scribbled boxfish quit eating and is twitching

[enthb]

Im new to the hobby and have a scribbled boxfish that has been in quarantine for 4 1/2 weeks. It has been active and eating from the beginning. I was using the observe approach before treating with anything as i know boxfish are sensitive and didn't want to treat unnecessarily. It was eating really good and I possibly was over feeding. It has white poop at times but it is usually after it eats scallops or silversides and it isn't stringy I almost treated for this at the beginning but it seemed healthy and it wasn't stringy. I noticed it also twitching at times mostly when it was eating. Its not rubbing against anything just a quick jerk back and forth.

I am doing small water changes 2 times a week. Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 Nitrates 10. Running a powerhead aimed at the surface and HOB filter. I have all medications on hand I believe but not sure where to go from here. I know when a fish quits eating something is wrong. The fish looks fine on inspection. Seems to be hiding a little more but still moving around. Goes toward the food but then doesn't eat it. I have been feeding some hikari sinking pellets and some frozen. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 

[Old Fritz]

It's twitching as it's eating or just randomly twitching? If it's the later it's a sign of irritation and probably ich, velvet, or flukes. If it's just twitching fight after it bites something it is probably just tearing apart the food. I don't like observation based quarantine as diseases don't always show visible symptoms and don't always immediately kill the fish.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Agree, fish that like to pick at things will tear they bite, which looks like a twitch.

If the fish is twitching at other times it most likely has a parasite. Flukes are my first suspect when I see a twitchy fish.

 

[enthb]

its twitching at other times too. It seems to be getting more regular intervals. What do you suggest I treat with I think I have most things on hand. If its something it needs to eat I will try but it might be hard to do

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Praziquantel for flukes. Prazipro or General Cure. I dont know if boxfish are sensitive to it , so check on that first.

Copper or CP for ich, velvet, Brook and uronema.

 

[enthb]

I don't see any signs of velvet or ich but like the previous poster stated it could be the beginning of one of them. should I start treatment for flukes and then adjust after if i need to? I have different forms of copper treatment on hand and general cure

 

[CuzzA]

Give it a freshwater bath per standard procedure and see if anything comes off.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Start with freshwater dip to eliminate possibility of flukes. If flukes were present, they will look like sesame seeds on bottom of bucket. If no flukes, a general cure will clear up issues.