New Flame Angel staying in one spot

[th365thli]

I recently got a dwarf flame from an LFS. It initially explored my 65 gallon but since then has been staying in a specific "cave". It might venture out a little bit but otherwise just kinda hangs there. It also isn't really eating. I don't see spots or anything and the lfs copper treats it's water and I've had success before. I'm wondering is this normal new fish jitters or should I be worried.

65 gallon with 20 gallon sump.
Nitrates 0-5 ppm
Phosphates. 05-.1 ppm
dkh 7-8
Mixed with various fish and lps and soft corals
All other fish are healthy and lively

It's a 3 month old tank, going through the usual uglies. Went through hair algae and now going through some cyano which I'm dosing mb7 to help combat.

 

[th365thli]

December 24, 2022

youtube.com

Video in case attachment doesn't work.

Sorry about the ugly excessive epoxy for that shroom. First reef tank learning experience and all

 

[Cell]

What are the other fish?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

How it is swimming, doesn't look right to me for new fish jitters. It appears to be listing while trying to stay swimming.

Check the respiration rate per minute. The only fish I've seen do this in my tank, were seriously ill prior to me qting everything.

 

[th365thli]

Whenever it leaves the cave it seems to be swimming fine. I noticed the slight listing too but couldn't tell if it was just riding a current. It doesn't seem to be breathing super hard. The not eating worries me, it might show some interest but it won't eat.

Other fish are generally good citizens. Two clowns, firefish, six line, royal gramma, lawnmower, and black fin wrasse. The black fin is the biggest in the tank and it and the angel had a little nip battle initially, but now they don't bother each other. I wonder is still stressed about the wrasse?

 

[Cell]

If it's healthy it's likely being picked on. Set a camera up and observe if possible.

 

[th365thli]

I took a closer look again and I don't see any spots, but it does seem to be breathing heavy. I don't have a QT setup (my mistake) so I guess I'll just have to wait and see. All pet stores closed tmrw too.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I took a closer look again and I don't see any spots, but it does seem to be breathing heavy. I don't have a QT setup (my mistake) so I guess I'll just have to wait and see. All pet stores closed tmrw too.

Some things, like velvet can not show any spots until the disease is well progress. Sometimes the increased respiration is your only early indicator.

 

[th365thli]

Good to know. I've been obsessively checking on him, no change in behavior until just now, in which I couldn't find him, he must've hid somewhere else.

I set up a 10 gallon with a canister filter, however I need a heater which I won't be able to get until Monday most likely because of stores closed due to Christmas.

Along with that, without knowing exactly what might be ailing him, what are some treatment solutions I should get? I'm assuming for the QT I won't need to wait for a cycle? I can just do daily water changes?

 

[pshootr]

Some things, like velvet can not show any spots until the disease is well progress. Sometimes the increased respiration is your only early indicator.

Velvet is what keeps me prepared for the game. One little slip up and you lose everything.

 

[th365thli]

Unfortunately flame angel passed away overnight. I removed him immediately. Other fish seem fine, I just need to hold out until I get my qt setup. Lesson learned I should've qt him. Also will probably never by fish from that LFS again.

 

[LaloJ]

A few months ago I had a coral beauty angel that began to stop eating and hide inside the rocks, it also swam a little sideways and breathed with some difficulty, investigating a bit because it had flukes, so I took it out immediately and it I put it in a tank hospital and managed to get it going, so that happened to a fish with more than a year in my dt, I suggest you trust a qt tank and be prepared with a tank hospital. There is a lot of information about qt tanks here on the forum, it will be fun.

 

[th365thli]

A few months ago I had a coral beauty angel that began to stop eating and hide inside the rocks, it also swam a little sideways and breathed with some difficulty, investigating a bit because it had flukes, so I took it out immediately and it I put it in a tank hospital and managed to get it going, so that happened to a fish with more than a year in my dt, I suggest you trust a qt tank and be prepared with a tank hospital. There is a lot of information about qt tanks here on the forum, it will be fun.

Yeah definitely, first thing tmrw I'm gonna pick up a 30 or 40 gallon, a heater, and some treatments. I already have a canister filter. I think my little 10 gallon is gonna be too small for a proper QT, so I'll just grow something fun like shrimp or something.

My BIGGEST concern is the health of my other fish. Everything seems fine as of now but I've been obsessive today watching them. All depends on if the Flame Angel had velvet or not. Because I don't want my other fish infected. That can go south very fast. It didn't have any spots, and wasn't swimming against a powerhead, so I'm crossing my fingers. I stupidly disposed of the body before freshwater dipping it to see if it was flukes.

 

[LaloJ]

I'm sure most flukes lodge in the gills of fish so that might have been a great idea, keep your fingers crossed but just in case prepare your fish with a good feed as many times as you can feed them at throughout the day.

 

[th365thli]

I called the lfs and explained what happened, trying to get clarification. Apparently the sell tank the fish was in was at 1.015 salinity. My tank is 1.025. I only acclimated it for 45 minutes so I believe the rapid increase of salinity must have had something to do with its demise? Other fish so far exhibiting no deterioration of health *knock on wood*

It was my mistake not to ask what parameters the sell tank was, though if they were keeping the tank at such low levels I felt like they should've warned me. They did kindly offer to discount me a new flame angel should they get one.

What are the symptoms of rapid salinity increase shock?

 

[LaloJ]

It seems you have found your answer, to tell you the truth it's quite stressful for the fish the increase in salinity, I found this and I hope it helps you:

Salinity and osmotic shock

After reading threads abt adjusting salinity, I haven’t found a definitive answer of how much you can drop salinity in one go (For fish only). Is 0.002 ok? Or even 0.005? Completely hypothetical questions, just wondering.

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