new fish nervous (heavy breathing)?

Trever · Feb 4, 2021

Just picked up a new flame hawkfish last night from LFS. LFS does rigorous QT, never had a diseased or ammonia burned fish from there.

The flame hawkfish won't eat (yet) and is breathing fairly heavily. Also tending to hide.

Can a new fish just have anxiety and an elevated breathing rate accordingly?

My other fish are doing fine. My chromis is trying to establish rock territory rights with the hawkfish, but so far, no real aggression among anyone.

Woodneers · Feb 4, 2021

Trever said:
Just picked up a new flame hawkfish last night from LFS. LFS does rigorous QT, never had a diseased fish from there.

The flame hawkfish won't eat (yet) and is breathing fairly heavily. Also tending to hide.

Can a new fish just have anxiety and an elevated breathing rate accordingly?

My other fish are doing fine. My chromis is trying to establish rock territory rights with the hawkfish, but so far, no real aggression among anyone.

Hawkfish are strange and certainly act like what you are describing sometimes. They remind me of an overwight middle aged accountant or the guy form office space! Their personality is off the charts.

Trever · Feb 4, 2021

So, he's only been in the tank 1 day now.

But he's found a "perch" at the bottom of my rock where he's not disturbed. As a result, he rarely moves, right now he's been in the same spot for several hours. He does move around, having tried a few close by spots through out the day today. But he certainly is not "active".

He breathes at what seems to be twice a normal rate, and he seems to breath heavily (his breathing is very visible). He does not eat, despite mysis getting right to him.

This doesn't seem good, but is it possible he's still adapting to his new environment? It strikes me this fish has something wrong with it, re disease. But I'm not sure.

I have a hospital tank I can set up tomorrow, worried especially about my other fish.

I do not see other behaviors such as flashing or anything, and I do not see spots. His red color is also a bit "greyish" (somewhat discolored) along the bottom and such, but comparing to internet pictures, I do not see ich nor marine velvet. As per above, I have not gotten a diseased fish from my LFS who does rigorous QT for at least two weeks, and has a stellar reputation. We pay more for her fish because she does the QT right and does it for us, though if I had a tank full of three figure fish, or course I'd also do QT at home before putting in my DT.

Trever · Feb 4, 2021

Well hmmm. Looking again at YouTube videos of this species, it is not clear his breathing is abnormal.

Trever · Feb 5, 2021

Dead this morning. I hope this was damaged gills from transport or QT at the store and that my other fish don't start dropping.

Rubberfrog · Feb 5, 2021

That sucks

Trever · Feb 5, 2021

It's horrible, especially if my other fish get sick, since we've all been doing great, one big happy family with the occasional argument.

This was also the most expensive fish I've purchased yet but hopefully the LFS does the right thing here.

I see no evidence of Velvet or ICH, but I guess that doesn't mean it's not there. In this case, I worry most about velvet.

ruegaroo · Feb 5, 2021

Did you acclimate before putting it into the tank? Did he look normal at the store?

Trever · Feb 5, 2021

Yes acclimated. So the thing I'm not telling anyone, but confessing now, is that there was a dead wrasse in the tank at the store, no other fish with my fish. I know, I know.

But they have never done me wrong there- everyone goes there and not the other stores- and they had a tale about the wrasse that assured me. Wrasse had no external manifestations of disease. I'm going to call when they open to see what's going on. The store tank these dead fish came out of shares water with a column of tanks and hopefully they will fess up if they've lost a bunch of fish. My first guess is QT was too strong or similar though, so that these specimens have something non-infectious that has killed them. If not, they have a huge problem there and they aren't that kind of place. That's why they do such rigorous QT. It would infect their chain all over- including tanks they service etc. They don't let disease get thru into their systems- not if they can help it. Opposite of other LFS's I've seen.

But I'll see what they say!

Re: the fish looked normal but did not eat when we tried feeding him there at the store- but the food was dropped into a catch tank so the fish had just been "rattled". He was not very active, but seemed normal behavior and put up a small fight getting him out of the tank at the store (i.e. putting him in the catch tank they use to scoop out fish and get them in a bag). At home after the drip acclimation, he was relatively easy to grab in my hand to ease him into the DT (I always try not to use a net, can catch their fins and gills, etc- hand is a lot gentler). Between that and the not eating, not exploring the tank hardly at all, and the breathing, I posted here...

So far my fish (5 of them) are completely normal.

ruegaroo · Feb 5, 2021

That's too bad. Sorry about the hawk. I have 2 and they are extremely active and zip all over the tank and are very excited eaters. Hopefully the store will help you out on this.

Zionas · Feb 5, 2021

You have 2? How did you manage to pair them? Did you get them at the same size?

And how long have you had them? 2 sounds great.

Trever · Feb 5, 2021

Wow- called my store and they are freaked. Worried about their tanks, will do the right thing for me, etc. Wanted me send a pic of the dead fish stat!

My naive first guess this was ammonia or similar somewhere, and my existing fish will be fine (denial?).

One thing for sure, I have some happy fish right now! I'm giving them all the food they can eat. Be strong fishies, be strong!