Long nose butterfly fish swimming problem

[EsMilos]

need Help, my butterfly fish is swim abnormally with his nose up or down
eat well
feeding on mysis, brine, squid, krill, bloodworm, algae
tanks parameter are normal

 

[MnFish1]

If you could send a picture - perhaps answer these questions - at the bottom of my signature. Is it new? etc etc

FWIW - It sounds like a bouancy issue - which can come from transport, from infections, pressure differences with changing water, or something else. It would help if you could give more information - perhaps most importantly a picture - with white/not blue light.

 

[EsMilos]

 

[EsMilos]

He is eating very well, had a little amonia spike But treated it whit prime (Fowler)
parameter are in check
salinity of 1.025
seems like he want to bang his head in the glass and he will swim vertically with his head onto the glass

 

[EsMilos]

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtube.com

 

[MnFish1]

He is eating very well, had a little amonia spike But treated it whit prime (Fowler)
parameter are in check
salinity of 1.025
seems like he want to bang his head in the glass and he will swim vertically with his head onto the glass

To me this suggests more swimming at /to a powerhead. At least the video - and thanks. This does not look like (to me) a bouyancy issue - as compared to velvet, flukes or another parasite - More information - or a closer picture would help - the erratic swimming might suggest flukes

 

[EsMilos]

The tank has no strong flow (18 time turnover) and the fish doesn’t have any wythe spot on him
tank you

 

[ying yang]

I'm no fish diesese/fish problem expert but from your description I initially thought some kind off swim bladder problem,but then watching video,it just looks like my coppeeband when I get close to tank circling underneath facing upwards where I usually feed tank at,so is it a new fish in a new tank I take it? As say had amnonia spike and used prime?
Asy copperband butterfly fish gets in some really unusual positions as he roaming around the rocks hunting lol
Ovniously banging Into glass not normal ( could be super clean glass and fighting reflection I guess)
But in second video,it looked like banged into rocks beak first which not normal off course.
But thought I just reply what thought and what sort off looks like ^_^

 

[EsMilos]

He’s not really banging into rocks hes is more like trying to go further.
it is my first butterfly so the possibillity of it being normal is alway here!

 

[MnFish1]

I'm no fish diesese/fish problem expert but from your description I initially thought some kind off swim bladder problem,but then watching video,it just looks like my coppeeband when I get close to tank circling underneath facing upwards where I usually feed tank at,so is it a new fish in a new tank I take it? As say had amnonia spike and used prime?
Asy copperband butterfly fish gets in some really unusual positions as he roaming around the rocks hunting lol
Ovniously banging Into glass not normal ( could be super clean glass and fighting reflection I guess)
But in second video,it looked like banged into rocks beak first which not normal off course.
But thought I just reply what thought and what sort off looks like ^_^

Agreed. More history is needed

 

[EsMilos]

He was purchased at a reef specialized shop
1.5 weeks ago
he only have a brown tang friend
eating well
parameters on spot except for the little amonia spikes treated with sea hem prime(I dose bacteria daily)
curve 7 skimmer

 

[MnFish1]

He was purchased at a reef specialized shop
1.5 weeks ago
he only have a brown tang friend
eating well
parameters on spot except for the little amonia spikes treated with sea hem prime(I dose bacteria daily)
curve 7 skimmer

Is not quarantined - I would say you should set up a hospital tank - If there is not a clear behavior problem (i.e. if it is getting better) - Then the choice becomes observation, copper of prazipro. So if I understand correctly you've had the fish for a week or so. No QT - If there is no mucus/spots - it suggest flukes #1, Velvet #2 - something else - improper acclimation - or another parasite.

 

[EsMilos]

Ok i did not quarantine beacause the tank was new
tanks

 

[MnFish1]

He was purchased at a reef specialized shop
1.5 weeks ago
he only have a brown tang friend
eating well
parameters on spot except for the little amonia spikes treated with sea hem prime(I dose bacteria daily)
curve 7 skimmer

Second - there should be no ammonia spikes in a cycled tank - and Prime may not be helping. There are calculators out there - to calculate free ammonia -(toxic) as compared to relatively non-toxic - total ammonia. There should be no spikes - so how you cycled your tank also comes into question, the tests you're using, whether you're using them correctly, and whether they have been verified. However - If it were an ammonia issue - I would think all the fish would be somewhat affected

 

[vetteguy53081]

need Help, my butterfly fish is swim abnormally with his nose up or down
eat well
feeding on mysis, brine, squid, krill, bloodworm, algae
tanks parameter are normal

Prime is an alternative and not a solution. For prepping water - it is great. It appears the fish is not in distress but resisiting what may be a strong current. I have not seen a skimmer unit placed within a tank but suspect you have no sump for which a hang-on skimmer such as IceCap K2-50 or 100 would serve same purpose and give your swimmers a little more room not to say it is a wrong application.
You ststed your parameters are in check. Can you provide numbers especially for ammonia-nitrate-ph and phosphate levels?
I can assume youre running a canister unit and am curious on the nitrate level.
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet?

Lastly - with the two occupants you have and the cleanliness of tank, how old is tank and how long did you cycle tank ?
As these are NOT beginner fish.

 

[EsMilos]

Nitrate 5
phosphate undetectable
amonia .25
nitrite 0
2 fx6
3 week cycle, this is not my first one
I did add aquaforest bio s bacteria and dosed to 2 ppm of ammonia
the amonia went down to 0 nitrite zero and nitrate 10
the nitrate went down after a moment and I started the skimmer, also added some cycled bio balls from my other fish tank,
i feed one cube of food per day.
the light is never on because I don’t need it.
can I stop feeding For 2 days and check the ammonia?
should I stop prime and bacteria dosing or stop the skimmer entirely?

 

[EsMilos]

Ph 8.1
running on rodi water

 

[EsMilos]

Ok so i tested my amonia kit and there is definitely a problem, I added a drop of pure amonia in my vile containing saltwater and the test was yellow so the test is probably faulty

 

[EsMilos]

I also tested my nano tank and the amonia was there, there was no change in that tank since 1 month so the test is faulty

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I also tested my nano tank and the amonia was there, there was no change in that tank since 1 month so the test is faulty

Welcome to Reef2Reef!
Longnose butterflies often follow surfaces when they swim, I don’t see anything alarming here, especially since the fish is eating.
For sure get a good ammonia test and ensure that isn’t a problem. Also, the long nose is a bit thin, try to fatten it up without overfeeding the tank. Also, that species of tang is really prone to ich if not quarantined, so keep a close eye on it.
Jay