Ammonia burn?

akaps · Dec 22, 2024

Yellow watchman goby. He won’t go to bed. His friend left the cave they both sleep in, and then went back in but when he left he didn’t see the friend go back in and can’t find his friend. He won’t go in the cave to sleep as usual.
I had 0.5 ppm ammonia las week and got it down to 0.2 on Tuesday. Doing more water tests tomorrow to see what it’s at. Is this ammonia burn??? I’ve not seen it before. I don’t know if it’s just red bcuz he is very pale and not his usual yellow, but that is just bcuz he’s camouflaged outside of his cave at night. He is not gasping for air. Just want to know if this is ammonia burn on his gills. I’ll also post his normal self.

Should I try to help him go into the cave to rest? Is it worse to let him be restless outside the cave or to help him in? I feel either way he is stressed.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 22, 2024

akaps said:
Yellow watchman goby. He won’t go to bed. His friend left the cave they both sleep in, and then went back in but when he left he didn’t see the friend go back in and can’t find his friend. He won’t go in the cave to sleep as usual.
I had 0.5 ppm ammonia las week and got it down to 0.2 on Tuesday. Doing more water tests tomorrow to see what it’s at. Is this ammonia burn??? I’ve not seen it before. I don’t know if it’s just red bcuz he is very pale and not his usual yellow, but that is just bcuz he’s camouflaged outside of his cave at night. He is not gasping for air. Just want to know if this is ammonia burn on his gills. I’ll also post his normal self.

Should I try to help him go into the cave to rest? Is it worse to let him be restless outside the cave or to help him in? I feel either way he is stressed.

Ammonia burn is usually seen as a result of shipping, where the ammonia in the shipping bag gets very high and the pH is very low.

What test kit are you using to measure the ammonia?

I think this is just the red of the gills showing through because the fish is pale. Now, why the fish is pale and its behavior changed is another issue..... can you post a video of the fish?

akaps · Dec 22, 2024

Jay Hemdal said:
Ammonia burn is usually seen as a result of shipping, where the ammonia in the shipping bag gets very high and the pH is very low.

What test kit are you using to measure the ammonia?

I think this is just the red of the gills showing through because the fish is pale. Now, why the fish is pale and its behavior changed is another issue..... can you post a video of the fish?

I did have ammonia issues due to rock moving and released ammonia pockets. I’m not sure the test kit, I have it done at an aquarium store. I can’t post videos bcuz I have an iPhone so it never works. This morning he’s back in his cave. He was stressed bcuz he couldn’t find his buddy, this morning he is normal color. He does turn pale at night occasionally to camouflage into the rocks and sand.
I’m glad to hear it’s not ammonia burn. I’ll post the test results here when I get it tested today.

vetteguy53081 · Dec 22, 2024

akaps said:
I did have ammonia issues due to rock moving and released ammonia pockets. I’m not sure the test kit, I have it done at an aquarium store. I can’t post videos bcuz I have an iPhone so it never works. This morning he’s back in his cave. He was stressed bcuz he couldn’t find his buddy, this morning he is normal color. He does turn pale at night occasionally to camouflage into the rocks and sand.
I’m glad to hear it’s not ammonia burn. I’ll post the test results here when I get it tested today.

A rise in ammonia does not signify ammonia burn and cause these blemishes. This is a fish that is skittich and will dart into rocks and likely a mild blemish from injury. If fish is breathing normal and eating, will heal on its own however if ammonia burn played a role, you would see cloudy eyes, heavy breathing, even hazy water and other fish and inverts affected.
Assure you are testing with reliable kits such as salifert or Hanna brand.

akaps · Dec 22, 2024

vetteguy53081 said:
A rise in ammonia does not signify ammonia burn and cause these blemishes. This is a fish that is skittich and will dart into rocks and likely a mild blemish from injury. If fish is breathing normal and eating, will heal on its own however if ammonia burn played a role, you would see cloudy eyes, heavy breathing, even hazy water and other fish and inverts affected.
Assure you are testing with reliable kits such as salifert or Hanna brand.

He has no other symptoms. I was not sure if he could have just one symptom and not others, or if he would have them all. Thank u