 2-3 days then feed bits of cooked, shelled green peas. This will usually resolve constipation and bloating. Pristine water quality may resolve the patch on your shark. Recommending a medication without more information or a clear image would be risky to the stability of the tank's nitrogen cycle. You can use plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) as a general tonic. It will reduce stress, improve gill function, may treat minor infection and aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess the condition. A note on tank size: Although the two fish may be fine in a 15 gallon tank now, you will likely need a larger tank as they mature. Red Tails can reach 6-7 inches and Angels can reach 6-8 inches. At adult size, a 15 gallon tank will be insufficient and could lead to some aggression from either fish.

my betta fish died she was found floating with fins ripped and her body white but a huge red spot in the middle could it have been my pleco? and i have some fish in there like 2 platies and 2 mollies and 1 female guppy and this is in a 20 gallon long fish tank

It is certainly possible. However, most fish will nibble on and eat/ bite deceased fish. So it is a bit more likely that the damage was done after she died rather than being the cause of her death. I hope this helps! Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

My dog has been severely licking his groin area for at least 6 months if not more. We have tried everything. We started him on fish oil, switched to grain free dog food, and brought him into the vet 3 times to get allergy shots. The allergy shots work for maybe a week or two, and the fish oil seems to maybe help a tiny bit. The side he keeps licking is now inflamed and feels lumpy. He is very sensitive when we feel it. Please help!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Clyde. He skin looks very sore. Poor guy! When I see a patient with ongoing skin disease, I work hard to determine the underlying cause so effective treatment can be determined. I would recommend he has skin scrapes to look for mites and a fungal culture to rule out ringworm. Then I would start him on flea and tick prevention to rule out a flea allergy. Next, I would do bloodwork on him to ensure he does not have evidence of an underlying hormonal disorder contributing to his skin disease. Short of doing a skin biospy, the last thing is to treat for allergies. Food allergies are assessed by a diet trial with a prescription diet. The dog can eat absolutely nothing else during the trial. It is hard to do, but the only way to assess food allergies. Very few dogs are allergic to grains and the ones that are tend to be Irish Setters. So he could still have a food allergy despite your diet change. There are new medications to manage environmental allergies that are very effective with less side effects than steroids. So these could be an option as well. Consider bathing him with a medicated shampoo and a moisturizing conditioner twice per week. I hope this information helps!

Our cat Jake is almost ten years old. For years he’s been overweight and is obsessed with water. Whenever he breathes, his sinuses sound clogged and he weezes. His breathe also has a very foul fish odor.

It sounds like there are a few things going on with Jake healthwise at the moment. The wheezes when he breathes could be due to a respiratory infection or heart disease. As for his bad breath, that could be caused by dental or gum disease, abnormalities in the mouth, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, liver or kidneys. Some of these causes can be very serious, so I recommend giving your vet a call a first thing in the morning to get an appointment for him asap. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

came home from wk at 5pm noticed one of my girl fish lying side down on bottom of tank not breathing but gills still red i put her in a sealed contaner with air stone and plastic wrap around it trying to get her to breath again when i picked her up she felt very hot to the touch heater said 86 degress but she felt very hot like she was cooked to death the other fish are fine i did a water change immedatly filled w/warm water dechorild water how can i get her to breath again

Thanks for reaching out about Grandfish. But it sounds as if she has passed. Placing the airstone while holding the gills open might provide some oxygen, but if the heart is not beating, no circulation. Sounds as if the heater malfunctions, as 86 is fairly warm. Sorry.

So I've been thinking about getting an axolotl, but I'm a bit confused as I've never had any type of aquarium. My question is: I've been told to get an Aquaclear 50 HBO filter (plus a sponge one for extra bio media), and to slow the flow by placing plants and things under it. But this specific model's slowest flow is 250 l/h, which might be too little for a 90l tank. But if I set it up to 370 or so (which I find would be the best), the flow might be too strong for the axie! Any solutions? <3

You can angle it so water flow is directed against the side of the tank. Another option would be to make, or buy, a spray bar. This will significantly decrease water flow. A good old fashioned sponge filter set up can also be used. Lastly, you can opt for no filter. You'll need to monitor chemistry closely and perform more frequent water changes though. The websites below are excellent resources for additional information. https://www.caudata.org https://www.axolotl.org

Hello. My fish has external skin bubbles. What can I do to heal it? I’ll appreciate it. Thanks

Thanks for reaching out about Chachito and including a photo. This doesn't appear to be a bubble but a mass (possible tumor). A veterinary visit is needed to determine what it is and provide a treatment plan. Carcinomas and fibromas are common. Good luck.

Hello I have 3 dogs a chocolate lab , boxer , and pit bull I camp and fish a lot in the summer didn’t know if it was healthy for dogs to eat fish I know to make sure the bones are out of the fish and to cook the fish just don’t know if it’s safe for dogs to eat

Yes, as long as there are no bones and the fish is cooked with no seasonings/extra grease/oil (which can cause pancreatitis), dogs can eat fish. If you notice that they are having diarrhea or vomiting after eating it, definitely discontinue and consult with your vet. Happy camping!

My black molly fish has some type of fungus and I have been treating it with a imagitarium fungus medication but it seems to have come back and is now all over his eyes. I'm not sure what to do. I am not sure if I should seperate him or leave him with the others.

In this case you need a quite radical approach. Begin by submitting a water sample for quality testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or a nominal fee. Clinical examination should always include a water quality check, even if you have done so already. Water testing should be performed with a quality test kit, measuring NH4, NO2 and NO3. High ammonia levels, PH imbalances may be responsible for these signs. Oxygen concentration and quality of the filters should be determined as well. If water quality is good and there are no major imbalances, your fish should get examined to look for any sign of bacterial/fungal infection and eventually water should be treated. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!