Calling Yellow Watchman Owners

[GoodKat]

Yellow watchman owners, I recently received an adult watchman and he is anything but yellow; more grey than anything.

I know that it's typical for them to change colors over their life time. (Bonus if someone can give me advice on how to get him to turn pretty yellow. My research from the forums makes it seem like its out of the hobbyist control).

In his greyish pale color state, I have noticed he has bright red gills. I know healthy gills are red but they seem like they are inflammed.

Normally this is a sign of inflammation. I put him in a hypo saltinty QT tank with a low dose of copper (about .2mgl). He's been in the QT for about three weeks and his gills are still noticeable red.

Does anyone have a greying watchman? Are his gills noticable red? I tried to get a few pics, but as often the case, they are no substitute for the real thing.

 

[James M]

You can change a fishes color on demand. Usually change of color is a stress response.

 

[Salty Lemon]

How long have you had him? He looks like he is in a quarantine tank. He could just be stressed out from traveling across the country or from tank to tank to tank.

 

[User1]

I'm agreeing with the two replies above. Even when you look at the little lad / lass in the tank it looks sad. It has a sad face and I'm sure it is just stress thinking it is going to be caught again, bagged, boxed, and placed on another plane, train, or automobile

I agree though - my thought would be stress but give it a couple days and some food - see what happens.

 

[Paul B]

I had this pair for 12 years and their gills never turned red as I remember.

 

[GoodKat]

I had this pair for 12 years and their gills never turned red as I remember.

Thanks for sharing! Mine has a similar coloring to your pair. Any luck ever getting them to change color?

And yes, I have him in QT. He has been in QT for 3 weeks. If he still appears to be healthy, next weekend I will move him to his reef home.

 

[GoodKat]

Here is other picture of the redness.

 

[ccombs]

Maybe @HotRocks @ngoodermuth @Frtdrmrose7 or @Big G will have some insight into the gills seen above.

 

[ngoodermuth]

The color is a sign of maturity, I believe. Unless you can make him "young" again... I don't think he is going to change back to bright yellow for you, but he might get a hint of color and more distinct gray shading as he acclimates and comes back to full health.

Usually, red gills are a sign of ammonia... was he shipped to you? How did you you acclimate him to your QT?

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Maybe @HotRocks @ngoodermuth @Frtdrmrose7 or @Big G will have some insight into the gills seen above.

His gills are definitely irritated, first I would remove the copper as running copper and Hypo together can be really hard on a fish. Secondly what was your acclimation process? How are you controlling ammonia in QT?

 

[Paul B]

This is one of my 12 year olds as a baby when I got him

 

[HotRocks]

Any discolored SW fish would indicate stress or lack of health.

I can see the fish in QT. Do you have an ammonia badge on the tank? Are any meds present?

How did you acclimate the fish. That sort of redness around the gills would indicate ammonia burn. Is ammonia present in your tank? How long was it cycled before you added the fish?

 

[GoodKat]

Some answers about the QT.
- Ammonia is reading zero.
- I have a seachems badge on the QT tank, but in addition I test every few days using an API kit.
- The QT tank is always set up. I control ammonia with Matrix rock in a HOB filter. I did some research and Matrix doesn't absorb copper. I can attest to this as my low levels of copper are consistent showing no signs of a absorption.
- QT is set at hypo saltinty and low copper .2 or .3mg/l. No other meds have been used.
- He was box and bag shipped over night and I drip acclimated him for about 90 minutes. I freshwater dipped him for 3-5mins. I am starting to think I should have immediately added him. I think when the bag is opened and exposed to air, ammonia jumps.

-----------------------
Plan
- I'll stop the copper as I dont think I need it anymore.
- In another week I'll slowly bring slanity back to normal.
- He has been in QT for 3 weeks with no exposure to ammonia Shouldnt ammonia burn subside? Should a try a dip methylene blue??

 

[ngoodermuth]

I am starting to think I should have immediately added him. I think when the bag is opened and exposed to air, ammonia jumps.

^This, with shipped fish it’s better to match the QT to the bag and then just set them free, rather than a long drip acclimation.

If you can’t adjust the QT/Tank, then a 5-gallon bucket filled halfway with clean water mixed to match the bag salinity can act as a “landing pad”, and you can safely drip acclimate them from there.

At this point, a bath in MB might help... otherwise just make sure the tank is well aerated, bring the salinity back up very slowly, and hope for the best!

 

[GoodKat]

I will make this my new practice. It seems like I still have alot to learn.

Anyone else have any thoughts on an MB dip?

 

[GoodKat]

I gave him a 30 min MB bath and am bringing saltinty up slowly.

If the reddness is indeed caused by ammonia burns, does anyone know if he can recover or is the damage more permanent :/