Help please

[littlefoxx]

Polleni grouper came a little while ago. Water was ice cold, no working heat pack in there for her. Ive acclimated her to the DT as quick as I could since she was barely alive. Shes breathing more now but shes still on her side and cant swim. Picture is of her in the shipping bag and then her in my main tank inside the acclimation box. @vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal any suggestions to help her? I also have an airstone right next to her acclimation box.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Polleni grouper came a little while ago. Water was ice cold, no working heat pack in there for her. Ive acclimated her to the DT as quick as I could since she was barely alive. Shes breathing more now but shes still on her side and cant swim. Picture is of her in the shipping bag and then her in my main tank inside the acclimation box. @vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal any suggestions to help her? I also have an airstone right next to her acclimation box.

Cold water will lower the metabolism of the fish and cause this as will low oxygen. Turn lights off, add air stone and allow fish to take in the fresh oxygenated water. One concern will be the "plop and drop method" with acclimation which can often lead to osmotic shock but allow again to settle in under low light

 

[littlefoxx]

Cold water will lower the metabolism of the fish and cause this as will low oxygen. Turn lights off, add air stone and allow fish to take in the fresh oxygenated water. One concern will be the "plop and drop method" with acclimation which can often lead to osmotic shock but allow again to settle in under low light

Okay, just let her float too instead of holding her upright? Ive been holding her the right way to see if that helped her but she just floats after I let her go

 

[KrisReef]

Okay, just let her float too instead of holding her upright? Ive been holding her the right way to see if that helped her but she just floats after I let her go

I have seen many moribund cases that responded well to “swimming” the fish around the tank to get lots of water flowing across the gills until they recover from the bag stress.

 

[littlefoxx]

I have seen many moribund cases that responded well to “swimming” the fish around the tank to get lots of water flowing across the gills until they recover from the bag stress.

I was doing that for a fair amount of time. Im just letting her be for the time being to see if she recovers

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have seen many moribund cases that responded well to “swimming” the fish around the tank to get lots of water flowing across the gills until they recover from the bag stress.

Fish is not moribund but rather distressed. Moribund would be comatose and unable to eat and swim normal and likely will not recover

 

[littlefoxx]

I just checked on her, shes still sideways and floating at the top. When I put her upright and let her go she immediately lists to the side and floats up @vetteguy53081

 

[KrisReef]

Fish is not moribund but rather distressed. Moribund would be comatose and unable to eat and swim normal and likely will not recover

This fish looks extremely skinny, with a sunken in gut that suggests that it has not been eating much for some time before it was shipped. The stress from shipping should not cause it to look so emaciated. The lack of swimming activity, even after being handled by the OP, the lack of flight reaction as it is laying on top of the eggcrate in the image doesn't look hopeful for a quick recovery from typical bag transportation trauma.

I hope it recovers but the image provided doesn't look good for a positive prognosis in this instance.

 

[littlefoxx]

This is her now. That bend wont come out of her body though. Its like she tried to swim but cant straighten herself

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

This is her now. That bend wont come out of her body though. Its like she tried to swim but cant straighten herself

Whoa, that last picture looks like it’s really skinny….hopefully it’s just the angle of the shot.

Keep it in dim light, not totally dark, don’t try to manipulate its position in the water, and just give it time.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is her now. That bend wont come out of her body though. Its like she tried to swim but cant straighten herself

Again, let the fish settle - these events are stressing it out

 

[littlefoxx]

Whoa, that last picture looks like it’s really skinny….hopefully it’s just the angle of the shot.

Keep it in dim light, not totally dark, don’t try to manipulate its position in the water, and just give it time.

Yeah she is pretty thin… shes now upright at least but sitting on the bottom of the box. Shes also maybe 3 inches

 

[littlefoxx]

Okay problem. Were being hit with a big storm and we are already down to 18 degrees. Power is fine but the wifi went out (usually does) so this means my red sea lights go haywire. So they turned back on after I turned it off and they are not responsive right now

 

[littlefoxx]

Well she jumped out of my acclimation box and now is in a cave, so Im thinking this is improvement?

 

[littlefoxx]

Or not. Shes still listing

 

[vetteguy53081]

Well she jumped out of my acclimation box and now is in a cave, so Im thinking this is improvement?

Regaining stamina

 

[littlefoxx]

Regaining stamina

Shes upright now and hanging out with Ghost (snowflake eel) right now. So Im hopeful

 

[littlefoxx]

Im hopeful. Shes explored a few caves and doesnt seem to mind the eels and they dont seem to mind her there either

 

[littlefoxx]

So she seemed okay but was hiding and laying on the bottom this morning. I just found her dead. :( reached out to the seller. Poor fish, did all I could do