First sick fish - Orchid Dottyback

Chris Kunz

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Sorry about the pictures. It keeps swimming around and these are the best I can get with my phone while it is moving. Just like the title says, this is my first sick fish I am am having trouble finding exactly what is wrong.

I added this captive bred orchid dottyback into my tank on Jan 11, 2021. It seemed to be doing well, but about 3 days ago I noticed it looked like this. I haven’t noticed it get any worse, or better. It still is very active. It and swims around and eats fine. No other fish seem to bother it, or have the same problem yet. I haven’t had any lucky googling trying to figure out what is wrong. This is my first tank/first sick fish so I am not sure what to do.

The fin at the back almost makes me think another fish attacked it, but I have never noticed any aggression towards it and it doesn't appear to be afraid or hiding. The gills make me think maybe something else is wrong?

Any links or suggestions on what to do would be greatly appreciated. If there is anything I can do to help it recover, or at least prevent any other fish from getting sick I would like to do it.

Below is all the details of my tank, if any of them help. Thanks again for any advice.

Tank info:

200 gal IM EXT

Icecap 48 XXL sump

~200 gal total water

Tank was set up in early November, fishless cycle, started adding two fish at a time in Dec. Current stock:

2 Chocolate clowns

1 mimic tang

1 foxface

6 trochus snails

4 nassarius snails

2 fire shrimp

1 black ray goby

1 purple firefish

1 orchid dottyback

1 diamond goby

1 fairy wrasse

I have also added a few pods and used ARC coralline algae

I have 4 T5 bulbs that have been going for ~1m now in a T5/LED hybrid fixture. I have not added any of the LED lights yet. I plan to add 4 XR15’s when its time to add coral.

I currently use Tropic Marine Pro for my salt, and do 4 gal AWC over 2 hrs every night.

Current parameters

Alk 6.48 - Trident

Ca 472 - Trident

Mg 1319 - Trident

Nitrate 0 - Hanna

Phosphate 0 - Hanna

Sal 35

Ph 7.91-8.01 (7 day high and low)

Temp 79-77.7 (7 day high and low)
 

vetteguy53081

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This fish very much looks like a victim of aggression.
Parameters look good. My suggestion: If fish is still in tank, set your phone on video mode for 30-40 mins and walk away as they know youre hiding if you do (smart they are). Come back and review video and you may very well find your culprit. Thereafter, an isolation box while it heals may help this guy.
 
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Jay Hemdal

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20210220_193135.jpg
20210220_193158 (2).jpg
20210220_193214.jpg


Sorry about the pictures. It keeps swimming around and these are the best I can get with my phone while it is moving. Just like the title says, this is my first sick fish I am am having trouble finding exactly what is wrong.

I added this captive bred orchid dottyback into my tank on Jan 11, 2021. It seemed to be doing well, but about 3 days ago I noticed it looked like this. I haven’t noticed it get any worse, or better. It still is very active. It and swims around and eats fine. No other fish seem to bother it, or have the same problem yet. I haven’t had any lucky googling trying to figure out what is wrong. This is my first tank/first sick fish so I am not sure what to do.

The fin at the back almost makes me think another fish attacked it, but I have never noticed any aggression towards it and it doesn't appear to be afraid or hiding. The gills make me think maybe something else is wrong?

Any links or suggestions on what to do would be greatly appreciated. If there is anything I can do to help it recover, or at least prevent any other fish from getting sick I would like to do it.

Below is all the details of my tank, if any of them help. Thanks again for any advice.

Tank info:

200 gal IM EXT

Icecap 48 XXL sump

~200 gal total water

Tank was set up in early November, fishless cycle, started adding two fish at a time in Dec. Current stock:

2 Chocolate clowns

1 mimic tang

1 foxface

6 trochus snails

4 nassarius snails

2 fire shrimp

1 black ray goby

1 purple firefish

1 orchid dottyback

1 diamond goby

1 fairy wrasse

I have also added a few pods and used ARC coralline algae

I have 4 T5 bulbs that have been going for ~1m now in a T5/LED hybrid fixture. I have not added any of the LED lights yet. I plan to add 4 XR15’s when its time to add coral.

I currently use Tropic Marine Pro for my salt, and do 4 gal AWC over 2 hrs every night.

Current parameters

Alk 6.48 - Trident

Ca 472 - Trident

Mg 1319 - Trident

Nitrate 0 - Hanna

Phosphate 0 - Hanna

Sal 35

Ph 7.91-8.01 (7 day high and low)

Temp 79-77.7 (7 day high and low)
I agree this sure looks like aggression. Looking at your animal list, I don’t see any likely culprits though.
Jay
 
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Chris Kunz

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After reading these I figured it was probably the mimic tang since he was the first added, and the largest fish. The dottyback also tends to stay in the same corner as the clowns, so I thought maybe them to? Either way I have been watching them really close the last week, and even tried recording it with the phone like suggested. I have not seen any aggression, or any new harm to the dottyback. At this point would it be best to just keep watching them? Is it possible that whoever was causing it has stopped now?

Thanks for all your help!
 

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