fish breathing heavy

LAReefer4Life · Dec 6, 2021

I posted this on fish discussion forum but I wanted to see what the disease experts thought too. I newly acclimated angelfish, less than 24 hours and he has been breathing very heavy since I received him. He went through a 35 minute methlyn blue bath and then 2 hour rally bath. Last night he was more at the surface of the tank but today he is hanging more at the bottom.

There is more than plenty of aeration in the QT, I placed him in a sterile tank with plenty of media from my Display and tims one and only. I will do large water changes interim. Ammonia alert badge reading 0ppm.

I have not treated the QT with any medications as he was already stressed out enough and in bad shape upon arrival. I thought he had ammonia poisoning initially from the package he arrived in so I did a fast drip acclimation for approx 45 min.

His coloring looks great and there are no visible signs of parasites.

Any advice or words of wisdom?

much appreciated!

vetteguy53081 · Dec 6, 2021

Complements on very clear video
Add air via air stone
How was fish acclimated and for how long?
Have you checked ph- salinity-temperature and ammonia?
What are the numbers and what test kits are you using ?
Turn tank lights to blue to relax him a little

LAReefer4Life · Dec 6, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Complements on very clear video
Add air via air stone
How was fish acclimated and for how long?
Have you checked ph- salinity-temperature and ammonia?
What are the numbers and what test kits are you using ?
Turn tank lights to blue to relax him a little

Yes there are two air stones aerating the surface aggressively.

I drip acclimated but when he arrived he was on his side breathing heavily. I dripped acclimated for 45 minutes. After he was acclimated I discarded the old water he came in and did a 35 minute methyln blue bath and 2 hour ruby rally bath. Made sure he had an air stone and heater in the bath so the parameters didn't fluctuate.

All tests look good and I am using red sea test kit.

Ammonia 0
PH 8.2
Temp 78
Salinity 35.5

Turned off the lights all day and came home to find him in the same condition really.

vetteguy53081 · Dec 6, 2021

Im questioning the methelyene blue which is used as a Mild antiparasitic/antibacterial properties. It will possibly detoxify a fish that has been exposed to cyanide poisoning making it a good first treatments for a sick fish - IF THE FISH WAS SICK. More important is the amount that was applied before Ruby bath, You want to apply 1 teaspoon (5 ml) per 10 gallons . If it was higher than that - may have stressed te fish further.
The fish is as you know very distressed and questions its level of survival.

LAReefer4Life · Dec 6, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Im questioning the methelyene blue which is used as a Mild antiparasitic/antibacterial properties. It will possibly detoxify a fish that has been exposed to cyanide poisoning making it a good first treatments for a sick fish - IF THE FISH WAS SICK. More important is the amount that was applied before Ruby bath, You want to apply 1 teaspoon (5 ml) per 10 gallons . If it was higher than that - may have stressed te fish further.
The fish is as you know very distressed and questions its level of survival.

I administered the correct dosage. I went methlyn blue because I thought he might have had ammonia poisoning.

LAReefer4Life · Dec 7, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Im questioning the methelyene blue which is used as a Mild antiparasitic/antibacterial properties. It will possibly detoxify a fish that has been exposed to cyanide poisoning making it a good first treatments for a sick fish - IF THE FISH WAS SICK. More important is the amount that was applied before Ruby bath, You want to apply 1 teaspoon (5 ml) per 10 gallons . If it was higher than that - may have stressed te fish further.
The fish is as you know very distressed and questions its level of survival.

Thanks for all your feedback. Update: He is doing much better today. Breathing has normalized.