New fish swimming vertically, what to do?

[Theulli]

Just received a Coral Beauty in the mail today, it was quite cold (heat packs were woefully inadequate). I had it floating in my sump for quite some time to slowly get the temperature up to the right range. The fish is breathing, and even eating a little bit, but he is hanging suspended vertically, head up, and not doing much scooting around. As the temp has normalized I have now moved it to an acclimation container w/ tank water and a dash of stress guard. Any idea what's going on here and if there is something I can do to increase his odds of survival?

 

[MnFish1]

Just received a Coral Beauty in the mail today, it was quite cold (heat packs were woefully inadequate). I had it floating in my sump for quite some time to slowly get the temperature up to the right range. The fish is breathing, and even eating a little bit, but he is hanging suspended vertically, head up, and not doing much scooting around. As the temp has normalized I have now moved it to an acclimation container w/ tank water and a dash of stress guard. Any idea what's going on here and if there is something I can do to increase his odds of survival?

1. I would notice the company.
2. After you floated it - did you just 'dump it in' - or did you acclimate it - according to whatever procedure they recommend?
3. Did you happen to compare the salinity in the water - vs your tank?

Are you planning on Quarantine?

My suggestion / answer - keep it in a well-oxygenated area. Stress guard can actually cause lower oxygen if in a small area. second - it sounds like a swim bladder issue - which may relate to temperature - or other changes - or an infection. Was it a wild-caught fish or cultured

 

[Theulli]

It's aquacultured - I was thinking swim bladder but I don't know how to fix that. With a freshwater fish I'd feed it peas...not sure if that trick works with saltwater fish. It's a fish straight from Biota, which I tend to trust with not having to quarantine.

Salinity is matched up well - the fish was even doing this before I took it out of the bag. I did not drip acclimate it, with shipped fish I usually don't because my understanding is that the risk of ammonia toxicity is higher than the risk of a small discrepancy in salinity.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is a bouyancy issue and likely associated with shipping and/or acclimation especially with sudden changes in water conditions. Struggling to maintain a normal swimming position is relevant to swim bladder infection or similar internal issue/symptom. If severe buoyancy problems exist, the fish may not be able to feed normally or even reach the surface of the water. This disorder is sometimes caused by compression of the swim bladder, which may involve a distended stomach from rapidly eating, overeating, constipation, or gulping air during shipment.

Water change(s) may help and antibiotic should also help. Kanamyacin or neomyacyn should help greatly and best done in a quarantine tank

 

[MnFish1]

It's aquacultured - I was thinking swim bladder but I don't know how to fix that. With a freshwater fish I'd feed it peas...not sure if that trick works with saltwater fish. It's a fish straight from Biota, which I tend to trust with not having to quarantine.

Salinity is matched up well - the fish was even doing this before I took it out of the bag. I did not drip acclimate it, with shipped fish I usually don't because my understanding is that the risk of ammonia toxicity is higher than the risk of a small discrepancy in salinity.

It could be temperature - given that its aquaculture - agree that disease is unlikely - but possible (especially a bacteria swim-bladder issue) was the shipment delayed, etc? The salinity - if mismatched can cause a problem - but Yes - correct about the drip - I was making sure you didn't do that with regards to ammonia. I would watch it - it could very well be temperature related - and I would call them - and let them know - and see if they have any ideas.

PS - there are other ways to acclimate - i.e. you check the salinity - in the bag - then place the fish into a bucket/tank with the same salinity - (or QT tank) - and then gradually increase/decrease it - but it sounds like salinity is not an issue

 

[Theulli]

It could be temperature - given that its aquaculture - agree that disease is unlikely - but possible (especially a bacteria swim-bladder issue) was the shipment delayed, etc? The salinity - if mismatched can cause a problem - but Yes - correct about the drip - I was making sure you didn't do that with regards to ammonia. I would watch it - it could very well be temperature related - and I would call them - and let them know - and see if they have any ideas.

PS - there are other ways to acclimate - i.e. you check the salinity - in the bag - then place the fish into a bucket/tank with the same salinity - (or QT tank) - and then gradually increase/decrease it - but it sounds like salinity is not an issue

I always ask for deliveries to be held at the distribution center a couple blocks from my house, so the total time the fish was in the box was pretty low. I've had fish make it here that were in the box for 2 days, this would've been way less than 24 hours. There was another fish in the shipment that didn't make it unfortunately, so they definitely got exposed to some cold conditions on the way.

I am right now weighing the pros and cons of keeping it in the small container I have floating in the DT, in DT water, but which doesn't have any circulation, or letting it loose in the tank after lights are out. Seems like the circulation would help if it's an oxygen issue, and as it's in DT water, there's no difference there.

 

[Theulli]

This is a bouyancy issue and likely associated with shipping and/or acclimation especially with sudden changes in water conditions. Struggling to maintain a normal swimming position is relevant to swim bladder infection or similar internal issue/symptom. If severe buoyancy problems exist, the fish may not be able to feed normally or even reach the surface of the water. This disorder is sometimes caused by compression of the swim bladder, which may involve a distended stomach from rapidly eating, overeating, constipation, or gulping air during shipment.

Water change(s) may help and antibiotic should also help. Kanamyacin or neomyacyn should help greatly and best done in a quarantine tank

Crud, I don't have a QT to put it in. "Too many tanks in the house" was the word from the spouse and it's been decommissioned One of the reasons I was going the route of only captive bred or pre-quarantined fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Crud, I don't have a QT to put it in. "Too many tanks in the house" was the word from the spouse and it's been decommissioned One of the reasons I was going the route of only captive bred or pre-quarantined fish.

Bummer.

 

[MnFish1]

I agree with @vetteguy53081 as I said before - it could be a swim-bladder infection - and though treatment with antibiotics is tried - I'm not sure its always that successful (if you could - I would try). If you cant - I would put it perhaps in an acclimation basket - ie a floating basket with holes to allow tank water in. You could try antibiotic food as well.

 

[Theulli]

Yeah, I hate releasing it into the DT when not healthy, won't necessarily be able to find it if it dies and I have some semi-aggressive fishes in there and a pistol shrimp that has a history of picking off stragglers . Starting small and getting a little acclimation box/net as described above. To the pet store we go!