New fish from Dr. quarantined in bad shape

[Creggers]

First and foremost lemme say I do not believe that quarantinedfish.com is in any way at fault for what happened during shipping.

I ordered three fish and drip accumulated them for 40 minutes until the salinity in the bucket matched the DT. Also made sure temp matched closely (within less than 1 degree)

Added the fish and immediately noticed the one larger clown couldn’t handle the flow in the tank so I shut all pumps off and only ran the return. Unfortunately he couldn’t right himself as if he had swim bladder issues. I pulled him and put him in a specimen container with some holes drilled and he’s been there ever since.

I’ve seen freshwater fish like this in the past, laying on side and flailing around and they usually don’t make it. I’m pretty upset as I hate seeing things suffer so I’m here in a last ditch effort to see if you guys recommend anything. Unfortunately only place I can go is the local petco, so the only meds I have are when they offer there (api branded). I do have some fish mox but I don’t know if antibiotics would help.

Including a photo cause I really love the way this little girl looks.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What was the salinity of the bag water compared to the salinity of the tank? How long was the shipping time do you think? Did you happen to measure the ammonia in the shipping bag? I don't think antibiotics are in order, this appears to be acute stress.

Jay

 

[Creggers]

What was the salinity of the bag water compared to the salinity of the tank? How long was the shipping time do you think? Did you happen to measure the ammonia in the shipping bag? I don't think antibiotics are in order, this appears to be acute stress.

Jay

The salinity of the bag was only about .003 higher than my tank, reading only one or two lines higher than 1.025.

Would any of the API products be worth dipping?

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Drop acclimating fish that are shipped is not the correct practice. You should have verified what salinity he was being shipped in and put him in a matched quarantine tank as soon as the bag was opened.

Drop acclimating fish that have been shipped cause ammonia burn to their gills. As soon as that bag is opened ammonia quickly sky rockets.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The salinity of the bag was only about .003 higher than my tank, reading only one or two lines higher than 1.025.

Would any of the API products be worth dipping?

Good - I wanted to rule out osmotic stress. I really would not medicate this fish - just keep it calm and in dim light, isolated like it is. Unless they shipped you a sick fish, it is just really stressed out. It may not survive, but adding medications is only going to stress it more.

Jay

 

[Creggers]

Good - I wanted to rule out osmotic stress. I really would not medicate this fish - just keep it calm and in dim light, isolated like it is. Unless they shipped you a sick fish, it is just really stressed out. It may not survive, but adding medications is only going to stress it more.

Jay

Sometimes I think the hardest thing is to keep your hands out of the tank. I shut the lights off early today and won’t turn them on till tomorrow. In the meantime I’ll make room down in the sump so I can transfer the container down there so I can resume my lighting schedule.

Fingers crossed

 

[Creggers]

He's still holding on and doing summersaults trying to keep himself upright. Really looks like some kind of swim bladder issue - at this point is there any reason to consider some kind of medication or best let nature take its course?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

He's still holding on and doing summersaults trying to keep himself upright. Really looks like some kind of swim bladder issue - at this point is there any reason to consider some kind of medication or best let nature take its course?

I presume the fish isn't feeding?

This is less likely to be a shipping/acclimating issue due to the amount of time that has transpired.

Somersaults are not a primary indicator of swim bladder issues - those cause the fish to either be negative buoyant - the fish struggles to get up into the water column, but can rest upright on its belly, or positive buoyancy, where if the fish stops swimming, it bobs to the surface.

Can you move it to a smaller tank for antibiotic treatment?

Jay

 

[Creggers]

I presume the fish isn't feeding?

This is less likely to be a shipping/acclimating issue due to the amount of time that has transpired.

Somersaults are not a primary indicator of swim bladder issues - those cause the fish to either be negative buoyant - the fish struggles to get up into the water column, but can rest upright on its belly, or positive buoyancy, where if the fish stops swimming, it bobs to the surface.

Can you move it to a smaller tank for antibiotic treatment?

Jay

The fish is not feeding

Unfortunately I don’t have a smaller tank that I could put antibiotics into - I do have buckets that I could use for treatment however. Would you recommend setting up a hospital bucket and medicating with antibiotics?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I guess you could set up a bucket with an airstone and a heater and change 100% of the water and redose daily. Not an ideal situation, but I only see that option, or do nothing. If you do go that route, just pick a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic like Maracyn 2 or Kanaplex.

Gook luck!

Jay

 

[tgrick]

I've used HD buckets with great success. I would do Trifecta. Dosing Furan-2, KanaPlex, and Metroplex.... this works.

Day 1- all three
Day 2- furan-2
Day 3- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 4- furan-2
Day 5- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 6- furan-2
Day 7- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 8- furan-2
Day 9- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 10- furan-2
Day 11- 25% (or more) waterchange

If you need to go 14 days-
Day 11- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 12- furan-2
Day 13- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 14- furan-2
Day 15- 25% (or more) waterchange

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I've used HD buckets with great success. I would do Trifecta. Dosing Furan-2, KanaPlex, and Metroplex.... this works.

Day 1- all three
Day 2- furan-2
Day 3- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 4- furan-2
Day 5- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 6- furan-2
Day 7- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 8- furan-2
Day 9- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 10- furan-2
Day 11- 25% (or more) waterchange

If you need to go 14 days-
Day 11- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 12- furan-2
Day 13- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 14- furan-2
Day 15- 25% (or more) waterchange

I would be really worried that the water change amounts, at 25% will not control the ammonia. I've seen 1 ppm develop in 24 hours depending on bioload and water volume.

Jay