Day 9 of 3 tsp/gal Epsom - need guidance re: next steps

[chicagojo]

That is a good thought - he has a heater that is supposed to automatically kick in whenever the temp starts to dip (I think it is the Hydor Theo) but I will make sure to actually check and be sure that the water temp is staying consistent. Right now his tank is placed along an outside-facing wall of our house, so I have actually turned up the heater temp setting to something like 85 in order to get the actual water temp to stay at around 76-78. Maybe I will also try to strategize about whether there is any other location where we could keep him so he's not on an external wall.

[Sakura8]

If it's possible, that might be a good idea. I mean, heaters should work like that but they don't always, even a good brand like Hydor.

[chicagojo]

Well, it is happening again and I checked and the tank water temp is holding steady at 78 so unfortunately I don't think that's the explanation (I actually hoped it was, because that would have been so easy to fix).

I guess he needs to go back on the Epsom Salts? I don't know what else to do. I already feel like I am practically starving him (right now he is eating a tiny pinch of Hikari Micro Pellets for two days, frozen daphnia the third day and fasting the fourth day if he hasn't pooped by then)...

[Sakura8]

Sounds like it. I can't say I've heard of SBD that comes only at a specific time of the day. Let's try him in the epsom salts for another week and then take him off and see if the same thing happens. Maybe he just wasn't in them long enough?

Let's hope that's the case and this isn't doesn't become a habit of his. Poor fellow.

[chicagojo]

Well now, about an hour or two ago he was swimming around normally again there for a while and now he is all floaty again. Literally over the course of this evening he has gone from floating on his side, to swimming normally, to being stuck at the surface and swimming funny. I don't know what to think. He was in the 3 tsp/G Epsom for 14 days before - this is only his 3rd day out - and before that he'd been in 1 tsp/G for about a week. I guess I will try again starting tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks for the advice.

[Sakura8]

Sorry I couldn't help more. If I come across any info that may help shed some light on his problem, I'll be sure to let you know.

[chicagojo]

Thanks, I appreciate it. I really know next to nothing about taking care of fish beyond the very basics (although I have been learning a lot here!) and he is kind of stressing me out because I feel like he is kind of complicated and I don't have the experience to take proper care of him.