Help diagnosing my royal gramma?

[DaReef]

Hi everybody!

My royal gramma has been flashing and "yawning" recently and so I'm trying to figure out what the problem might be. He's eating very well and seems to be acting normal, except for the flashing and yawning. I've noticed some white spots on his fins, as well as some scales missing from the sides of his body (likely due to the scratching). I assumed it was flukes but after a first round of prazipro and waiting a week there is no change.
I'm definitely still going ahead with a second round of prazi just in case, but I'm worried if maybe this could be ich instead?
I have a cardinalfish in the tank as well who has no symptoms at all. Additionally, the water parameters are pretty good (nitrates 1-2ppm, phosphates ~0.05ppm). Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi everybody!

My royal gramma has been flashing and "yawning" recently and so I'm trying to figure out what the problem might be. He's eating very well and seems to be acting normal, except for the flashing and yawning. I've noticed some white spots on his fins, as well as some scales missing from the sides of his body (likely due to the scratching). I assumed it was flukes but after a first round of prazipro and waiting a week there is no change.
I'm definitely still going ahead with a second round of prazi just in case, but I'm worried if maybe this could be ich instead?
I have a cardinalfish in the tank as well who has no symptoms at all. Additionally, the water parameters are pretty good (nitrates 1-2ppm, phosphates ~0.05ppm). Any help is greatly appreciated!

I see some suspicious diffuse spots on the fish's caudal fin - that looks like ich.
It is possible that the gramma has ich and flukes at the same time.

Do you have a treatment tank available?

Jay hemdal

 

[MnFish1]

@Jay Hemdal
How long have you had the fish?
Another other additions?
Any other fish in the tank sick?

 

[DaReef]

I see some suspicious diffuse spots on the fish's caudal fin - that looks like ich.
It is possible that the gramma has ich and flukes at the same time.

Do you have a treatment tank available?

Jay hemdal

Yeah the spots on the caudal fin are what made me think it might be ich. I do have a hospital tank I can use, however catching it will be tricky. I may have to do this though.

 

[DaReef]

@Jay Hemdal
How long have you had the fish?
Another other additions?
Any other fish in the tank sick?

I've had the gramma for about 6 months, with no new fish since. My only other fish in the tank (cardinalfish) is not showing any symptoms.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I've had the gramma for about 6 months, with no new fish since. My only other fish in the tank (cardinalfish) is not showing any symptoms.

With ich, not all of the fish may come down with it at one time, and some fish may end up being mostly resistant.

Catching the gramma is going to be tough. I've had people kill fish from the stress of getting them out of a tank. In some instances, people find it easier to move the invertebrates out and just treat their DT with hypo.

Jay

 

[Uncle99]

Doesn’t look like an advanced case if it is.
I would do nothing but carefully observe and just be ready if things go south.
Sometimes doing less, is more.