Lethargic antennata lionfish

[mpatterson42]

I have an antennata lionfish in a 180 gallon FOWLR aquarium with a 60 gallon sump. He's been in there since June. I feed frozen mysis shrimp to the tank every other day and he always eats a few of them when this happens. I also supplement feedings with live saltwater ghost shrimp once or twice a week. A few times I've gotten him to eat pieces of squid but my puffer and tuskfish usually get to it first when they see the tongs. He's always out perched somewhere in the rockwork. Today he didn't come out when I fed mysis. Later I saw him inside one of the caves on the bottom of the tank, this is very unusual for him. I thawed more mysis and sprayed it into the cave, he actually ate some and came out of the cave.

However, once he got out of the cave the tank current got him and started sending him across the aquarium, he seemed to have no control of his swimming. He eventually settled between a few rocks.

I was able to net him into a bucket with tank water, but he's currently either on his side or upside down. I have an airstone running in the bucket.

Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, nitrate 25, temp 80F, 1.022 salinity.

I did add a small (less than 2") humu triggerfish to the tank about a week ago, but I haven't seen any kind of aggression with it.

#fishmedic

Video caught in the current:

Video in the bucket, only a little movement from his back tail

 

[mcarroll]

Maybe try a freshwater dip, but honestly once they lose the ability to swim that's a very-not-good prognosis. On the bright side he's still eating though.

If you try to move him (eg for a dip) try to do it without removing him from the water. A catch cup, etc, should work....use a net only to guide him to the cup.

 

[winxp_man]

This looks to be neurological issues. Possible he ran into the glass or rock work being startles. The only thing I can think of that would come upon a fish over night. The fact the fish was just fine a day before and all of a sudden this makes me rule out diseases. I'm going by what you posted for info that he/she was good a day before to this. Most issues with fish do not jump start over night. You see progression of okay to worse.