Help! We bought a new red cap oranda and something seems to be wrong with it.

It is possible that the fish was injured in rough handling when the LFS lady put it into the bag. They left so little water in the bag that the fish had barely a couple of inches to swim in. We put it in our 14-gallon quarantine tank, which has been cycled - and we tested the water parameters before and everything was fine. However, as we left the fish sitting in its plastic bag to equalise the temperature, we noticed it pooping a LOT. It was obviously stressed, and the first poop was long and brown. The second time it pooped, it was more sausage-like, and streaked with pink, like blood. This was rather alarming, and we watched it carefully as we let her loose into the tank.

It started swimming around, but then quickly settled into a corner of the tank and just SAT there. We thought it had died, for a while... but afer maybe 5 mins, it wriggled and started to swim around again. It keeps swimming and then suddenly resting on the bottom... We've never seen fish behave like this before. When we picked her out at the LFS, she seemed healthy and normal and was actively swimming around with the other fish. Then, she pooped yet again and the poop looked red. We have no idea what they're fed at the LFS, but does this augur well for the fish??? The bottom-resting behaviour and the red poop makes me think something is desperately wrong. I could take the fish back to the shop but I think the journey and added stress will probably kill her.

What do we do - watch her for the next 48 hrs? Is it possible that the red streaks are from the fish being injured during the transition? Or is it more likely to be an internal infection? I am not holding my hopes up that it'll survive the week.....

fishywomble

OK we've watched her some more and she sometimes swims around quite normally, and then suddenly, without warning, plunges to the bottom of the tank and sits there very still! This behaviour is so weird. I'm worried that she got injured somehow. And yet there seems so little we can do.

fw

I'm not sure what to suggest... perhaps it is just not used to its new environment. Have you fed it since you got it in its new tank? What are the water parameters?

Ok, we will need you to give us the params on the tank.
Next did you test the water that the fish came in? If not the ph could've been very different causing problems.

Next How long have you had the fish?

It could be the food, what are you feeding? Watch carefully over the next few days.

When fish first come home the environment is very different not to mention if the water was. So you have to give it a little time.
Watch and see what occurs. At this point I wouldn't recommend doing anything other than watching and keeping the water perfect.

On top of Laurie's suggestion, I would add salt to 0.1%, that is 1tsp/gal. That will help to de-stress it. Is she eating at all? You might want to feed it some mashed pea. If she poop comes out green then things are looking up. If it is still tinted red then there could be internal bleeding and there is not much you can do about that.

It sounds like swimming saps her strength. It is important to support her over this period. She might come good yet. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

P.S. If you don't have an airstone already, you might want to consider increasing aeration in the tank. Every little bit helps.

Thanks, guys. She's doing a lot better now, actually. We left her overnight in a darkened room and this morning, she was swimming around quite normally in the tank. I think she was extremely stressed during the transition from the LFS to our home. The LFS did not give her much water in the bag at all and she seemed to be struggling. When we put the bag in the tank to equalise the temperature, the bag caved in from the pressure and I thought she looked a bit suffocated!

Anyway she still sank to the bottom whenever she saw anyone coming into the room. She'd lie still for 1-2 mins and then start wriggling again. But we've fed her a few Pro Gold pellets and her poop has come out green, but some of it trails behind her so we don't know if she's a bit constipated from the LFS's feeding. But now she's stopped sinking to the bottom whenever we enter the room, so it is looking a LOT better than it was yesterday.

Water parameters in this tank are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, low nitrates. This is a QT tank - we have another 33 gal that has our other fish, Julian.

So we're feeling more hopeful that she'll survive!

fw

Looks like ur a very good fish mom & seems like ur new fish is adjusting well. I'm sure she'll be alright

IT is good to hear that she is better. Keep us updated if anything changes.

Yes, she sounds certainly better. Good luck!