Blue spot Toby not doing so great...

[schmollypop]

I have a blue spot Toby who is acting very odd. He has been perching a bit more today than he normally does and while he normally chooses to do so on the rocks, today he’s been in the upper corner of the tank. While perched there he was camouflaged which is typical for him perching.

However, I just got home and he’s now laying on the rocks close to the bottom and appears to be awake since he’s not camouflaged. His eyes are moving around and I would say he’s breathing a little fast but not majorly and not gasping. He was eating totally fine up to today and just now was totally disinterested in eating when I fed the rest of the fish.

Water parameters are okay (ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, salinity 1.023, all of which are in a normal range for my tank). I’ve had him for about 2 years and never had any issues before. At one point his beak was getting a bit long but with diet change that resolved (and was over a year ago at this point). None of the other fish are sick appearing and no new fish have been introduced in about 10 months. I guess it seems unlikely to be illness because nothing new has gone in (fish, decoration, etc), no changes in water parameters, no changes in diet (he mostly eats brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, clams, and bloodworms), no change in equipment (so seems unlikely to be an electrical current and the powerhead has been in the same location and angle for years without issue)…

Anyone have any idea what might be going on?

VIDEO HERE

 

[KrisReef]

How long have you had this fish?

The belly looks pinched, like possibly not getting enough nutrition?

What do you feed it?

Otherswise, the color looks good, but the listing behavior isn't encouraging?

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[schmollypop]

He likes frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, bloodworms, and clams. Whenever I’ve put things like nori in he’s completely disinterested. I’ve had him for about 2 years and no change in his diet or anything else big since the last fish I added which was 10 months ago.

His coloring is still great and I’m not sure if it’s just how he’s perched, but I actually sometimes feels like his belly is a little bulged from overeating because he sometimes bullies my other fish and grabs their food.

 

[KrisReef]

Well, Hopefully it's just chillin', but listing fish generally are concerning. Hopefully the fish health experts will check out the thread and weight in.

Situation
Toby Puffer
2 Years in captivity,
Eating until recently, now not interested.
not actively swimming.
last fish added was ~10 months ago.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a blue spot Toby who is acting very odd. He has been perching a bit more today than he normally does and while he normally chooses to do so on the rocks, today he’s been in the upper corner of the tank. While perched there he was camouflaged which is typical for him perching.

However, I just got home and he’s now laying on the rocks close to the bottom and appears to be awake since he’s not camouflaged. His eyes are moving around and I would say he’s breathing a little fast but not majorly and not gasping. He was eating totally fine up to today and just now was totally disinterested in eating when I fed the rest of the fish.

Water parameters are okay (ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, salinity 1.023, all of which are in a normal range for my tank). I’ve had him for about 2 years and never had any issues before. At one point his beak was getting a bit long but with diet change that resolved (and was over a year ago at this point). None of the other fish are sick appearing and no new fish have been introduced in about 10 months. I guess it seems unlikely to be illness because nothing new has gone in (fish, decoration, etc), no changes in water parameters, no changes in diet (he mostly eats brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, clams, and bloodworms), no change in equipment (so seems unlikely to be an electrical current and the powerhead has been in the same location and angle for years without issue)…

Anyone have any idea what might be going on?

VIDEO HERE

FISH SHOWS SYMPTOMS OF FLUKES WHICH CAN BE CONFINED TO ONE FISH. You can try a 5min Freshwater dip to see if that offers fish temporary relief.
How are you testing water? Also disregard nitrites which are freshwater specific

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

He likes frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, bloodworms, and clams. Whenever I’ve put things like nori in he’s completely disinterested. I’ve had him for about 2 years and no change in his diet or anything else big since the last fish I added which was 10 months ago.

His coloring is still great and I’m not sure if it’s just how he’s perched, but I actually sometimes feels like his belly is a little bulged from overeating because he sometimes bullies my other fish and grabs their food.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

I don’t see any symptoms of flukes. It is breathing a bit rapidly, but its eyes are clear and alert. Given the history of the tank and the fish, it’s unlikely to be an external parasite.

I’m concerned because of the acute onset - flukes, protozoans and internal parasites all tend to have a more or less gradual onset - where the fish goes downhill over a few days to a few weeks. Is it possible that it was slowly going off feed and you just missed that?

I don’t see any immediately treatable issue here.

 

[schmollypop]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

I don’t see any symptoms of flukes. It is breathing a bit rapidly, but its eyes are clear and alert. Given the history of the tank and the fish, it’s unlikely to be an external parasite.

I’m concerned because of the acute onset - flukes, protozoans and internal parasites all tend to have a more or less gradual onset - where the fish goes downhill over a few days to a few weeks. Is it possible that it was slowly going off feed and you just missed that?

I don’t see any immediately treatable issue here.

No, he was eating with gusto the day before. It’s possible that he has been doing other fluke-y behavior when I haven’t been looking, such as rubbing on the rocks. I actually once thought I caught him rubbing on the rocks as I was walking by but when I looked back he wasn’t doing it anymore. Do you think presumptively treating for flukes would be problematic? I just don’t see a lot of other symptoms and everyone else appears to be in good health

 

[vetteguy53081]

No, he was eating with gusto the day before. It’s possible that he has been doing other fluke-y behavior when I haven’t been looking, such as rubbing on the rocks. I actually once thought I caught him rubbing on the rocks as I was walking by but when I looked back he wasn’t doing it anymore. Do you think presumptively treating for flukes would be problematic? I just don’t see a lot of other symptoms and everyone else appears to be in good health

Im still suspecting flukes in which other symptoms are rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, loss of appetite, shaking its head, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color.