Regal angelfish lying on side gasping

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

Hi, trying to see if there’s anything I can do to save this fish. It’s a 4-5” grey belly regal.
Background- in 27g quarantine with 20lbs of LR. No ammonia, nitrites, nitrates.
Had him for 8 days. Store had him for 12 days prior. He’s been eating mysis great 2-3 times a day.
He had flukes on day 2. Got a freshwater dip which killed over 40 of them. Then waiting two days to make sure he was eating good. Started prazi on Thursday. He’s very bold always swimming around except today this afternoon. Started lying on side gasping. Nothing I can see wrong. Fins look good, no spots, color is good, face is darker colored than normal only thing I can see.
Looks like he could die anytime.

4FordFamily · Jan 21, 2018

It’s unfortunately too late, gasping for air indicates to me another ailment in the gills (perhaps velvet or ich did them in, or likely the flukes).

I wish I had better news or an idea to try, gills could be infected from damage, etc.

For some reason I want to say to try an acriflavin bath and or methelyn blue dip but I just can’t imagine it helping.

Any other symptoms? Almost all LFS now have velvet so the odds of it having velvet were high, add to the fact that I’ve not received an angel without it in at least a year... velvet can destroy the gills without showing other outward symptoms, I found that out the hard way a couple years ago when I first ran in to that strain..

4FordFamily · Jan 21, 2018

Being a fragile fish anyway, particularly indo (gray belly) it’s possible that the fish was collected with bad methods and was doomed to death no matter what... sorry I know none of this is what you want to hear!

Do what you can do increase oxygen for the fish for now, a bubbler or aiming powerhead at surface will help.

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

Today was the only day he didn’t eat. I didn’t run copper in the system. Tried to only treat if I saw a problem.
Quarantine system has been setup for maybe 4 weeks with live rock I use just for this. Between quarantines it sits in a small vat with heat and a power head. Normally 3-6 months between fish

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

Thanks for the help. Fish store only had healthy fish in stock. No sick fish in any display. That’s not the best indicator but it helps me feel more confident. I don’t purchase anything if I see a lot of sick fish.
I don’t have either of those meds. I have kanaplex, neoplex, focus, cupramine, praziquantel, Paraguard, formalin, and maybe api general cure

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

Not general cure, triple sulfa

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

Bubbler has been going cause of the prazi. 1400 hydor pump pointed at the surface the whole quarantine. Found him pinned on it a little ago so tuned it off

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

Being so healthy and active up till now is the sad part. He’s swimming upright at the moment. But lays on his side more and more. Wondered about cyanide being a grey belly but I have no experience with that.

4FordFamily · Jan 21, 2018

Most LFS have healthy appearing fish because almost all of them keep fish in low levels of copper to suppress symptoms, but not eradicate the parasites.

Also, many LFS move and sell fish before they can appear sick.

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

Right. Trying to learn more about this. Been quarantining fish for the last 6 years. Some go through great. Some die very quickly. Want to learn everything I can to give them the best shot.

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

I’m trying a formalin bath right now. He’s swimming around in the bucket like he should. Not showing any stress. It’s all I had so I’m giving it a shot. Making up 25 gallons of saltwater as well.

Humblefish · Jan 21, 2018

It sounds like he might have velvet, in addition to flukes.

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

What is the best treatment for velvet? I’ve never dealt with it before. Thanks again for both of your help

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

He’s in a dip of 2 gallons of his tank water with heater and bubbler. Formalin MS at 20 drops per gallon for 50 minutes

Humblefish · Jan 21, 2018

JTreef said:
What is the best treatment for velvet? I’ve never dealt with it before. Thanks again for both of your help

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/#post-2499437

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

Reading that now. Thank you

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

My quarantine was using live rock for filtration. This won’t work with copper or CP. So, I’ll take it out and let it sit fallow for a long time. Will the fish be okay if I set up a large bubble sponge filter and get a bottle of bio spira?

JTreef · Jan 21, 2018

He died. Thanks for the quick responses and help

Big G · Jan 22, 2018

Sorry for your loss. The strain of velvet going around in the industry these days is deadly without any of the usual warning signals. I lost a whole qt tank full of fish a few months back. Brutal. Between the collectors using cyanide and dynamite, and the industry using sub-therapeutic levels of copper to sell fish in decent looking condition, it leaves us reefers shaking our heads. It's discouraging at times that you have to setup an Fish Emergency Room for any fish purchases. Knowledge makes us wish we had more experience. Keep your head up JT. Been there.