Hewbie is swimming upside down!

[vetteguy53081]

I did this. And he kept eating the bubbles which I don’t think was helping his situation so now it is in the overflow area.

From what I suggested, any improvement this morning?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I did this. And he kept eating the bubbles which I don’t think was helping his situation so now it is in the overflow area.

How is Hewbie this morning?

Sorry - I was offline overnight as we had our grandson spend the night.

When a fish is upside down, as you know, it is in very serious shape.

Can you post a video? Maybe that will show me something that was missed in the still picture.

 

[AydenLincoln]

From what I suggested, any improvement this morning?

He is still swimming upside down. I do have a fish vet I can take him to. Also that was a very awkward conversation with my boss about leaving early and he goes, “In my experience he is going to die soon!” Mind you this was someone who only ever had a goldfish.

 

[AydenLincoln]

He is still swimming upside down. I do have a fish vet I can take him to. Also that was a very awkward conversation with my boss about leaving early and he goes, “In my experience he is going to die soon!” Mind you this was someone who only ever had a goldfish.

How is Hewbie this morning?

Sorry - I was offline overnight as we had our grandson spend the night.

When a fish is upside down, as you know, it is in very serious shape.

Can you post a video? Maybe that will show me something that was missed in the still picture.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Something is chronically wrong with Hewbie - it’s very thin. Not to be crude but we call these fish, “Big Head Todd” after the rock band. This can sneak up on the fish’s owner because they see the fish every day and cannot easily see the change.

The trouble is two-fold; the fish is in a calorie deficit and that causes lack of energy, poor growth, etc. However, when that goes on long enough, the fish utilizes its liver for energy. That in turn causes liver dysfunction that cannot be reversed.

This all then becomes an acute health emergency, but one for which there isn’t a good resolution - sorry!

 

[W31Olds]

So for the past few weeks/days I have noticed Hewbie swimming head down in the water. I thought he was just being quirky. But then in the past few days I noticed him eating less. I saw a fluke on the angelfish and dosed half expired prazipro and then new prazi but may have slightly overdosed by two capfuls over because I panicked when I saw the first fluke. I have a 120 with sump. This was on Thursday/Friday and soon after a water change when he got worse. Hewbie was swimming upside a few days/weeks prior to all of this but now he won’t eat anything and was eating the bubbles from the air stone. I thought maybe the prazipro was not helping his situation so I decided to run my reactors with new carbon. I also decided to try and burp him to see if he had any air. Well the result was an unhappy half puffed Hewbie that spit in my face. He is also still upside down and swimming lopsided. I’m not sure how to help him because I’m not sure the exact cause. This was happening prior to the prazipro dose and I thought flukes were a factor…but only the angelfish has a fluke I can see and I think overdosing prazipro made it worse. I’m so worried he is dying and I don’t know what to do. Again note this had been going on prior to all of this for over a week but gotten way worse. He is breathing normally, is not flashing, etc. @Jay Hemdal Please help!

Ayden, Did you check all your water Parameters? I didn't see anything in this thread. Second, why do you think you have Flukes and how did you see them? Only one type can be seen (Neobenedenia)
after they drop off and it's next to impossible to spot them on Fish.

 

[W31Olds]

Something is chronically wrong with Hewbie - it’s very thin. Not to be crude but we call these fish, “Big Head Todd” after the rock band. This can sneak up on the fish’s owner because they see the fish every day and cannot easily see the change.

The trouble is two-fold; the fish is in a calorie deficit and that causes lack of energy, poor growth, etc. However, when that goes on long enough, the fish utilizes its liver for energy. That in turn causes liver dysfunction that cannot be reversed.

This all then becomes an acute health emergency, but one for which there isn’t a good resolution - sorry!

If your Puffer is thin, how much and how often are you feeding?

 

[AydenLincoln]

Something is chronically wrong with Hewbie - it’s very thin. Not to be crude but we call these fish, “Big Head Todd” after the rock band. This can sneak up on the fish’s owner because they see the fish every day and cannot easily see the change.

The trouble is two-fold; the fish is in a calorie deficit and that causes lack of energy, poor growth, etc. However, when that goes on long enough, the fish utilizes its liver for energy. That in turn causes liver dysfunction that cannot be reversed.

This all then becomes an acute health emergency, but one for which there isn’t a good resolution - sorry!

So that has been on my mind but he has been treated with multiple rounds of internal and external meds over the years. I have always attributed this to his shape/size. He also hasn’t eaten in a few days ago. I can try and feed him more. He never showed any major signs so I never really treated again after doing it initially for various meds when I first got him and quarantined him. That makes me sad if this is the case.

 

[AydenLincoln]

If your Puffer is thin, how much and how often are you feeding?

I need to test. He gets fed daily 3 shrimp or 3 mussels. He has eaten less lately and he has always been this way I just contributed it to him being a different shape.

 

[mmorrison55]

***deleted ***

 

[StartingATank]

Hoping for the best with hewbie!!!

 

[vetteguy53081]

So that has been on my mind but he has been treated with multiple rounds of internal and external meds over the years. I have always attributed this to his shape/size. He also hasn’t eaten in a few days ago. I can try and feed him more. He never showed any major signs so I never really treated again after doing it initially for various meds when I first got him and quarantined him. That makes me sad if this is the case.

This is not imo a water issue but may be internal hence the diet change

 

[cycletim]

Fwiw mine broke his jaw ramming the glass begging for food, I watched it happen. It was very sudden and he did'nt make it through the night. The mouth staying open in your video reminded me of it.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Please research this or get confirmation here from the experts, but wanted to share as i have not seen this suggested.

I did this search on the assumption that Hewbie is constipated as I had seen that mentioned along with the upside down swimming and bloated swim bladder…


To help a constipated or blocked puffer fish pass waste, use natural laxatives like high-fiber foods (such as daphnia or skinned, squashed peas) or administer an Epsom salt bath (1 to 3 teaspoons per 5 gallons of water) in a hospital tank to relax its muscles. [1, 2]

Dietary Remedies

• • Daphnia: Feed live or frozen daphnia; their chitinous shells act as a natural, gentle purge for fish digestion.
  • Shelled Peas: Offer a tiny piece of a cooked, squashed green pea (for smaller species) if the puffer will accept it.
  • Fast the fish: Stop feeding regular pellets, flakes, or heavy meaty foods for 2 to 3 days to let the digestive tract clear. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Epsom Salt Treatment

• • Hospital Tank Setup: Move the puffer to a separate quarantine or hospital container with matching temperature and aeration.
  • Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate): Dose 1 to 3 teaspoons of pure Epsom salt per 5 gallons of water. This acts as a muscle relaxant to ease blockages.
  • Duration: Leave the fish in the Epsom salt solution for 10 to 15 minutes while monitoring closely, then return it to clean tank water. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Checking for Other Issues

• • Internal Parasites: If the puffer has a pinched or sunken belly despite looking blocked or bloated, internal worms may be the real culprit. Treat with a dedicated parasite dewormer containing praziquantel or levamisole. [1, 2, 3]
  • Foreign Objects: Check if the fish accidentally swallowed a piece of aquarium gravel, filter sponge, or plastic, which requires an experienced vet and cannot be passed with laxatives. [1]

That’s the trouble with AI - it gives “definitive” advice, but it is often wrong.

There is a fish disease “expert” that tells people on his web site to feed peas and use Epsom salts for marine fish constipation issues. Trouble is, those are freshwater treatments. AI just skims web sites and gathers info - good and bad.

 

[mmorrison55]

That’s the trouble with AI - it gives “definitive” advice, but it is often wrong.

There is a fish disease “expert” that tells people on his web site to feed peas and use Epsom salts for marine fish constipation issues. Trouble is, those are freshwater treatments. AI just skims web sites and gathers info - good and bad.

Thanks… why I wanted it confirmed. I deleted the post so as not to confuse this conversation with incorrect and bad advice

 

[AydenLincoln]

Something is chronically wrong with Hewbie - it’s very thin. Not to be crude but we call these fish, “Big Head Todd” after the rock band. This can sneak up on the fish’s owner because they see the fish every day and cannot easily see the change.

The trouble is two-fold; the fish is in a calorie deficit and that causes lack of energy, poor growth, etc. However, when that goes on long enough, the fish utilizes its liver for energy. That in turn causes liver dysfunction that cannot be reversed.

This all then becomes an acute health emergency, but one for which there isn’t a good resolution - sorry!

What about trying to burp him again? I know this was a thought/given to me by a fish vet. I want to take him to one later today and will keep you all updated. Are we not thinking this is an air issue than and seems to be rather internal? As I’m reading/seeing.

 

[AydenLincoln]

This is not imo a water issue but may be internal hence the diet change

I too agree with this not being a water quality and something more. What that is…unsure yet.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So that has been on my mind but he has been treated with multiple rounds of internal and external meds over the years. I have always attributed this to his shape/size. He also hasn’t eaten in a few days ago. I can try and feed him more. He never showed any major signs so I never really treated again after doing it initially for various meds when I first got him and quarantined him. That makes me sad if this is the case.

A few days of being off feed (or even a few weeks) won’t cause this level of thinness.

It could be from internal worms, but viruses and coccidea can also cause this, but are not treatable.

Internal blockages can cause this, but those cause a fish to stop feeding early on.

In long term captives, mycobacteria infections (also untreatable) can cause this, but often come with additional symptoms such as poor coloration and bulging eyes.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What about trying to burp him again? I know this was a thought/given to me by a fish vet. I want to take him to one later today and will keep you all updated. Are we not thinking this is an air issue than and seems to be rather internal? As I’m reading/seeing.

If it was an air issue, the fish would either be floating at the surface, or struggling to remain submerged - I didn’t see that in the video?

 

[Boehmtown]

Some general advice I've gotten that has helped me in the past. Immediately get an observation tank going and get the sick fish in it. Less flow can help them feel more comfortable. And you can treat only that fish. Additionally water changes are cheaper and easier. And target feeding is easier. Secondly, freshwater dips are fairly easy on fish and effective for a lot of short term issues. As far as the pufferfish, may have been a long time coming if thin. Puffers can get as fat as long, it's honestly harder to keep the weight off and the teeth ground down.

There are also just genetic disorders, diseases that can't be cured, and damage from meds even before it's in your care that could have set it in motion. Good luck to both of you.