Help! Japanese swallowtail poss dying?

[cheltz143]

Just recently got into the hobby. Have a Japanese swallowtail angel that just started laying on the bottom of the tank and breathing hard. Was fine earlier today, ate and swimming fine. Have had her almost 2 weeks. Added a small yellow tang yesterday and everyone seemed to be getting along. Husband did some testing before this started and everything tested fine. Have a 60g with 2 ocellaris clowns, foxface lo, blue damsel, pearly jawfish, numerous hermits and snails.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Any pictures of the angel?

 

[cheltz143]

Unable to get a pic of her with my phone. We put her in a net so she wouldn't be on the bottom and the cleanup crew couldn't get to her. But she is basically just laying there and her gills are the only thing moving.

 

[GoVols]

Just recently got into the hobby. Have a Japanese swallowtail angel that just started laying on the bottom of the tank and breathing hard. Was fine earlier today, ate and swimming fine. Have had her almost 2 weeks. Added a small yellow tang yesterday and everyone seemed to be getting along. Husband did some testing before this started and everything tested fine. Have a 60g with 2 ocellaris clowns, foxface lo, blue damsel, pearly jawfish, numerous hermits and snails.

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef.

How long has your 60 gallon been running and has your husband retested for ammonia and nitrites tonight?

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Do this, tell us what you see. Calling in some help for you #reefsquad, but your angel is in critical condition. Do you have a QT tank?

 

[cheltz143]

Tank has been up since 7/2/17. Nitrites were good using tetra easy strips. Ammonia is ~ 0 - 0.25ppm.

 

[cheltz143]

Can I use filtered tap water for the freshwater dip? Do not have any RODI water.

 

[GoVols]

Tank has been up since 7/2/17. Nitrites were good using tetra easy strips. Ammonia is ~ 0 - 0.25ppm.

Hate to tell you this but those test strips are not all that accurate.
And ammonia and nitrites should be zeroed out.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

That tank is very young for that many fish... do you mix your own salt water or buy it from the LFS? I would get at last an API test kit, preferably salifert or red sea for ammonia and nitrite. Do you see any red near the fishes gills?

 

[GoVols]

That tank is very young for that many fish... do you mix your own salt water or buy it from the Las? I would get at last an ALI test kit, preferably salifert or red sea for ammonia and nitrite. Do you see any red near the fishes gills?

+1
Get the Red Sea or Salifert kits.

It could be ammonia spiking.

 

[cheltz143]

This is the best picture I could get.

 

[cheltz143]

If the ammonia was spiking would it be affecting the other fish?

 

[GoVols]

If the ammonia was spiking would it be affecting the other fish?

The pinkish area looks like an internal disease, that it probably already had when it was purchased and just now showed the signs.
I'm sorry for your loss.

But... If it were an ammonia spike the clowns and damels would be just fine. We used them back in the 70's and 80's to cycle tanks.
I'd keep my eye on the Yellow Tang and I'd stop using test strips for any water parameter testing.

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef and wish you all the best.

Regards, GoVols

 

[cheltz143]

The pinkish area looks like an internal disease, that it probably already had when it was purchased and just now showed the signs.
I'm sorry for your loss.

But... If it were an ammonia spike the clowns and damels would be just fine. We used them back in the 70's and 80's to cycle tanks.
I'd keep my eye on the Yellow Tang and I'd stop using test strips for any water parameter testing.

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef and wish you all the best.

Regards, GoVols

Thank you for your help. She is still trying to hang in there. Did see some tiny white spots on her tail when we first got her but they went away. And seemed to be doing great until today. Could it possibly be from stress.

 

[GoVols]

Thank you for your help. She is still trying to hang in there. Did see some tiny white spots on her tail when we first got her but they went away. And seemed to be doing great until today. Could it possibly be from stress.

Your Welcome,
White spot disease can be brought upon by stress or a weekend immune system from a pre-existing disease.

White spot disease can be in a reef for a very long time but a strong and healthy fish can (for the most part) fight it off.

If you don't add any new fish for a very long time then white spot may not be there.

It's always good to run a separate quarantine tank for newly bought fish so if a problem comes up, then you can treat that fish and try to bring it back to health before it hits your main display.

Most things you have to treat for will kill your corals and can spread to your healthy fish.

Anytime you add a new fish or coral and you do not quarantine, your putting your main display at risk for some kind of outbreak.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

This is the best picture I could get.

That looks like a bacterial infection and maybe internal parasites. Have toy seen that fish make a bowel movement? Is it normal brown poo or white and stringy? Sorry, I'm not the best at treatments so I won't try and advise which medicine to use. @Humblefish or @melypr1985 would be two people who would know.

 

[cheltz143]

That looks like a bacterial infection and maybe internal parasites. Have toy seen that fish make a bowel movement? Is it normal brown poo or white and stringy? Sorry, I'm not the best at treatments so I won't try and advise which medicine to use. @Humblefish or @melypr1985 would be two people who would know.

Thank you for your help.
Sadly she didn't make it. But I never personally saw her bowel movement. We had her for about 2 weeks and she was fine until today.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Thank you for your help.
Sadly she didn't make it. But I never personally saw her bowel movement. We had her for about 2 weeks and she was fine until today.

Sorry for your loss. Please do yourself a favor and pick up some red sea or salifert tests and keep a close eye on your other fish.

 

[Maritimer]

Sad to hear the fish didn't make it . . . that's a harsh way to begin what should be a beautiful hobby.

The mark on her side looks like either a bacterial infection or Uronema. Most healthy fish can fight off either of those things, but a fish whose immune system is already compromised can fall victim.

Bacterial infections should be treated with antibiotics in a quarantine tank. Uronema is a tough bugger ... A freshwater dip, followed by a formalin dip or Acrivlavin dip, and that followed by treatment with CP or Metronidazole, again in a quarantine tank, _may_ help against the disease. Part of the problem with both bacteria and Uronema is that they're not _obligate_ parasites. They can be present in the aquarium at all times. With bacteria, we pretty much expect that ... but Uronema is one of those things you want to keep out of your tank if you can. (Another good reason to QT all incoming fish.)

Humblefish has a terrific write-up on bacteria and how to deal with it here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bacterial-infections.191511/#post-2196167

and on Uronema marinum here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/uronema-marinum.247940/#post-2913295

~Bruce

 

[jsker]

You have gotten some great advice here. Sorry for your loss.