Copperband laying down with heavy breathing. Help

[Herbie's Reef]

I have had this copperband for the past few days in an acclimation box made from eggcrate. He has been eating ok. He pecks at and eats a couple pieces of food each time I feed. He has seemed to be doing fine until I woke up this morning to find him laying on his side with extreme heavy breathing and no interest in food anymore. Attached below is a video of this behavior. He was not quarantined as I didn't want to risk a qt with an already sensitive copperband. Thank You.

 

[Herbie's Reef]

He is starting to swim around a little bid but is still breathing heavy and not being very active.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have had this copperband for the past few days in an acclimation box made from eggcrate. He has been eating ok. He pecks at and eats a couple pieces of food each time I feed. He has seemed to be doing fine until I woke up this morning to find him laying on his side with extreme heavy breathing and no interest in food anymore. Attached below is a video of this behavior. He was not quarantined as I didn't want to risk a qt with an already sensitive copperband. Thank You.

Sorry to see that!

The fish is moribund, close to death, so there isn't anything that you can really do for it as this point. It is VERY thin, and so, if you've only had it a few days, it was mostly starved when you got it. The rapid breathing may be due to it being moribund, but it could also have some gill disease.

As a side note - I avoid keeping CBB in egg crate as it is rough on their snout (see how in the second video, it is poking its snout through the holes?).

Jay

 

[Herbie's Reef]

Sorry to see that!

The fish is moribund, close to death, so there isn't anything that you can really do for it as this point. It is VERY thin, and so, if you've only had it a few days, it was mostly starved when you got it. The rapid breathing may be due to it being moribund, but it could also have some gill disease.

As a side note - I avoid keeping CBB in egg crate as it is rough on their snout (see how in the second video, it is poking its snout through the holes?).

Jay

Is there anything i could try? I have just released him into my tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is there anything i could try? I have just released him into my tank.

Often when moribund there is nothing you can add or do as they are in essence deteriorating. Any injury on fish body from eggcrate?
You can try adding oxygen with air stone to perk it up but often makes no difference.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Is there anything i could try? I have just released him into my tank.

That would be the only thing I can think of…..
Jay