I think my baby RTC is dying

[hybridguy]

:scry: its been 3 days and she still has not eat and she is just laying on the bottom of the pond all beat up, i feel terrible i cant do anything for her. She usually takes shrimp from my hand but now she just turns the other way.:scry:

[HomaridNoob6]

I'm pretty sure I remember you saying in another thread that the RTC got a bit cut up by a rock, have you used any type of medication, that can at times cause appetite probs, also the fact that the fish is injured and trying to rest up might affect its appetite. RTC's in my experience are pretty hardy, most larger catfish are even when young. Try and get a good look at it, in a pond that can be hard at times, If it still doesn't eat for a few more days then I might start worrying, when was the last time you remember it eating (the 3 days im assuming), and how much did it eat then? most fish can go for a lot longer than that without eating, but the fish not acting as it normally would is more of a bad sign than the not eating to me.

If this RTC is still small you may want to catch it and put it into a QT tank if you can, it could make observation and any needed treatment much easier.

[hybridguy]

I'm pretty sure I remember you saying in another thread that the RTC got a bit cut up by a rock, have you used any type of medication, that can at times cause appetite probs, also the fact that the fish is injured and trying to rest up might affect its appetite. RTC's in my experience are pretty hardy, most larger catfish are even when young. Try and get a good look at it, in a pond that can be hard at times, If it still doesn't eat for a few more days then I might start worrying, when was the last time you remember it eating (the 3 days im assuming), and how much did it eat then? most fish can go for a lot longer than that without eating, but the fish not acting as it normally would is more of a bad sign than the not eating to me.

If this RTC is still small you may want to catch it and put it into a QT tank if you can, it could make observation and any needed treatment much easier.


Last night i moved her to a hospital tank and fresh water and melafix, as of 5 am wed morning she is hanging n there.:ssmile:

[VoidParadigm]

Have you tried just leaving food near her?
Put some relatively near her body, then turn off all bright lights and leave her alone for a while.
Another suggestion of mine is covering part or all of the tank with a thick towel/blanket.
In my experience injured or sick fish heal faster in low light, or at the least don't get as stressed out by their own complication.*
I wouldn't worry too much about her too much until she hits one week of not eating.



*Hm. Someone on here told me that, and I've been doing it since with great results. Cannot remember who, though... Maybe NG or RobFlanker?

[Deleted User]

I hope she will be okay!

[hybridguy]

thanks for info guys, as of today at 4 pm she is hanging in there

[VoidParadigm]

Best of luck with her.
Keep us updated!

[Northernguy]

Sorry about your fish!
Clean water is a must.
I'd be doing water changes daily or every other day.Keep the tank light out,it apparently does assist in healing by keeping the stress levels down.

[hybridguy]

Thanks everyone for your support!! I tried leaving some food for her with the lights out and she did not take it.I just did an 80% waterchange and hopefully she will get better soon. :scry: