Disease ID fish breathing fast - VIDEO

[servus]

Check the video, fish are in QT, did a freshwater bath yesterday with all of them. The two tangs are mostly affected. Tank medicated with copper terapeutic level. Formalin on order, arriving in 10 days. What can I do? I have seen worse fish at the LFS coming back from it.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What copper are you running, what is the level and how long has it been at that level?

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

Clear case of ich.
Also let Jay know what copper test kit youre using ( Hopefully you are using a test kit)

 

[MnFish1]

Clear case of ich.
Also let Jay know what copper test kit youre using ( Hopefully you are using a test kit)

I was going to say velvet - but its certainly a case that needs an urgent treatment (i.e copper levels)

 

[servus]

Using copper power. Because of the wrasse, I raised it over the last week. Since yesterday I am at 1 ounce per 20 gallons, that would be for 2.5ppm. I have the Hanna checker, will test and get back in a few minutes.

 

[servus]

Checked: 2.48 copper.

Thanks for the help, guys! I was thinking it might be something on top of ich that I should take care of.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Using copper power. Because of the wrasse, I raised it over the last week. Since yesterday I am at 1 ounce per 20 gallons, that would be for 2.5ppm. I have the Hanna checker, will test and get back in a

A week is too slow to raise copper power. The time spent below 2.0 lets the parasites gain a strong foothold, and then, it takes 3 to 4 days at full copper to get things reversed.

Wrasse are sensitive to ionic copper/citric acid but not copper power or coppersafe.
I raise copper in two doses, but that is just to ensure I hit the dose correctly. Dealers put new fish into full copper all the time with no issues.
This is one of those bad bits of advice (like drip acclimation) that just will not go away….

Jay

 

[servus]

Thanks, Jay!
Whatever happens I will keep that in mind for future quarantines. Too much info on the web, didn't want to kill the wrasse.
Thanks for the advice!

 

[servus]

Gave them a freshwater bath, purchased formalin and hydroflex and will use them as needed.

Outcome: brown tang dead unfortunately, all others doing fine, including the blue tang.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Gave them a freshwater bath, purchased formalin and hydroflex and will use them as needed.

Outcome: brown tang dead unfortunately, all others doing fine, including the blue tang.

Have the spots gone away yet, or are they beginning to do so?

Jay

 

[kadamik]

A week is too slow to raise copper power. The time spent below 2.0 lets the parasites gain a strong foothold, and then, it takes 3 to 4 days at full copper to get things reversed.

Wrasse are sensitive to ionic copper/citric acid but not copper power or coppersafe.
I raise copper in two doses, but that is just to ensure I hit the dose correctly. Dealers put new fish into full copper all the time with no issues.
This is one of those bad bits of advice (like drip acclimation) that just will not go away….

Jay

@jay

Would love to here more about this! "bad bits of advice (like drip acclimation) " I am going to be getting some more fish nexst week and would like to here what you think is best to acclimate.

thanks
Keith

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

@jay

Would love to here more about this! "bad bits of advice (like drip acclimation) " I am going to be getting some more fish nexst week and would like to here what you think is best to acclimate.

thanks
Keith

Ah, it’s complicated. Many fish are shipped at low salinity. You should match the salinity in a QT as opposed to trying to slowly acclimate the fish up (say 1.019 to 1.025 - that is too much of a rise at one time). Then, if the fish was shipped to you overnight, ammonia will have built up in the bag, but the pH will have dropped, making the ammonia non toxic, drip acclimation raises the pH faster than the ammonia is diluted, rendering it more toxic.
Jay

 

[servus]

@kadamik
Absolutely take the fish out of the bag after opening the bag, no drip. ...what @Jay Hemdal said.

All the ich spots are gone. There is some scarring after the pretty bad infection, but he's clearing up nicely!!

 

[servus]

3 weeks or therapeutic copper, today I tried to put the guys in the large tank . I pulled the blue and the fox for a bath and a dip, and here's what I saw (see videos below).

This is surprising... any thoughts? Fish are back in the QT with copper. Over the tree weeks I did 3 measurements, copper 2-2.2 ppm with the Hannah checker. This doesn't make sense.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

3 weeks or therapeutic copper, today I tried to put the guys in the large tank . I pulled the blue and the fox for a bath and a dip, and here's what I saw (see videos below).

This is surprising... any thoughts? Fish are back in the QT with copper. Over the tree weeks I did 3 measurements, copper 2-2.2 ppm with the Hannah checker. This doesn't make sense.

I’m confused - the fish had no spots and weren’t breathing heavy before the dip?
We’re they eating prior to the dip?
Did you have to chase them a lot to catch them?
Jay

 

[servus]

I am also confused:
- both fish are eating properly, frozen and/or dry foods
- both fish had spots before the dip
- neither fish had spots the day prior
- tank being in the garage, both fish get "scared" everytime the door opens, lights turn on,...
- neither fish breathing heavily
- neither fish easy to catch, they are pretty active

 

[Tamberav]

This is one of those bad bits of advice (like drip acclimation) that just will not go away….

Jay

THANK YOU

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I am also confused:
- both fish are eating properly, frozen and/or dry foods
- both fish had spots before the dip
- neither fish had spots the day prior
- tank being in the garage, both fish get "scared" everytime the door opens, lights turn on,...
- neither fish breathing heavily
- neither fish easy to catch, they are pretty active

Just a side note - always give fish dips one to a container - especially with foxface since they have venomous spines.

So - I'm still not clear on the timline - the fish are back in copper after the dip. They are not breathing fast, but are eating and do have spots?

Jay

 

[servus]

So - I'm still not clear on the timline - the fish are back in copper after the dip. They are not breathing fast, but are eating and do have spots?

3 weeks ago freshwater dip, then copper. Yesterday, freshwater dip and back into copper. You are correct about breathing (might be a bit faster than in a regular tank, but nothing that would concern me), eating and spots.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

3 weeks ago freshwater dip, then copper. Yesterday, freshwater dip and back into copper. You are correct about breathing (might be a bit faster than in a regular tank, but nothing that would concern me), eating and spots.

O.K., well, I don't have anything to tell you in regards to trying something different....sorry!

The hepatus tang may just have mucus plugs, those are usually a bit larger, but they are common in that species during/after copper treatments.

Jay