Magnificent Foxface Suddenly Unable to Swim

[willisd]

I use tap water to do dips, that way I don't need to buffer it. If you use RODI water, you need to buffer it with baking soda, but make small additions and check the pH closely so that you don't miss the mark. It is going to be a very small amount - perhaps a pinch or two?

Jay

Petsmart is open and I am heading over there to pickup marine buffer so I can more safely match it.

thank you again for all the help jay. I will update once I’ve done the dip with any changes

 

[willisd]

I use tap water to do dips, that way I don't need to buffer it. If you use RODI water, you need to buffer it with baking soda, but make small additions and check the pH closely so that you don't miss the mark. It is going to be a very small amount - perhaps a pinch or two?

Jay

even after buying correct buffer getting the PH correct was a real pain and iterative process. I should have used baking soda like you suggested

I dipped him for 5 minutes and I do think I saw flukes in the treatment water. I wish I had taken better documentation of the bucket before to be certain but I took a video and pictures of the bucket and the fish post treatment



he does still look rough but his breathing appears to be less labored and he did swim around more. Personally I’m stunned he survived it and it did seem to provide some relief

something secondary I did not mention was the foxface was one to randomly gulp at the top of the tank like he was struggling to breathe at random times. I always thought it was strange but he had done it for so long it’s possible I had not noticed the behavior increasing. Flukes may have been more of an issue than I had perciced. Also the yellow tang had been increasingly secretive and swimming in the rocks which could have been an infection progressing

I could not find prazi pro at petsmart (unfortunately sold out) but I do have an older bottle. I plan to go to my LFS tomorrow when it opens to get some and discuss with my trusted LFS owner what his course of action would be in addition to the voices I have heard here and reached out to independently

@Jay Hemdal thank you again for all the help and guidance thus far.

 

[willisd]

The yellow tang sadly did not make it. I saw my leopard wrasse finally and he was acting strange and lethargic before jumping back in the sand

the remaining fish seem fine but I’m worried this is just a matter of time kind of thing

I’m debating if I should go with a prazi treatment and will be getting supplies to do so just in case shortly

 

[Jay Hemdal]

The yellow tang sadly did not make it. I saw my leopard wrasse finally and he was acting strange and lethargic before jumping back in the sand

the remaining fish seem fine but I’m worried this is just a matter of time kind of thing

I’m debating if I should go with a prazi treatment and will be getting supplies to do so just in case shortly

Sorry - I missed your post yesterday, I think it scrolled off my alert page.
I couldn’t see anything in the dip bucket, often you need to use a magnifying glass to see flukes. What are those dark marks on the yellow tang?
Yes - at this point, Prazipro or praziquantel is all I can suggest.
Jay

 

[willisd]

Sorry - I missed your post yesterday, I think it scrolled off my alert page.
I couldn’t see anything in the dip bucket, often you need to use a magnifying glass to see flukes. What are those dark marks on the yellow tang?
Yes - at this point, Prazipro or praziquantel is all I can suggest.
Jay

Would you recommend against rally?

from discussing with my LFS I realized on Wednesday that I did add a second heater for the cold weather and I’m wondering if possibly this could be due to stray voltage causing an issue in the more sensitive fish.

we all don’t seem to know what could have happened to cause this rapid loss of fish

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Would you recommend against rally?

from discussing with my LFS I realized on Wednesday that I did add a second heater for the cold weather and I’m wondering if possibly this could be due to stray voltage causing an issue in the more sensitive fish.

we all don’t seem to know what could have happened to cause this rapid loss of fish

I don't think Rally will help much, it's main attribute is that it is "reef safe" not that it is particularly effective, at least not against flukes. We do sometimes suggest it to treat Brooklynella.

Stray voltage is a "red herring" it simply does not kill fish since there is no ground, no electrical potential. True short circuits can be dangerous to people and to fish, but in modern homes with GFCIs they are not much of a concern. The way they kill fish is that the current flowing through the tank causes electrolysis and does something weird to the salts, making sulfates into sulfides, causing gray cloudy water and that can kill the fish.

Jay