Firefish labored breathing

[soreefed]

I’ve noticed my firefish displaying labored/rapid breathing. It typically swims out in the open but had been bottom dwelling and working less.

I have noticed it in the past frequently swimming against the flow of a power head.

It’s eating fine but I’m thinking it has flukes of some type. I guess my first course of action would be capture and fresh water dip the fish?

 

[Pickle_soup]

I have noticed it in the past frequently swimming against the flow of a power head.

I would agree with flukes here in its gills. Fresh water dip for temporary relief is not a bad idea, but I would go straight to Prezipro and try not to stress that fish out more than I need to. I'll bump it up for others thou. Did you add anything new at all to the tank?

 

[soreefed]

I would agree with flukes here in its gills. Fresh water dip for temporary relief is not a bad idea, but I would go straight to Prezipro and try not to stress that fish out more than I need to. I'll bump it up for others thou. Did you add anything new at all to the tank?

Thanks for the reply. I figured I’d need to get some prazipro and setup my hospital tank. I was thinking of doing fw dip to confirm flukes prior to treatment but as I understand gill flukes may not dislodge from a fw dip.

 

[Pickle_soup]

Any other signs? Flashing? Are all other fish doing well?

 

[Pickle_soup]

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve noticed my firefish displaying labored/rapid breathing. It typically swims out in the open but had been bottom dwelling and working less.

I have noticed it in the past frequently swimming against the flow of a power head.

It’s eating fine but I’m thinking it has flukes of some type. I guess my first course of action would be capture and fresh water dip the fish?

Swimming front of flow often associated with velvet versus flukes. With flukes you will see flashing/darting, labored breathing, clamped fins, loss of appetite and gasping at surface. A FW dip in tap water the same temperature display tank will offer temporary relief even for velvet.
You can treat with Ruby Rally Pro which will cover both issues

 

[soreefed]

Any other signs? Flashing? Are all other fish doing well?

Pink streak wrasse and possum wrasse appear to be as they normally are.

The firefish hasn’t displayed flashing and doesn’t appear to have any wounds on its body or face. This firefish was pretty beat up by my clown. I rehomed the clown a couple months ago and the firefish had been doing great since.

 

[Pickle_soup]

Swimming front of flow often associated with velvet versus flukes. With flukes you will see flashing/darting, labored breathing, clamped fins, loss of appetite and gasping at surface. A FW dip in tap water the same temperature display tank will offer temporary relief even for velvet.
You can treat with Ruby Rally Pro which will cover both issues

Wouldn't any serious infection of gills cause fish to try to get that extra relief from the powerhead since they are struggling with breathing?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wouldn't any serious infection of gills cause fish to try to get that extra relief from the powerhead since they are struggling with breathing?

Not necessarily. Flukes get into gill as does velvet which cause these behaviors and even excess mucus. The fish is labor breathing and appears to be seeking oxygen

 

[Pickle_soup]

Pink streak wrasse and possum wrasse appear to be as they normally are.

The firefish hasn’t displayed flashing and doesn’t appear to have any wounds on its body or face. This firefish was pretty beat up by my clown. I rehomed the clown a couple months ago and the firefish had been doing great since.

Have you introduced anything at all to the tank recently?

 

[soreefed]

Not necessarily. Flukes get into gill as does velvet which cause these behaviors and even excess mucus. The fish is labor breathing and appears to be seeking oxygen

I should clarify that the firefish has been exhibiting heavy breathing for 10-14 days, and swimming in flow of powerhead has been typical since I’ve owned the fish which has been around 5 months.

 

[Pickle_soup]

I should clarify that the firefish has been exhibiting heavy breathing for 10-14 days, and swimming in flow of powerhead has been typical since I’ve owned the fish which has been around 5 months.

@vetteguy53081 Could it be old age catching up?

 

[soreefed]

About a year ago I had a fire fish die. I posted about it here. Maybe related?

Fire fish died inexplicably

Hello All, i recently had a fire fish die in my tank. It was doing great then stopped eating for two days, and then became very sluggish laying on the sand bed. Once that behavior started it had died within 24 hours. my tank is 3 months old and the fire fish had been in the ta for 2 months...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081 Could it be old age catching up?

Thats a maybe but this type fish is a 3-4 year fish based on diet - water quality and low stress environment

 

[soreefed]

Also, over the course of the last 5 months I’ve brought my nitrate and phosphate levels from zero to .05-.1 phos and 5-10ppm nitrates. Dosing neophos and neonitro.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I should clarify that the firefish has been exhibiting heavy breathing for 10-14 days, and swimming in flow of powerhead has been typical since I’ve owned the fish which has been around 5 months.

10-14 days , flukes would likely have gotten to the fish with deterioration. Fish looks slightly thin but nothing to cause this behavior unless something internal has triggered such as edema but with it eating, likely not the case

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the reply. I figured I’d need to get some prazipro and setup my hospital tank. I was thinking of doing fw dip to confirm flukes prior to treatment but as I understand gill flukes may not dislodge from a fw dip.

I would skip the FW dip - rough to do on this species, and then, you won't be able to see gill flukes in the dip water without a microscope.

It looks like your tank has good water flow, but is there good aeration also? Do you have a protein skimmer on the tank, or something other way that bubbles are breaking the water's surface? You want to rule out high CO2/low dissolved oxygen first (but other fish would likely show if that was a problem).

Then - you can dose prazipro in your display - again, with good aeration, dose it twice, 8 days apart. You need to dose it for the actual volume of the tank, minus rock displacement. If you don't know that amount, try subtracting 15% from the total volume of the tank, but add in any volume from the sump.

Jay

 

[soreefed]

I would skip the FW dip - rough to do on this species, and then, you won't be able to see gill flukes in the dip water without a microscope.

It looks like your tank has good water flow, but is there good aeration also? Do you have a protein skimmer on the tank, or something other way that bubbles are breaking the water's surface? You want to rule out high CO2/low dissolved oxygen first (but other fish would likely show if that was a problem).

Then - you can dose prazipro in your display - again, with good aeration, dose it twice, 8 days apart. You need to dose it for the actual volume of the tank, minus rock displacement. If you don't know that amount, try subtracting 15% from the total volume of the tank, but add in any volume from the sump.

Jay

Ok that does make sense on the fw dip. I don’t have a skimmer on this tanks, it’s a 20g aio. I have two power heads and a mighty jet return. There’s a lot of surface agitation and my windows are open 100% of the day. Other fish appear normal and don’t seem to be struggling to breath at all.

Ok I was curious about this, I will do more research prior, but prazi is safe enough to treat the display with?

 

[Pickle_soup]

Ok that does make sense on the fw dip. I don’t have a skimmer on this tanks, it’s a 20g aio. I have two power heads and a mighty jet return. There’s a lot of surface agitation and my windows are open 100% of the day. Other fish appear normal and don’t seem to be struggling to breath at all.

Ok I was curious about this, I will do more research prior, but prazi is safe enough to treat the display with?

How is the little fella doing today?

 

[soreefed]

How is the little fella doing today?

No change for the most part. In fact it’s been acting the same way for sometime now not getting better or worse.