How to control Ammonia when using Antibiotics?

[iReefer12]

She’s still alive, she’s looking a bit better actually. Did another water change this morning. Another dose of Kanamycin. And lowered salinity slightly. Will lower temp to 76 today. But don’t want to go lower than that.

 

[Mjrenz]

She’s still alive, she’s looking a bit better actually. Did another water change this morning. Another dose of Kanamycin. And lowered salinity slightly. Will lower temp to 76 today. But don’t want to go lower than that.

That's great to hear!

 

[rkpetersen]

Well, what a day. I found a vet nearby, when I say nearby it was an hour away and up in the mountains, anyway, this vet specializes in Koi fish... close enough right... she was willing to take a look at my foxface.

Got an X-Ray on the foxface, which showed the swim bladder and confirmed things. At least I got an interesting picture..

The vet lanced the swim bladder successfully, and also injected antibiotics.

Amazingly, the foxface survived all of this traumatic experience. And is back in the QT now. Her buoyancy has definitely improved but I really don’t think she’ll survive the night... I’ve said that for 4 nights though, but this time I’m pretty sure I’m right. I’ve done everything I can now so it’s up to the fish.

It was snowing up the mountains too, just to make things interesting. I think after this, I’m the one that needs to get examined, I must be insane. Haha

Wow, I'm very impressed that you did this. Whether or not the fish survives, you have gone above and beyond trying to help it.
Also, that radiograph is excellent, thanks for posting it. The swim bladder is indeed very distended there.
I'd like to save this image for my reference library, if that's ok.

 

[iReefer12]

No problem, yeah, I think it’s a great image, very educational if that’s the right word?

It’s amazing to see all the little bones. Also, interesting to see the swim bladder, is it a dual swim bladder one near the front and one near the back? Or is the front pocket another organ entirely?

 

[rkpetersen]

The entire long dark black structure that runs from front to back is the swim bladder.
The swim bladder looks to have a small fold in its inferior or lower wall, about a third of the way from the front, but it's all one organ.
It's compressing all the solid organs down and forward, where they appear white and can't be distinguished from each other.

 

[iReefer12]

She’s still alive this morning but she’s not looking good. It appears she has no control over her swim bladder, so she now rests on the bottom seeing as her bladder has been drained of air.

She’s also breathing rapidly.

I made another water change.
Checked ammonia which came back as 0.
Added another dose of Kana-pro (5th dose of 10)
Temp is 76

Not sure what to do now.

Could there be anything else affecting her?

She hasn’t eaten in weeks, should I try force feeding her?

 

[Brew12]

She hasn’t eaten in weeks, should I try force feeding her?

That's a problem.

What have you tried feeding her?

 

[iReefer12]

Mysis, Brine, nori. When she started to bloat up she lost her appetite. She was always a fat fish, and had a ferocious appetite. So thankfully she had some stores on her.

In the QT I haven’t tried feeding her anything until last night. I tried a bit of Spirulina Brine but she didn’t even look interested in it.

 

[iReefer12]

Unfortunately the foxface didn’t make it. It appears the swim bladder once again filled with air or water as it had started to expand again.

I was hoping I could bring her back from the brink but feel like I just extended her misery by trying to save her, pretty sad.

 

[Mjrenz]

Unfortunately the foxface didn’t make it. It appears the swim bladder once again filled with air or water as it had started to expand again.

I was hoping I could bring her back from the brink but feel like I just extended her misery by trying to save her, pretty sad.

I'm so sorry to hear that, you did more than most people would be willing or able to do

 

[Brew12]

Unfortunately the foxface didn’t make it. It appears the swim bladder once again filled with air or water as it had started to expand again.

I was hoping I could bring her back from the brink but feel like I just extended her misery by trying to save her, pretty sad.

I'm sorry to hear that.
You went well above and beyond what most consider reasonable. I commend your dedication to the care of your pets.

 

[iReefer12]

How long do FoxFace normally live? I’d had her 7 years, and she was probably 3-1/2” when I got her, so maybe she was 8 years old?

 

[rkpetersen]

Also really sorry to hear it.

The problem with lancing an overinflated swim bladder is that it treats the symptom but not the underlying problem.
If the gas gland has been damaged by overinflation, infection or something else, there's not a lot you can do.

 

[rkpetersen]

I was hoping I could bring her back from the brink but feel like I just extended her misery by trying to save her, pretty sad.

In the end, I felt the same way about the wrasse whose swim bladder I lanced.
The procedure worked but ultimately didn't save the fish.
I was pretty distressed about the whole thing; I'd been trying to help that fish for almost a month.
Next time, if there is a next time, I may just humanely euthanize it sooner.