Brain damaged Flowerhorn? Fried, electrified...    6/23/09
I have an aprox 3 year old male ZZ Flowerhorn. Free to good home from craigslist. He had been in a tank with an electric eel
<No!>
and had been "hit " at least twice. I have been feeding him raw prawn stuffed with Grand Sumo Flowerhorn pellets. He is in a 55g bare bottom canister filter with 50% changes once a week with vacuuming and replacement of 5 gallons daily. There has been an improvement in his color.
He swims strange (when looking for food) and cannot target food at all. He swims in its area and goes sideways inhaling water and if he is lucky the food also. It has been suggested his nervous system is damaged from the eel.
He has been this way for 3 weeks before I got him (I have had him a few days)
No one has been able to tell me how to help retrain him to eat.
<Likely too hard wired "fried" to be able...>
or if pellets will ever be an option as he cant seem to get them to "suck" into his mouth.
<Not really a/the issue here>
What course of action would you recommend to ensure the rest of his life is a good one?
<Too late... you placed this animal inappropriately... the quality possible for its life is shot. Bob Fenner>
Thanks so much,
Lisa

Re: Brain damaged Flowerhorn? - 6/23/09
I am his second home, what I described was his condition when I GOT him free from craigslist. I was not the person who placed him with the electric eel.
I am trying to give him a good life. He is now in a 55 bare bottom with what I described. Is there a way to rehabilitate a previously electrocuted fish that you know of?
<No dear... there is not as far as I'm aware>
I am sorry I was not more clear in my description.
He is taking prawn and pellets that sink.
<Ahh! I would use other such foods that you can get down to this fish>
Thanks so much
Lisa
<Welcome Lisa. BobF>