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Re: HELP...BP swimming upside down
pcmom, I totally understand your panic! I've had my BP for a long time too! My BP made 11 years last September, I remember when I first got him 11 years ago, they told me that BPs will live 15 years. But I don't know, 10 years seems to be the consensus now a days.
I do think his problems are probably age related. They seem to get sick easily as they age. Swimming upside down makes me think of swim bladder related problems. I'm not sure if BPs are prone to it but I've seen bettas and goldfish with swimbladder infections that swam upside down. They still ate and didn't seem otherwise sick but just couldn't get themselves upright.
The fading of his color could be stress. He could be stressed because he can't swim upright or he could be stressed due to a bacterial infection. I just finished treating my BP for a bacterial infection and he was faded and really almost white when he was infected but the color came back when he got better. But I've also seen him turn white when I added another BP into his tank for companionship. His color returned after he got used to having him around.
As for the salt, I know the aquarium salt packaging, the people at the petshops and on line always say 1 tsp. per 5 gallons of water. BUT, 20 years ago, when those small mom and pop aquarium shops were still around, I frequented a shop whose owner was an aquarium lifer. He was a aquarium Master Yoda. He lived and breathed aquariums and fish keeping at work and at home and he always recommended 1 tsp. per gallon for most fish. I've always followed his recommendations and rarely did I have a outbreak of bacterial/parasitic infections (until recently because my little buddy BP is gettin old I guess). But if you want to be on the safe side, start with the 1 tsp/5 gallon. Just make sure you add the salt sloooowly, so as not to shock the fish.
I hope it all works out for you and your buddy.
Re: HELP...BP swimming upside down
How much salt? I didn't know you could do that. Temp looks good. I know it may seem silly but I am really upset about my fish. She was hand fed for 10 years. Also over the last year she lost most of her color. Again the other fish are fine. Do you think it's just old age?
Re: HELP...BP swimming upside down
just take good care of her... 10 yrs is the max a BP would live... just keep you water clean and check the temperature... try adding a little salt
members - any advice?