Flame angelfish lying down and heavy breathing

[Lowlandreef]

Last Tuesday I got a flame angelfish for my tank. I bought it at my LFS where they quarantine all fish before they get them. Usually I still put new fish in a QT for observation. This time I had no QT available and I put my flame angelfish straight in my DT. I noticed some aggression from my (small) tomini tang. Because of the aggression I put the tomini tang in an acclimation box on friday.
The aggression wasn't too bad and the flame angel was eating all the time. Since friday the flame angel was cruising around and pecking at the rocks (in freedom). Today I noticed it wasn't cruising around as much and it didn't ate this morning. Just now I saw the flame lying down on the sand and breathing heavily. I have no clue what happened since the tomini tang was in the acclimation box and there was no other aggression in the tank.

I switched the tomini tang back to the tank and the flame angel is now in the acclimation box. Can someone help me on what's going on with my flame angelfish?

Below you can see a video of it's current condition.

 

[MDAquatics]

Sounds like he needs more air

 

[MnFish1]

Last Tuesday I got a flame angelfish for my tank. I bought it at my LFS where they quarantine all fish before they get them. Usually I still put new fish in a QT for observation. This time I had no QT available and I put my flame angelfish straight in my DT. I noticed some aggression from my (small) tomini tang. Because of the aggression I put the tomini tang in an acclimation box on friday.
The aggression wasn't too bad and the flame angel was eating all the time. Since friday the flame angel was cruising around and pecking at the rocks (in freedom). Today I noticed it wasn't cruising around as much and it didn't ate this morning. Just now I saw the flame lying down on the sand and breathing heavily. I have no clue what happened since the tomini tang was in the acclimation box and there was no other aggression in the tank.

I switched the tomini tang back to the tank and the flame angel is now in the acclimation box. Can someone help me on what's going on with my flame angelfish?

Below you can see a video of it's current condition.

Thanks for the information - the videos on R2R are not perfect - unless uploaded to YouTube can't see

 

[MnFish1]

1. Important to know 'what is their QT method.
2. Unless you can see obvious fin damage, etc etc - on the flame - I would not think aggression.
3. Instead - I would consider a protozoan infection (if you can - call the LFS - to document the problem - and ask them what their QT protocol is/was)
4. I would restart quarantine. Now. having said that - there are numerous reports of fish coming in - and being sold - and they were caught with CN-. Which means a death without a cause.

Can you provide more information? Thanks - and Sorry
Parameters are important here - salinity. - between their tanks and yours is as well

 

[MnFish1]

Last Tuesday I got a flame angelfish for my tank. I bought it at my LFS where they quarantine all fish before they get them. Usually I still put new fish in a QT for observation. This time I had no QT available and I put my flame angelfish straight in my DT. I noticed some aggression from my (small) tomini tang. Because of the aggression I put the tomini tang in an acclimation box on friday.
The aggression wasn't too bad and the flame angel was eating all the time. Since friday the flame angel was cruising around and pecking at the rocks (in freedom). Today I noticed it wasn't cruising around as much and it didn't ate this morning. Just now I saw the flame lying down on the sand and breathing heavily. I have no clue what happened since the tomini tang was in the acclimation box and there was no other aggression in the tank.

I switched the tomini tang back to the tank and the flame angel is now in the acclimation box. Can someone help me on what's going on with my flame angelfish?

Below you can see a video of it's current condition.

PS - this sounds like a parasitic infection - maybe ask your seller. - Because it will also affect your other fish

 

[Lowlandreef]

Thanks for the information - the videos on R2R are not perfect - unless uploaded to YouTube can't see

I hope this works

Flame angelfish heavy breathing and lying down

youtube.com

 

[Lowlandreef]

1. Important to know 'what is their QT method.
2. Unless you can see obvious fin damage, etc etc - on the flame - I would not think aggression.
3. Instead - I would consider a protozoan infection (if you can - call the LFS - to document the problem - and ask them what their QT protocol is/was)
4. I would restart quarantine. Now. having said that - there are numerous reports of fish coming in - and being sold - and they were caught with CN-. Which means a death without a cause.

Can you provide more information? Thanks - and Sorry
Parameters are important here - salinity. - between their tanks and yours is as well

Thanks for your reply.

1. I don't know their exact QT method, I never had any issues with their fish. I normally put the fish in my QT for observation only. I keep them there for 2 weeks and if it looks healthy and eats well I transfer it to my DT. I have done it this way for at least 6 fish and never had an issue with it. All fish were healthy and started eating very fast.
2. I think you can see some damage on it's side, but fins look good.
3. I will contact my LFS tomorrow.
4. How can I treat the fish in my QT?

Parameters of my tank:
SG: 1,025
dKH: 10,2
Calcium: 430 ppm
Magnesium: 1440 ppm
Temperature 25,5 C (78 F)
Nitrate and phosphate are "undetectable". However, I have a refugium with thriving chaeto.

SG of my LFS water is also 1,025

 

[Tcook]

I don’t see any significant damage to attribute this to aggression as the lead cause and it is now protected in the box and looks moribund. Likely velvet or flukes. How are the other fish?

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[Lowlandreef]

I don’t see any significant damage to attribute this to aggression as the lead cause and it is now protected in the box and looks moribund. Likely velvet or flukes. How are the other fish?

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

That sounds bad
The other fish are doing well. All are eating and active.

Is there anything I can do for the fish?

 

[Lowlandreef]

He just passed away, I'm very sad about it.

I don't understand what happened, since it went so fast. For about a week he was fine and all of a sudden in a few hours he went from not eating to passing away...

 

[Uncle99]

I see one bite mark possible just in front of the tail.

 

[Tcook]

Sorry to hear. Keep a close eye on the other fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Can be flukes or intimidation from tang but there are Cyanide caught specimens showing up recently
If so, fish will appear to be in a daze, lethargic behavior, loss of appetite

 

[MnFish1]

as I said: "4. I would restart quarantine. Now. having said that - there are numerous reports of fish coming in - and being sold - and they were caught with CN-. Which means a death without a cause."

PS sorry about the death - when fish are in this condition - it's nearly impossible to save them - I would very carefully watch any other fish in the tank. for signs of a parasite - but as said - it could be CN

 

[Jay Hemdal]

He just passed away, I'm very sad about it.

I don't understand what happened, since it went so fast. For about a week he was fine and all of a sudden in a few hours he went from not eating to passing away...

Sorry to hear that it passed.

The angel looked perfect except for very rapid breathing and being moribund. There are two scenarios that commonly cause this; a strike injury or velvet (Amyloodinium). Do you see any missing scales on its head?

The best I can tell you is to watch the remaining fish's respiration rates very closely over the next 10 days or so. If you see any uptick, then you should consider that this is velvet.

Jay

 

[Lowlandreef]

Sorry to hear that it passed.

The angel looked perfect except for very rapid breathing and being moribund. There are two scenarios that commonly cause this; a strike injury or velvet (Amyloodinium). Do you see any missing scales on its head?

The best I can tell you is to watch the remaining fish's respiration rates very closely over the next 10 days or so. If you see any uptick, then you should consider that this is velvet.

Jay

Thanks for your reply Jay.

I didn't see any missing scales on it's head. A strike injury could be the case, but it was mostly flashing and intimidating behavior. The tang was already separated for a few days and the angel was doing very well during that time, could a strike from a few days ago still be the cause of the death?

I will keep a close eye on all the fish's respiration, thanks for the advice!

I don't have a lot of experience with treating sick fish. Would velvet mean that I need to put all the fish in QT with copper treatment?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks for your reply Jay.

I didn't see any missing scales on it's head. A strike injury could be the case, but it was mostly flashing and intimidating behavior. The tang was already separated for a few days and the angel was doing very well during that time, could a strike from a few days ago still be the cause of the death?

I will keep a close eye on all the fish's respiration, thanks for the advice!

I don't have a lot of experience with treating sick fish. Would velvet mean that I need to put all the fish in QT with copper treatment?

Yes, for velvet, copper in a QT is really the only viable option to treat.

Jay