Help! Dottyback gasping and hiding in rocks

[CSoup]

Hello! My orchid dottyback was doing just fine about two days ago but now he seems to be hiding much more than usual in the live rock and when I have seen him (rarely) he has been breathing heavily and rapidly. Tank params fine 0 ammonia 0 nitrite 5 nitrate ph 8.3 SG 1.024

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

shy fish usually means parasite or aggressor was fish qt before placing in tank?

 

[Big G]

HIding (from light), rapid breathing are a couple of the symptoms of velvet. More info:

Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum)

Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) What You Need To Know: * Fast killing parasite capable of wiping out most of your fish in just a matter of days. Sometimes there are survivors, sometimes not. * Can be treated in a quarantine tank using Chloroquine phosphate or Copper. A 5...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[CSoup]

shy fish usually means parasite or aggressor was fish qt before placing in tank?

He was QT but hes been in the tank for about 2 months now without incident

 

[CSoup]

HIding (from light), rapid breathing are a couple of the symptoms of velvet. More info:

Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum)

Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) What You Need To Know: * Fast killing parasite capable of wiping out most of your fish in just a matter of days. Sometimes there are survivors, sometimes not. * Can be treated in a quarantine tank using Chloroquine phosphate or Copper. A 5...

www.reef2reef.com

Would you recommend me to do a FW dip just to be safe? I really dont think its velvet because hes been fine for a couple months and I have not added anything new to the tank.

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

without a pic and positive id its a wild shot. Most likely some parasite velvet or ich etc or could be any other.

 

[CSoup]

without a pic and positive id its a wild shot. Most likely some parasite velvet or ich etc or could be any other.

True. Thanks for the help.

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

if you can catch it and do freshwater dip, take a few pics and post.

 

[Big G]

Would you recommend me to do a FW dip just to be safe? I really dont think its velvet because hes been fine for a couple months and I have not added anything new to the tank.

The rapid breathing is a concern. A FW dip would either confirm or eliminate flukes as the problem. And if it's velvet, the FW dip will relieve the fish of many of the parasites.

 

[CSoup]

The rapid breathing is a concern. A FW dip would either confirm or eliminate flukes as the problem. And if it's velvet, the FW dip will relieve the fish of many of the parasites.

Okay I have never done a freshwater dip any tips on how it should be done?

 

[CSoup]

Sadly, hes not looking too good after 20 mins back after the dip. I acclimated him just like the video said and all but i think im going to lose this poor guy. Not sure what it is that made him sick

FYI - No parasites came of in the 3 minute dip while he was swimming in the rodi water

 

[CSoup]

The rapid breathing is a concern. A FW dip would either confirm or eliminate flukes as the problem. And if it's velvet, the FW dip will relieve the fish of many of the parasites.

Since the dip he has come out of his rock and is lying on his side on the sand bed. He is still gasping so im not sure what to do

 

[CSoup]

if you can catch it and do freshwater dip, take a few pics and post.

Heres a picture of him after the dip. still gasping but out of the rock

 

[Fowler freak]

FW dip is really all you can do safely at the moment. Hope he pulls thru

 

[CSoup]

FW dip is really all you can do safely at the moment. Hope he pulls thru

unfortunately he passed away this morning but I’m going to try and find what happened

 

[Fowler freak]

I’m sorry

 

[jkap]

Did you ever determine the cause? Mine is doing the same thing. All the other fish are fine and parameters are normal. He just lays on the sand, propped against the glass and gasping for the last 5 days. I've had him for about 3 months and he's been fine until now. Its also been about a month since I last added any livestock.

I will probably set up a hospital tank tonight and do a freshwater dip before transferring him.

 

[CSoup]

Never determined the cause but I suspect it was parasites or poor water parameters since I was an amateur at the time and still learning today...

 

[jkap]

Mine didn't make it very long after the dip. I think it was definitely something with his gills. I didn't see anything in the dip container so maybe it was bacterial or fungal??

 

[CSoup]

Mine didn't make it very long after the dip. I think it was definitely something with his gills. I didn't see anything in the dip container so maybe it was bacterial or fungal??

Same happened to me, at this point I’m unsure of what it was.