Borbonius Anthias

[chewy tabacca]

So I got this Borb from a guy out of town. I am a pilot so I picked him up, threw him on the plane and brought him back with me. Got home put him in the tank and he is just resting on the bottom. I have never got any deep water fish nor have I spent this much money on one. He is just kind of flopping around on the sand bed, no haze in his eyes, he is looking around all over, breathing seems normal but he isn't swimming, hiding or anything. The guy I got it off of said he has had him for 3 weeks which is why I went for it because of the bladder issues. I figured all would have been sorted out by then. He also said the borb did that for the first 3 days he had him too and it is normal. I got a hold of another guy that deals with high end fish and say this is bad news, bladder issue. No idea what to think. Thoughts?

 

[HotRocks]

Have you seen the fish swim at all? Is this intermittent or is the fish staying like this all the time? It does appear to be a possible swim bladder issue since he is kind of tail up, I do not have any personal experience with this species at all though. See if we can get someone that does.
@4FordFamily @Big G @Maritimer @Humblefish @melypr1985

 

[4FordFamily]

Have you seen the fish swim at all? Is this intermittent or is the fish staying like this all the time? It does appear to be a possible swim bladder issue since he is kind of tail up, I do not have any personal experience with this species at all though. See if we can get someone that does.
@4FordFamily @Big G @Maritimer @Humblefish @melypr1985

swimbladder issues typically manifest as a fish overly buoyant.

How did you transport? Acclimate? I suspect ammonia poisoning in which case a methelyne blue dip would help.

 

[chewy tabacca]

swimbladder issues typically manifest as a fish overly buoyant.

How did you transport? Acclimate? I suspect ammonia poisoning in which case a methelyne blue dip would help.

I picked him up in another town, he was there for 3 weeks supposedly. The guy said he was shy but eating. He was in a large bag, about 1 gallon of water and 1 gallon of air for about 5 hours. Then I flew him home myself. Put the bag in the water for about an hour. But 2 cups of water in ever 15 minutes. He already didn’t look well, I was able to just pick him up with my hand, no fight. Put him in a breeder box and shut my T5’s off. Once my LED’s started to get pretty dark I put him in the tank. He sank/swam to the bottom and hid behind a coral kind of under a rock. I went to work at 4 am and when I got back around 5 he was about a foot away at the front of the tank in the corner. The only time he moves is when my turbo hit him. And my blue leg hit him. He doesn’t really swim just kind of flops around. I seen him attempt to swim but only went about 4 inches. Every half hour when I look at him he has moved about a inch, or just repositions himself, like turned around or something. Right now the tank is dark, he is still back in the corner on his side but I can see his gills moving. Slow and methodically, no face pace breathing like if he had respiratory problems or was scared. He is breathing normally.

 

[chewy tabacca]

I picked him up in another town, he was there for 3 weeks supposedly. The guy said he was shy but eating. He was in a large bag, about 1 gallon of water and 1 gallon of air for about 5 hours. Then I flew him home myself. Put the bag in the water for about an hour. But 2 cups of water in ever 15 minutes. He already didn’t look well, I was able to just pick him up with my hand, no fight. Put him in a breeder box and shut my T5’s off. Once my LED’s started to get pretty dark I put him in the tank. He sank/swam to the bottom and hid behind a coral kind of under a rock. I went to work at 4 am and when I got back around 5 he was about a foot away at the front of the tank in the corner. The only time he moves is when my turbo hit him. And my blue leg hit him. He doesn’t really swim just kind of flops around. I seen him attempt to swim but only went about 4 inches. Every half hour when I look at him he has moved about a inch, or just repositions himself, like turned around or something. Right now the tank is dark, he is still back in the corner on his side but I can see his gills moving. Slow and methodically, no face pace breathing like if he had respiratory problems or was scared. He is breathing normally.

Also transport was in a styrofoam box with a heat pack. He says he ships all the time.

 

[chewy tabacca]

I did just read this online

A fish with Swim Bladder Disease would often swim horizontally with its tail higher than its head. Note though that some fish types assume this position naturally so make sure to check the breed of your pet. If they’re supposed to assume a straight position when swimming, then there’s a good chance that Swim Bladder Disease has set in.

 

[chewy tabacca]

So I have been doing a lot of research on this little guy and the general symptoms. He is having bladder issues. Apparently the tail up is the most tell tail sign. I was talking to a guy at the lfs that actually does autopsies on fish that for in the store. He was telling me to just leave it. He is at the bottom of the tank which is a good thing, he has a chance. If he starts to float I will have to do surgery on him as the last resort. With that being said I am studying up hard on fish anatomy so I make sure I hit the swim bladder rather than an internal organ. I hope he pulls through for both our sakes. I am no surgeon.

 

[K. Steven]

How deep is the tank? A swim bladder issue may resolve itself if the fish is kept closer to the surface (i.e., less pressure on the bladder).

 

[chewy tabacca]

How deep is the tank? A swim bladder issue may resolve itself if the fish is kept closer to the surface (i.e., less pressure on the bladder).

24 inches, that's exactly what that guy was saying, if he wasn't fully acclimated to the pressure when he came from the store, the fact my tank is 90 gallons more than where I bought it, it may have started the issues all over again.

So then my thoughts are, if I throw him in a breeder box, 2 gallons, when I throw him back in the DT does it start all over again?

 

[Maritimer]

Would it be possible for you to post a video of the fish?

I think it might help folks to get a better handle on exactly how the fish is moving.

~Bruce

 

[K. Steven]

24 inches, that's exactly what that guy was saying, if he wasn't fully acclimated to the pressure when he came from the store, the fact my tank is 90 gallons more than where I bought it, it may have started the issues all over again.

So then my thoughts are, if I throw him in a breeder box, 2 gallons, when I throw him back in the DT does it start all over again?

I think once the swim bladder reinflates and stays normal for an extended period of time, the fish is able to withstand more pressure. Quite surprising being that they are a species found in deeper waters, unless it's captive-bred.

 

[chewy tabacca]

Would it be possible for you to post a video of the fish?

I think it might help folks to get a better handle on exactly how the fish is moving.

~Bruce

I always try to post video, this app doesn't let me [emoji107]

 

[HotRocks]

Easiest way to share a video on R2R is upload to YouTube and post link.

 

[chewy tabacca]

Easiest way to share a video on R2R is upload to YouTube and post link.

 

[Eddie Rogers]

You could try to put him back in the acclimation box, closer to the surface

 

[chewy tabacca]

You could try to put him back in the acclimation box, closer to the surface

But then when/if he gets normal, and I throw him back in the tank won't he revert back to the same problem?

 

[Maritimer]

It almost looks as though he's stressed by the general hubbub of the display, and retreating into the corner. Is he able to come off of the bottom at all?

Swim bladder disorders usually present as the complete opposite - the fish is too buoyant, and struggles to reach the bottom.

~Bruce

 

[chewy tabacca]

It almost looks as though he's stressed by the general hubbub of the display, and retreating into the corner. Is he able to come off of the bottom at all?

Swim bladder disorders usually present as the complete opposite - the fish is too buoyant, and struggles to reach the bottom.

~Bruce

He doesn't leave the bottom, he also doesn't always stay in the corner, every time I look at the tank he has moved, whether he just turns around or moves like 4 inches. I agree with what you are saying about the opposite effect though. The tail in the air is the biggest question for me.

 

[chewy tabacca]

swimbladder issues typically manifest as a fish overly buoyant.

How did you transport? Acclimate? I suspect ammonia poisoning in which case a methelyne blue dip would help.

So I am having a lot of trouble finding methelyne blue, however what I did was set up a hospital tank. He still hasn't left the bottom of the tank and there has been no real improvement. So what I have done is got a 5 gallon pale, put some paragaurd from seachem in it, as well as prime from seachem. Put him in a dark room with one powerhead and a heater. I am hoping that will take out all the guess work. Lower pressure, fight parasites, and reduce ammonia.

Thoughts?

 

[chewy tabacca]

My make shift hospital tank