Sleeper Blue Dot Goby Gasping

[hmfaysal]

My sleeper blue dot goby had been gasping for the last 2 nights. It stays in its burrow all day long, after lights out, opens up the burrow and keeps opening and closing its mouth rapidly and heavily. I can only see it at night. I had this goby for a year now, 5.5 inches long, was very active and healthy prior to this. Its in a 100 gallon DT+25 gallon sump. Parameters are as follows

• NO3: 27.2 ppm
• Phos: 0.54 ppm
• Alk: 9.5 dKh
• Cal: 453ppm
• Mg: 1370
• Ph: Between 8.1-8.3

All other fishes, corals, inverts doing fine. The latest change I did was Lanthanum Chloride dosing in the overflow box to get back in control of the nutrients. I hope that did not cause this issue. Can you kindly take a look at the video and let me know? Sorry about the short video, I did not want to spook the little guy at his time of distress. Thanks in advance.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My sleeper blue dot goby had been gasping for the last 2 nights. It stays in its burrow all day long, after lights out, opens up the burrow and keeps opening and closing its mouth rapidly and heavily. I can only see it at night. I had this goby for a year now, 5.5 inches long, was very active and healthy prior to this. Its in a 100 gallon DT+25 gallon sump. Parameters are as follows

• NO3: 27.2 ppm
• Phos: 0.54 ppm
• Alk: 9.5 dKh
• Cal: 453ppm
• Mg: 1370
• Ph: Between 8.1-8.3

All other fishes, corals, inverts doing fine. The latest change I did was Lanthanum Chloride dosing in the overflow box to get back in control of the nutrients. I hope that did not cause this issue. Can you kindly take a look at the video and let me know? Sorry about the short video, I did not want to spook the little guy at his time of distress. Thanks in advance.

There is what seems like a bit of mulm and detritus on the bedding.
What is your maintenance schedule like and what is current ammonia level?
Would like to see rest of fish if possible

 

[hmfaysal]

There is what seems like a bit of mulm and detritus on the bedding.
What is your maintenance schedule like and what is current ammonia level?
Would like to see rest of fish if possible

I haven’t checked ammonia in a while. I do weekly maintenance on Friday, includes a 20% water change, testing parameters etc. I really haven’t gotten around to cleaning the sand bed yet. Can that be the issue?

I will check ammonia now. Will post back the results shortly.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I haven’t checked ammonia in a while. I do weekly maintenance on Friday, includes a 20% water change, testing parameters etc. I really haven’t gotten around to cleaning the sand bed yet. Can that be the issue?

I will check ammonia now. Will post back the results shortly.

It can be especially if you find your ammonia elevated

 

[hmfaysal]

It can be especially if you find your ammonia elevated

Just checked ammonia, seems to be 0 ppm. I only have API test kits available at the moment for ammonia.

 

[hmfaysal]

It can be especially if you find your ammonia elevated

Thanks for replying. I just remembered something. I added 17 different nassarius snails last Friday, to help me clean up the sand bed a little. Is my Goby starving? I feed a lot of food, a lot of sinking pellets for the sand dwellers. Hence the out of whack nutrients. I don't know. Feeling a little helpless

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for replying. I just remembered something. I added 17 different nassarius snails last Friday, to help me clean up the sand bed a little. Is my Goby starving? I feed a lot of food, a lot of sinking pellets for the sand dwellers. Hence the out of whack nutrients. I don't know. Feeling a little helpless

While possible, Pellets themselves are Not a proper diet although accepted and the fish is actually carnivorous and needs at minimum. . . . live brine shrimp and frozen brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, live black worms, LRS fish frenzy and other meaty diet. This was one of the reasons I was hoping to see rest of fish as I suspect it may be thin

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just checked ammonia, seems to be 0 ppm. I only have API test kits available at the moment for ammonia.

This kit always shows zero and a kit I have NO regard for. Please take a water sample to a pet store that Does NOT use Api kits and have them test for you and see what results they come up with and to compare with your readings.
I will never trust a $30 kit to sustain a couple hundred dollars worth of livestock.
Hanna and Salifert are much more reliable

 

[hmfaysal]

While possible, Pellets themselves are Not a proper diet although accepted and the fish is actually carnivorous and needs at minimum. . . . live brine shrimp and frozen brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, live black worms, LRS fish frenzy and other meaty diet. This was one of the reasons I was hoping to see rest of fish as I suspect it may be thin

That helps a lot, I used to feed one cube of frozen mysis/brine alternately every day. Due to nutrient issues, I changed the frequency to once per week. The fishes including the goby are pretty well fed and sized. None are thin, including a pair of mandarin dragonettes. All my other test kits are Hanna except this ammonia one. I never test for ammonia.

Thank you so much.

I will start vacuuming the sand bed one quadrant at a time, also will hide some frozen brine in the sand bed near the goby's burrow

 

[hmfaysal]

This kit always shows zero and a kit I have NO regard for. Please take a water sample to a pet store that Does NOT use Api kits and have them test for you and see what results they come up with and to compare with your readings.
I will never trust a $30 kit to sustain a couple hundred dollars worth of livestock.
Hanna and Salifert are much more reliable

I managed to capture another video of it breathing. Its pretty hard to watch. Kindly take a look at your convenience. Any help is appreciated.

 

[hmfaysal]

Also, one thing comes to mind, can rapid breathing a sign of being bullied? I have a mata tang, which has grown over 7 inches. And hovers over the goby's burrow most of the day (That's where the feeding window is). The Mata tang is a big bully, and king of the tank. I don't know, the goby and the mata tang were introduced at the same time a year ago. But lately the Mata bullies every inhabitant in the tank, and nothing can be done due to its sheer size.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Also, one thing comes to mind, can rapid breathing a sign of being bullied? I have a mata tang, which has grown over 7 inches. And hovers over the goby's burrow most of the day (That's where the feeding window is). The Mata tang is a big bully, and king of the tank. I don't know, the goby and the mata tang were introduced at the same time a year ago. But lately the Mata bullies every inhabitant in the tank, and nothing can be done due to its sheer size.

I'll take that Mata . . Lol
Aggression can cause heavy breathing but this is more than aggression breathing and what causes this labored breathing is:
-Gill Flukes but fish would have other signs I dont see such as yawning, scratching, clamped fins and inflammed gills.
-Elevated ammonia and/or nitrate (my suspect)
-with substance on bedding, possible low level toxins
- food or sand caught internally and constipation

Continue with plans to change water and siphon some of the bedding.

 

[hmfaysal]

I'll take that Mata . . Lol
Aggression can cause heavy breathing but this is more than aggression breathing and what causes this labored breathing is:
-Gill Flukes but fish would have other signs I dont see such as yawning, scratching, clamped fins and inflammed gills.
-Elevated ammonia and/or nitrate (my suspect)
-with substance on bedding, possible low level toxins
- food or sand caught internally and constipation

Continue with plans to change water and siphon some of the bedding.

Yeah, I will change water tomorrow. Checked nitrate and phosphate in the meanwhile. Nitrate sitting at 23.9 ppm and phosphate at 0.25 ppm.

At this moment, I cannot do anything other than water changes and sand vacuuming.
Thanks for all the help, appreciate it

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah, I will change water tomorrow. Checked nitrate and phosphate in the meanwhile. Nitrate sitting at 23.9 ppm and phosphate at 0.25 ppm.

At this moment, I cannot do anything other than water changes and sand vacuuming.
Thanks for all the help, appreciate it

Phos high- you want .04-.08

 

[hmfaysal]

Phos high- you want .04-.08

Yeah I was dosing lanthanum chloride via a slow drip inside the overflow to control phosphates. Stopped it right away after seeing the goby.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

When did you dose the LaCL? That can clog fish's gills very easily if you don't use really fine filtration. Of course, if the rapid breathing didn't start within say, 24 hours of dosing, than that isn't it.

Jay

 

[hmfaysal]

When did you dose the LaCL? That can clog fish's gills very easily if you don't use really fine filtration. Of course, if the rapid breathing didn't start within say, 24 hours of dosing, than that isn't it.

Jay

I started dosing 4-5 days ago, extremely diluted, very slow drip. Goby’s breathing problem started around that time, around 3 days ago.

LaCl is the latest addition to the tank, I reckon there is a correlation, in which case, I know the outcome isn’t positive. I really hope this isn’t the case.
Can something be done if it’s due to LaCl?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah I was dosing lanthanum chloride via a slow drip inside the overflow to control phosphates. Stopped it right away after seeing the goby.

This is definitely an issue and likely contributor. For the future, Reduce amount fed and even use a teaspoon of granular Ferric oxide (GFO) in lieu of LC.

 

[hmfaysal]

This is definitely an issue and likely contributor. For the future, Reduce amount fed and even use a teaspoon of granular Ferric oxide (GFO) in lieu of LC.

Yeah, will put back the gfo reactor back in. Also need to reduce feeding, though the fishes are used to quite heavy feedings, 4 times a day.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I started dosing 4-5 days ago, extremely diluted, very slow drip. Goby’s breathing problem started around that time, around 3 days ago.

LaCl is the latest addition to the tank, I reckon there is a correlation, in which case, I know the outcome isn’t positive. I really hope this isn’t the case.
Can something be done if it’s due to LaCl?

Different species of fish react wildly differently to LaCL - it really takes out tangs. I don't know what effect it has on gobies per-se. I also don't have a good handle on survivorship - I've seen tangs just outright die from it, but I don't know about a fish that is injured by it but doesn't die right away....

Jay