Bella Goby sick

[Myles.360]

Hey everyone. I noticed probably a week ago that my Bella goby was sick. I assumed he had flukes so I did a run of Paracleanse, and after the 5 days he didn’t improve at all so I did a freshwater dip and that also didn’t seem to do anything. He continues coughing and sputtering and it’s getting worse. Also he keeps tilting to the right, and on that side he has a small red area around his gill cover. If anyone has any suggestions on what to do next I’d really appreciate it, I don’t think he has a lot of time left.

Parameters:

Salinity 34.4ppt
Alk 8.8
Cal 418
Mag 1407
Ph 7.95 - 8.15
Nitrate 8.2
Phos .1
Temp 78.5-79.5

I’m going to check out the water from the dip under a microscope either today or tomorrow so I’ll come back here with my findings.

 

[Myles.360]

 

[Myles.360]

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey everyone. I noticed probably a week ago that my Bella goby was sick. I assumed he had flukes so I did a run of Paracleanse, and after the 5 days he didn’t improve at all so I did a freshwater dip and that also didn’t seem to do anything. He continues coughing and sputtering and it’s getting worse. Also he keeps tilting to the right, and on that side he has a small red area around his gill cover. If anyone has any suggestions on what to do next I’d really appreciate it, I don’t think he has a lot of time left.

Parameters:

Salinity 34.4ppt
Alk 8.8
Cal 418
Mag 1407
Ph 7.95 - 8.15
Nitrate 8.2
Phos .1
Temp 78.5-79.5

I’m going to check out the water from the dip under a microscope either today or tomorrow so I’ll come back here with my findings.

Paracleanse simply does not work and is extending the issue and is merely a tonic with false claims. The heavy breathing and gasps suggests flukes but can also be velvet but flukes is likely. You want to treat with Prazipro which is praziquantel.
To be safe , dose at 80% of recommended and apply initial dosage known as an interval for 8 days, do a water change and do one more 8 day dose interval
Use airstone with prazi as it does reduce both oxygen and appetite. If running a skimmer, leave cup off first 24 hrs as skimmer will go nuts from the glycol solution in Prazi

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

While the goby does show the symptoms of flukes, the treatment(s) that you have done should have offered some relief, if not cured the fish outright. Paracleanse is essentially the same as General Cure (praziquantel and metronidazole) so it will work the same as that product.

There are some other issues that can cause coughing/flashing, but flukes are by far the most common. Viruses can be an issue, as can some gill protozoans.

Are there other fish in the tank? Any symptoms with them?

jay

 

[Myles.360]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

While the goby does show the symptoms of flukes, the treatment(s) that you have done should have offered some relief, if not cured the fish outright. Paracleanse is essentially the same as General Cure (praziquantel and metronidazole) so it will work the same as that product.

There are some other issues that can cause coughing/flashing, but flukes are by far the most common. Viruses can be an issue, as can some gill protozoans.

Are there other fish in the tank? Any symptoms with them?

jay

Hi Jay, thanks for the quick response. I have a yellow corris wrasse that sometimes flashes or bounces off the rocks a few times an hour and has some very faint white patches that haven’t gotten any bigger, but I don’t know if they’ve really moved or changed since I got her around 4 months ago. No other symptoms and eats normally which made me believe that maybe the dots are from scraping against the rocks. 2 clownfish, 2 cardinals, and a mandarin that have no symptoms whatsoever as well. I live in Canada and the medications I have on hand are Paracleanse, Seachem Metroplex, Seachem Paraguard, Seachem Kanaplex, and I ordered Prazipro that’s supposed to show up in about a week. I do have a hospital tank as well if that would help, but I want to take any next steps with caution so I don’t stress him out any further. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Myles.360]

I could also pick up any of these products at my local Lfs

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I could also pick up any of these products at my local Lfs

The Paracleanse should have worked for flukes. Are you certain you calculated the dose correctly?

One weird thing - we here in the US have been told that you cannot buy fish medications in Canada, yet your store clearly has antibiotics and General Cure on the shelf - I wonder how they can do that?

 

[Myles.360]

I have a total system volume of 60g(not including rocks/sand and equipment) and dosed for 50g considering those items. Are any of those products worth picking up?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I have a total system volume of 60g(not including rocks/sand and equipment) and dosed for 50g considering those items. Are any of those products worth picking up?

None of them would work better than the Paracleanse would have against flukes.

 

[Myles.360]

What would be your recommendation considering the symptoms and treatment's already performed?

 

[Myles.360]

None of them would work better than the Paracleanse would have against flukes.

Should I do another round of Paracleanse in the display tank? I just don’t want to sit idly by while the fish’s health keeps getting worse.

 

[Myles.360]

Paracleanse simply does not work and is extending the issue and is merely a tonic with false claims. The heavy breathing and gasps suggests flukes but can also be velvet but flukes is likely. You want to treat with Prazipro which is praziquantel.
To be safe , dose at 80% of recommended and apply initial dosage known as an interval for 8 days, do a water change and do one more 8 day dose interval
Use airstone with prazi as it does reduce both oxygen and appetite. If running a skimmer, leave cup off first 24 hrs as skimmer will go nuts from the glycol solution in Prazi

Hey, thanks for the response. I have Prazipro coming in the mail in about a week, is there anything else you think I could do in the meantime?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey, thanks for the response. I have Prazipro coming in the mail in about a week, is there anything else you think I could do in the meantime?

For now, use the paracleanse. Ruby Rally is an option if your LFS has it
I would not attempt FW dip if fish is breathing heavily

 

[Myles.360]

I’ve started another round of paracleanse this morning and see no visible signs of change so far. The goby continues to lie on his side in his cave breathing heavy and coughing every now and then. I’m worried he is not eating now.

 

[Myles.360]

The Paracleanse should have worked for flukes. Are you certain you calculated the dose correctly?

One weird thing - we here in the US have been told that you cannot buy fish medications in Canada, yet your store clearly has antibiotics and General Cure on the shelf - I wonder how they can do that?

I am thankful for what they do have so I don’t ask questions.

 

[Myles.360]

None of them would work better than the Paracleanse would have

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

While the goby does show the symptoms of flukes, the treatment(s) that you have done should have offered some relief, if not cured the fish outright. Paracleanse is essentially the same as General Cure (praziquantel and metronidazole) so it will work the same as that product.

There are some other issues that can cause coughing/flashing, but flukes are by far the most common. Viruses can be an issue, as can some gill protozoans.

Are there other fish in the tank? Any symptoms with them?

jay

Do you think it could be ich? I’ve read that if ich is contained in the gills the fish will exhibit no spots. All the symptoms I’ve seen coughing/rubbing and lethargy pointed to flukes but after the treatments with no luck I’m thinking of possibly starting an ich treatment. I do not have copper and only have rid ich plus and reef medic on me. Would you recommend any of those products at my Lfs for ich treatment? They do have one copper remedy (not visible) brightwells cuprion or is it worth waiting a few days until I can obtain copper power? I do have a hospital tank I am going to set up now with some marine pure balls from my main display and freshly mixed salt water. Any insight or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Do you think it could be ich? I’ve read that if ich is contained in the gills the fish will exhibit no spots. All the symptoms I’ve seen coughing/rubbing and lethargy pointed to flukes but after the treatments with no luck I’m thinking of possibly starting an ich treatment. I do not have copper and only have rid ich plus and reef medic on me. Would you recommend any of those products at my Lfs for ich treatment? They do have one copper remedy (not visible) brightwells cuprion or is it worth waiting a few days until I can obtain copper power? I do have a hospital tank I am going to set up now with some marine pure balls from my main display and freshly mixed salt water. Any insight or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Ich always shows spots at first. They are less visible in some species, and long term, the spots coalesce into mucus, but it is never seen in just the gills. After flukes, bacterial gill disease is probably the second most common of these symptoms. Velvet is purely a gill disease and does stop fish from eating, but the fish breath really fast.
Cuprion is tricky to use, it is toxic if you don’t dose it just right. In fact, I think their advertising even tells you this….you would need an accurate low dose copper test. I used a spectrophotometer, but the low dose Hanna meter works. I think there is a liquid copper test that can also be used, but I can’t remember if it is Salifert or some other one.

 

[Myles.360]

Ich always shows spots at first. They are less visible in some species, and long term, the spots coalesce into mucus, but it is never seen in just the gills. After flukes, bacterial gill disease is probably the second most common of these symptoms. Velvet is purely a gill disease and does stop fish from eating, but the fish breath really fast.
Cuprion is tricky to use, it is toxic if you don’t dose it just right. In fact, I think their advertising even tells you this….you would need an accurate low dose copper test. I used a spectrophotometer, but the low dose Hanna meter works. I think there is a liquid copper test that can also be used, but I can’t remember if it is Salifert or some other one.

What medication would you recommend then for bacterial gill disease? Would bacterial gill disease cause the fish to stop eating? And is it possible to treat for velvet and bacterial gill disease at the same time? I noticed him come out of his cave today for the first time in a couple days, looking very pale but not thin yet, but he hasn't eaten in a couple days.

 

[Myles.360]

I’ve noticed these marks on and around his chin are getting bigger as well