Fish Choking??

[pufferenthusiast]

My grey angelfish is breathing very heavily and I checked his airway and there’s no sign of blockage from what I can see but is breathing extremely heavy and almost gasping? (The food I feed has carrots) I pulled him out and tried to massage and see if he’d spit anything out.. also had some bad diarrhea caused by the new food recipe I made and fed the night before.

He is acting very strange along with this and usually greets me at the top but I know something is clearly wrong unless he is just “feeling bad” from the new food. Please help!

If it is choking how do I remove the blockage from such a small mouth..? I don’t have surgical tools and the smallest thing I have would be tweezers.

 

[pufferenthusiast]

 

[vetteguy53081]

This may be a sign of flukes which they are prone to. I assume this fish was Not quarantined which is essential when acquired and will have to be placed in a separate quarantine tank and treated with Prazi pro at 85% of recommended and apply initial dosage known as an interval lasting 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.
While its in reverse order, after prazi, consider coppersafe treatment for at least 21 days if no outbreaks during prazi treatment

 

[pufferenthusiast]

This may be a sign of flukes which they are prone to. I assume this fish was Not quarantined which is essential when acquired and will have to be placed in a separate quarantine tank and treated with Prazi pro at 85% of recommended and apply initial dosage known as an interval lasting 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.
While its in reverse order, after prazi, consider coppersafe treatment for at least 21 days if no outbreaks during prazi treatment

Do flukes usually appear out of nowhere like this? The lfs I buy my fish from i’ve never had an issue with but then again I can’t say something didn’t happen when I don’t know for sure. However, he appears to be doing better now, seems more aware and is actually breathing normally: no longer gasping. He is still not interacting with me or showing interest.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do flukes usually appear out of nowhere like this? The lfs I buy my fish from i’ve never had an issue with but then again I can’t say something didn’t happen when I don’t know for sure. However, he appears to be doing better now, seems more aware and is actually breathing normally: no longer gasping. He is still not interacting with me or showing interest.

As a new fish, lower white light intensity a little and gradually increase daily. Coughing/yawning behavior often fluke symptoms. Observe daily for reoccurence

 

[pufferenthusiast]

As a new fish, lower white light intensity a little and gradually increase daily. Coughing/yawning behavior often fluke symptoms. Observe daily for reoccurence

I’ve had this guy for over 2 months I believe. I don’t usually quarantine when I buy from my two lfs because I’ve never dealt with flukes or any disease other than ich (Which I learned my lesson for and now run my tank hot and cold alternating) so it’s quite new for me? Hate to seem inexperienced and un-knowledgeable but we all have to start somewhere. Should I do a freshwater dip as well? The most recent fish I added were on Saturday: Both from two different lfs. It’s a scopas and a arc eye hawk. Could these have brought flukes into my tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve had this guy for over 2 months I believe. I don’t usually quarantine when I buy from my two lfs because I’ve never dealt with flukes or any disease other than ich (Which I learned my lesson for and now run my tank hot and cold alternating) so it’s quite new for me? Hate to seem inexperienced and un-knowledgeable but we all have to start somewhere. Should I do a freshwater dip as well? The most recent fish I added were on Saturday: Both from two different lfs. It’s a scopas and a arc eye hawk. Could these have brought flukes into my tank?

two new fish- very possible yes. IF flukes, a freshwater dip would offer temporary relief

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

My grey angelfish is breathing very heavily and I checked his airway and there’s no sign of blockage from what I can see but is breathing extremely heavy and almost gasping? (The food I feed has carrots) I pulled him out and tried to massage and see if he’d spit anything out.. also had some bad diarrhea caused by the new food recipe I made and fed the night before.

He is acting very strange along with this and usually greets me at the top but I know something is clearly wrong unless he is just “feeling bad” from the new food. Please help!

If it is choking how do I remove the blockage from such a small mouth..? I don’t have surgical tools and the smallest thing I have would be tweezers.

While fish can choke on food, that happens past the gills, so it doesn’t cause rapid breathing.

What other fish are in with it?
Any symptoms with them?

I agree, flukes are the most likely cause here, but there are other possibilities.

 

[pufferenthusiast]

While fish can choke on food, that happens past the gills, so it doesn’t cause rapid breathing.

What other fish are in with it?
Any symptoms with them?

I agree, flukes are the most likely cause here, but there are other possibilities.

There are 3 tangs, 2 pairs of clowns (maroon, clarki), the grey angelfish, and a arc eye hawk currently. Nobody else is showing symptoms but the grey angelfish and it appeared just today because I hadn’t noticed it in the morning. (Noticed about 3-4 hours ago.) This is a newer tank I just upgraded maybe 3-4 months ago from a 90. I just gave him a freshwater dip. I will send a picture to show what came off. I’m going to call it a day and see what he looks like tomorrow.

 

[pufferenthusiast]

There are 3 tangs, 2 pairs of clowns (maroon, clarki), the grey angelfish, and a arc eye hawk currently. Nobody else is showing symptoms but the grey angelfish and it appeared just today because I hadn’t noticed it in the morning. (Noticed about 3-4 hours ago.) This is a newer tank I just upgraded maybe 3-4 months ago from a 90. I just gave him a freshwater dip. I will send a picture to show what came off. I’m going to call it a day and see what he looks like tomorrow.

Main big white dots not the glittery stuff that’s infused with the sink’s coating

 

[pufferenthusiast]

two new fish- very possible yes. IF flukes, a freshwater dip would offer temporary relief

While fish can choke on food, that happens past the gills, so it doesn’t cause rapid breathing.

What other fish are in with it?
Any symptoms with them?

I agree, flukes are the most likely cause here, but there are other possibilities.

Woke up this morning and he is dead. Makes me think it was choking or something I couldn’t see internally because all of the other fish are fine.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Woke up this morning and he is dead. Makes me think it was choking or something I couldn’t see internally because all of the other fish are fine.

Sorry to hear.

I couldn’t see flukes in the dip water, but about half the species are too small to see without a microscope. The main hope with dips is that they provide some temporary relief - giving time to start a full treatment.

This wasn’t a blockage as I said. The gills are in front of the fish’s esophagus leading to the stomach. Any blockage affecting the gills would be clearly visible in the front of the fish’s mouth.

Water quality issues can cause rapid breathing, but would affect all fish more or less equally.

Just watch the other fish very closely, especially the hawkfish (they are prone to flukes like angelfish).

 

[pufferenthusiast]

Sorry to hear.

I couldn’t see flukes in the dip water, but about half the species are too small to see without a microscope. The main hope with dips is that they provide some temporary relief - giving time to start a full treatment.

This wasn’t a blockage as I said. The gills are in front of the fish’s esophagus leading to the stomach. Any blockage affecting the gills would be clearly visible in the front of the fish’s mouth.

Water quality issues can cause rapid breathing, but would affect all fish more or less equally.

Just watch the other fish very closely, especially the hawkfish (they are prone to flukes like angelfish).

I’ll test the water and post it here

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I’ll test the water and post it here

Sorry, you misunderstood. I was saying IF it was a water quality issue, the other fish would be affected to some degree. Since they are fine, it isn’t a water quality issue.