Goby breathing hard in qt

[reefiniteasy]

Day 24 of copper @ 2.45ppm and I woke up to the Orange Spot Goby breathing very hard. I did an emergency water change and now I’m just observing. Did a small water change yesterday and another today. Water is oxygenated from sponge, HOB, and flow pump pointed at surface. Salinity is 1.025. Any thoughts to what may be going on. He has been in qt since Black Friday along with the Carpenters Flasher Wrasse that is doing great.

Orange Spotted Goby Breathing Hard

youtube.com

 

[vetteguy53081]

Day 24 of copper @ 2.45ppm and I woke up to the Orange Spot Goby breathing very hard. I did an emergency water change and now I’m just observing. Did a small water change yesterday and another today. Water is oxygenated from sponge, HOB, and flow pump pointed at surface. Salinity is 1.025. Any thoughts to what may be going on. He has been in qt since Black Friday along with the Carpenters Flasher Wrasse that is doing great.

Orange Spotted Goby Breathing Hard

youtube.com

Copper is a little harsh with these guy - Copper safe would have been better. Im curious as to what test kit you are using to monitor copper level which is at max
What is tank temp and salinity ?
add air stone to increase oxygen

 

[reefiniteasy]

Copper is a little harsh with these guy - Copper safe would have been better. Im curious as to what test kit you are using to monitor copper level which is at max
What is tank temp and salinity ?
add air stone to increase oxygen

I’ve been using Copper Power and the Hanna Checker. Tank temp is 79 degrees and salinity is 1.025.

 

[reefiniteasy]

I added some air stones. @Jay Hemdal any ideas?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I added some air stones. @Jay Hemdal any ideas?

That open-mouthed breathing, but not too fast, makes me think gill flukes. That would also explain the wrasse not having issues - some species of fluke are specific for certain types of fish, and maybe the wrasse is immune. You could try a 5 minute FW dip. There is a risk that will kill the fish, but if caught soon enough, the flukes get knocked back and the fish improves after a couple of days. then, you can follow up with a prazipro treatment.

There is a chance that this is a bacterial gill disease though, and then the FW dip won't help at all.

I really don't think it is the copper, you are testing properly and are at a good dose.

Jay

 

[reefiniteasy]

You could try a 5 minute FW dip.

I’ll give it a shot.

then, you can follow up with a prazipro treatment.

When copper is completed as per your protocol or now with copper?

There is a chance that this is a bacterial gill disease though, and then the FW dip won't help at all.

Can this spread to the wrasse and what is the treatment if bacterial?

 

[reefiniteasy]

Also, @Jay Hemdal what is the proper way to do a freshwater dip. I took a 5 gallon bucket and filled it with 1.5gallons of RODI and I am now heating it to match the qt tank. Am I missing anything else?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Also, @Jay Hemdal what is the proper way to do a freshwater dip. I took a 5 gallon bucket and filled it with 1.5gallons of RODI and I am now heating it to match the qt tank. Am I missing anything else?

RODI doesn't have good buffering. I always use dechlorinated tap water. Since you've already started with the RODI, just put a pinch of baking soda in the bucket for pH control. Here is some material that I wrote up about FW dips:

. “Freshwater dips” are commonly used to dislodge parasites from the skin of marine fishes. To perform these dips, the fish is captured and placed in a dimly lit container of clean freshwater the same temperature as the aquarium system it came from. Do not use reverse osmosis or deionized water, as there is no buffer capacity and the pH can drop too low. Dechlorinated tap water is suitable unless it is very acidic. The dip container should be covered with a clear material so that the fish is kept from jumping out, yet can still be observed for overt signs of stress. Hold the fish in the freshwater for five minutes to seven minutes. If acute stress is seen, the dip may need to be terminated early. The idea is to dislodge the parasites, without unduly harming the fish. Many aquarists opt to use reverse osmosis water, and adjust the pH to match the aquarium, but this is simply not necessary if the pH of the freshwater is between 7.5 and 8.5. Some advocate to not aerate the water during the dip, but this is incorrect. The water motion from air bubbles can help keep the fish active so that they can be better assessed for stress. Additionally, the air bubbles help dislodge some parasites during the dip process.

Some caveats:
1) Some fish will give extreme reactions to being dipped (hepatus tangs for example), as long as they were swimming well before the dip, it is best to ignore that behavior and continue for a full five minutes.
2) Moribund fish can be dipped, but understand that the acute stress from the dip may prove fatal. The dip water should still be checked for parasites in order to possibly help any remaining fish. Moribund would include any fish that was easy to capture or a fish with a respiration rate of 200+ BPM.
3) Choose the type of net wisely, some fish have spines that will become caught in the netting. Have a pair of scissors handy to cut the net if this happens.
4) Dropping a fish while moving it to and from the dip is common, take care. Some fish have venomous spines, so know that before trying to handle any fish.
5) Fish shaking their heads violently after capture is one cause of mechanical exophthalmos (popeye), so try to gently restrain them in the net while moving them.


Jay

 

[reefiniteasy]

RODI doesn't have good buffering. I always use dechlorinated tap water. Since you've already started with the RODI, just put a pinch of baking soda in the bucket for pH control. Here is some material that I wrote up about FW dips:

. “Freshwater dips” are commonly used to dislodge parasites from the skin of marine fishes. To perform these dips, the fish is captured and placed in a dimly lit container of clean freshwater the same temperature as the aquarium system it came from. Do not use reverse osmosis or deionized water, as there is no buffer capacity and the pH can drop too low. Dechlorinated tap water is suitable unless it is very acidic. The dip container should be covered with a clear material so that the fish is kept from jumping out, yet can still be observed for overt signs of stress. Hold the fish in the freshwater for five minutes to seven minutes. If acute stress is seen, the dip may need to be terminated early. The idea is to dislodge the parasites, without unduly harming the fish. Many aquarists opt to use reverse osmosis water, and adjust the pH to match the aquarium, but this is simply not necessary if the pH of the freshwater is between 7.5 and 8.5. Some advocate to not aerate the water during the dip, but this is incorrect. The water motion from air bubbles can help keep the fish active so that they can be better assessed for stress. Additionally, the air bubbles help dislodge some parasites during the dip process.

Some caveats:
1) Some fish will give extreme reactions to being dipped (hepatus tangs for example), as long as they were swimming well before the dip, it is best to ignore that behavior and continue for a full five minutes.
2) Moribund fish can be dipped, but understand that the acute stress from the dip may prove fatal. The dip water should still be checked for parasites in order to possibly help any remaining fish. Moribund would include any fish that was easy to capture or a fish with a respiration rate of 200+ BPM.
3) Choose the type of net wisely, some fish have spines that will become caught in the netting. Have a pair of scissors handy to cut the net if this happens.
4) Dropping a fish while moving it to and from the dip is common, take care. Some fish have venomous spines, so know that before trying to handle any fish.
5) Fish shaking their heads violently after capture is one cause of mechanical exophthalmos (popeye), so try to gently restrain them in the net while moving them.


Jay

Saw this a bit too late. Finished like 1 minutes ago. I ended up using RODI. I oxygenated the water with a stone for 30 minutes and brought it up to temp. Didn’t do anything about pH. I now know better for next time.

I put him in and he went rigid, mouth locked open gills flared and curled up. Figured he was dead. Even pulled him out to get a closer look. I then held him in the net in front of the flow pump in qt and within ten seconds he shots out of the net like a torpedo. I probably shouldn’t have, but I caught him and put him back in the dip for 5 full minutes. He wouldn’t move but was breathing in a relaxed state as compared to when he was in qt. When I put him back he swam around and went into a corner. I just checked on him and he looks to be breathing the same as earlier. I’ll try to get another video.

 

[reefiniteasy]

Here is the new video of his breathing.

Goby breathing after freshwater dip

youtube.com

 

[reefiniteasy]

Breathing has slowed down and he flipped over once. I righted him and he swam to a new spot. I don’t know. At least the wrasse is loving life.

The latest with my Goby

youtube.com

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Breathing has slowed down and he flipped over once. I righted him and he swam to a new spot. I don’t know. At least the wrasse is loving life.

The latest with my Goby

youtube.com

It will take 48 to 72 hours before the dip to show any benefit. There are complicating factors; if it is flukes, sometimes secondary bacterial infections come into play. Also, if the fish had lots of flukes, when they all drop off in the dip, that leaves many tiny holes in the fish's gills, and the fish can bleed out and die. Basically, the flukes act as little plugs, and when they are gone, that leaves holes. There is no way around that - if you leave the flukes in place, the fish will die anyway. I think this is just a waiting game now....sorry I can't give you a better prognosis!

Jay

 

[reefiniteasy]

@Jay Hemdal he is barely breathing and is just being blown around by the current. I’m just gonna get him out of copper into a bucket with an air stone. At least to get him away from the wrasse.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

@Jay Hemdal he is barely breathing and is just being blown around by the current. I’m just gonna get him out of copper into a bucket with an air stone. At least to get him away from the wrasse.

That sounds best, but not a good sign.......

Jay

 

[reefiniteasy]

That sounds best, but not a good sign.......

Jay

He passed. Thank you for all the help. I’m glad I QTed him. Would hate for my clowns to catch something from him. We would be devastated. My wrasse is doing great. I will finish out copper. Should I continue with prazi after copper? I have a Carpeneters Flasher Wrasse, do they fare well with prazi?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

He passed. Thank you for all the help. I’m glad I QTed him. Would hate for my clowns to catch something from him. We would be devastated. My wrasse is doing great. I will finish out copper. Should I continue with prazi after copper? I have a Carpeneters Flasher Wrasse, do they fare well with prazi?

I would run Prazipro after the copper, but aerate the tank well with an air stone during the treatment. I’ve never had issues with wrasse as long as I aerate well.
Jay