Arowana listless, weird scale deformation

[Nirv]

Over the last day or so my arowana has been a bit listless and hanging around the surface more than he usually does. The last weekly 20% waterchange was done on Tuesday as per usual. pH and nitrate levels are good, but this appears to be something else.

The only change in the tank recently was the fact that a Synodontis has taken to swimming around upside-down (normal behaviour) and nipping at the fins of the arowana (not normal), causing him to have to thrash around but no direct damage was visible. The catfish seems to have stopped this behaviour but the arowana has signs of fin damage, stress and a change in the scales above the anal fin.

Here is a picture:

http://www.uploads.co.za/files/wx1iw24iebp689vm7maw.jpg (http://www.uploads.co.za/)

http://www.uploads.co.za/files/2es2dkti9uh67ubhyzv7.jpg (http://www.uploads.co.za/)

I have added a general tonic to the water to prevent finrot or other diseases from setting in, my only other options seem to be perhaps another water change and/or catching the Synodontis in case it is causing damage at night or something.

Any help would be appreciated.

[oscar freak]

better safe than sorry i would rather remove the synodontis i know they can be very aggressive,is the arowana eating at all?

[Nirv]

He is only eating the best foods like lancefish or cleaned hake, but won't touch bloodworms or pellets any more. i think I'm going to move the Synodontis just now and do another small waterchange. I'm keeping the light off to reduce stress. All the other fish are acting normally so I doubt it's something in the water, but rather safe than sorry.

[oscar freak]

how does he act when u do a water change,will it not stress him more?and if he's eating thats a goos sign so keep feeding him what he likes till he cheers up crickets work like a bomb

[Nirv]

Unfortunately not finding any viable insects lately, but those will certainly keep him eating :). He doesn't get too stressed by water changes, just hangs around the other end of the aquarium, so I'm not worried about that stressing him too much. Still listless right now but moving a bit more, and the discolouration seems to have stopped getting larger. Will ahev to see how it goes tomorrow.

[oscar freak]

i'l hold thumbs

[Kattz]

Nirv was away last night, so I was in charge of our sick baby.

After hearing some signature arowana splashes, I sat and watched the tank for a while. The synodontis was indeed causing the arowana distress, so I removed him (thankfully without even upsetting the other fish).

Another thing that bothered me is that the arowana seems to have taken up a very strange swimming position - keeping it's entire dorsal fin out of the water.

The scales on his lower body seem a bit better, but his fin damage is worse.

He is still not eating properly, although he does seem a little perkier this morning (probably because the syno is gone).

Here are some picture updates:

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/247/7/f/jack_back_by_siluriformes-d2xz2jv.jpg
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/247/5/e/jack_fin_by_siluriformes-d2xz2me.jpg

[Nirv]

An update: Swimming posture is still incorrect, but he has started eating pellets again much to our relief. Seems healthy, apart from the atrophying scales and fins and the strange swimming position...

[oscar freak]

hope he's 100% soon

[Nirv]

Another update, with much better news: He has regained a normal swimming posture which is relieving because that problem was worrying me the most. Degeneration of fins and scales seems to have stopped, though we are keeping a lookout for recurring finrot or fungus, and keeping up with the medication.

He still has a nasty chunk out of the anal fin but it seems he will be alright

[Donny]

Glad to hear its going well :) :)

[Ruan]

Thats good news!

[Nirv]

Thanks :) looking quite sprightly and some of the pigmentation is returning to the lower scales.

[Kattz]

Aw he is such a cute not-so-little vicious predatory fish. I'm so glad he is going better. <3

[Ruan]

aw he is such a cute not-so-little viscous predatory fish. I'm so glad he is going better. <3
lol

[oscar freak]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=G3qJITLualo

congrats pretty soon he'll be back to normal and dont forget the crickets he'll love u for it

[Nirv]

Thanks :), though your YouTube link appears not to work.

[oscar freak]

ja i dunno whats wrong

[oscar freak]

how's he doing