Bangiah Cardinal fish swimming vertically

22man25 · Nov 13, 2020

Hello! I am new to the community and was hoping people with more experience than myself would be able to help me understand what is happening to my Cardinal fish. I have had my aquarium for about two months and just recently started placing corals. About 3 days ago glued a frag to a peice of life rock. While doing so, the Cardinal fish ate a small peice of glue. He stopped eating and I began to worry. Today he is swimming verticaly, looks as if he is gasping for air, and perhaps having a harder time swimming but I am not sure. I know these are symptoms of Fish Bladder disease or failer and there can be many causes. But, as I explained earlier he did eay a bit of glue not too long ago. I tested the water and my parameters are good so I know the water isn't the cause.

How do you guys think I should go about the situation and what do you think the cause of this behavior is?

Jay Hemdal · Nov 13, 2020

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

The eating of the glue may be coincidental. Fish generally don't swallow inedible bits, but I suppose it could happen. Is the fish's eye protruding a bit more than normal? Any chance you can post a short video?

Thanks,

Jay

22man25 · Nov 14, 2020

The poor guy died about 5hrs after I posted so I can't get a video. Yes, I did notice his eyes were bulged out a bit. All my other fish are doing great. I am willing to accept the loss but I can't accept not knowing what was the cause of it haha. What do you think the protruded eyes were a sign of?

Thank you.

Jay Hemdal · Nov 14, 2020

Sorry to hear about the loss.

I wonder about some sort of mechanical damage? That very often causes exopthalmia (popeye) and if you look at the photo, the black stripe through the eye doesn't match up with the black eye through the body, like it's about 45 degrees off, like something set it askew. Was the other eye normal?

Jay