Emergency! Firefish swim bladder issue.

[graffitireef]

So I woke up today noticing my usually healthy and fat purple firefish struggling to swim. He was fighting to keep his head down while his tail end wanted to float up. I had just done a water change the day prior but tested water today and noticed nitrites were very high. So Im currently about to do another large water change and rushed to get some Erase-CL by brightwell aquatics which I read can neutralize nitrite toxicity, bind it, and remove it from the tank. The fish still has a fat belly. Ive been feeding him rods food and switch it up with reef nutrition TDO chroma boost small pellets. He seems fine, just struggling to a little bit extra. He keeps going back to his burrow to rest and take a break and then will come out again. Could it be the nitrite or could he be constipated?

 

[ReeferWarrant]

How old is the tank? I've never had Nitrite problems post cycle, so this makes me think you dont have enough beneficial bacteria to help with the Nitrogen cycle.

Fish with nitrite toxicity will present with tan to brown-coloured gills and show signs of hypoxia such as gathering at the water inlet or surface. Changes in oxygen affinity and blood pH increase the movement of oxygen to the swim bladder. This can lead to buoyancy problems.

From "WikiVet"

Likely Causes

• Over feeding
• A sudden buildup of waste
• No nitrifying bacteria in the filter
• Weak filtration
• Overstocked aquarium

From "Fish Lab"

 

[graffitireef]

How old is the tank? I've never had Nitrite problems post cycle, so this makes me think you dont have enough beneficial bacteria to help with the Nitrogen cycle.

Its 2 months old, used dr tims one and only when i first started the tank. Its 13.5 gallons and tested regularly before adding fish when I felt I could add fish. Parems looked great up until today. It was also the first time I vaccummed the gravel. Didnt think that would cause a nitrite spike though.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Yeah probably released an Ammonia spike into the tank when you did that. Gas bubbles can form in the substrate, more typical with sand though. Probably had fish waste down there get circulated into the tank.

How many fish are in the tank? Whats your CUC consist of?

 

[graffitireef]

How old is the tank? I've never had Nitrite problems post cycle, so this makes me think you dont have enough beneficial bacteria to help with the Nitrogen cycle.

Fish with nitrite toxicity will present with tan to brown-coloured gills and show signs of hypoxia such as gathering at the water inlet or surface. Changes in oxygen affinity and blood pH increase the movement of oxygen to the swim bladder. This can lead to buoyancy problems.

From "WikiVet"

Likely Causes

• Over feeding
• A sudden buildup of waste
• No nitrifying bacteria in the filter
• Weak filtration
• Overstocked aquarium

From "Fish Lab"

His gills are discolored a bit. I threw in some airstones and am gonna do a large water change and see if it helps. Thank you.

 

[graffitireef]

Yeah probably released an Ammonia spike into the tank when you did that. Gas bubbles can form in the substrate, more typical with sand though. Probably had fish waste down there get circulated into the tank.

How many fish are in the tank? Whats your CUC consist of?

Just 2 fish 2 hermits and a nassarius

 

[ReeferWarrant]

When you do the WC I'd make sure you match the parameters as much as possible. You dont want to stress it out more than it is. I'd also watch your other fish, seems odd it isnt having issues either.

 

[graffitireef]

When you do the WC I'd make sure you match the parameters as much as possible. You dont want to stress it out more than it is. I'd also watch your other fish, seems odd it isnt having issues either.

Good news. After 2 days, 1 50% water change, adding a bottle of Bio Spira to new water, no feeding, and running 2 air stones my firefish is ok. Also, parems are back to where they should be, no ammonia or nitrite. Thanks for the support.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Glad to hear!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Good news. After 2 days, 1 50% water change, adding a bottle of Bio Spira to new water, no feeding, and running 2 air stones my firefish is ok. Also, parems are back to where they should be, no ammonia or nitrite. Thanks for the support.

Just to clarify, ammonia is the big issue for marine fish, nitrite is only toxic to freshwater fish.

Jay

 

[graffitireef]

Just to clarify, ammonia is the big issue for marine fish, nitrite is only toxic to freshwater fish.

Jay

Based on what Ive been reading, I dont think thats entirely true. Freshwater fish are more susceptible to nitrite poisening than saltwater fish. Nitrites can affect saltwater fish but at higher levels. According to what Im reading at least.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Based on what Ive been reading, I dont think thats entirely true. Freshwater fish are more susceptible to nitrite poisening than saltwater fish. Nitrites can affect saltwater fish but at higher levels. According to what Im reading at least.

No, nitrite is non-toxic to marine fish in the levels that can be naturally experienced. The sodium ions negate the toxic effect. The nitrite level is governed by the preceding ammonia level, so nitrite can never climb to toxic levels because the ammonia levels only go so high to begin with.

Spotte has a chart that shows trout in freshwater showed 55% mortality at 0.55 mg/l No2-N. Trout in seawater showed only a 10% mortality at No2 readings of 1070 mg/l - a level 2000x higher.


Jay