New Goby in QT breathing hard

[CherryRock]

So just got a new goby and pistol shrimp pair and put them both in QT for now since I have not started any medication. I spent 45 min - 1 hour slowly drip acclimating them to QT. They seemed great over the past few days and have both eaten frozen fish frenzy and mysis, however, I just noticed the goby breathing hard and I am not sure what to do.

Is this normal for a new fish to breathe this hard when getting used to a new tank or do I need to remove the shrimp and start medication?

Info and video below:

Day 3 of fish moving to QT
10gal
Temp 79.2 degrees
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 1 or 2
Ph - 8.2
I have a PVC pipe and a small glass container with sand

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[killer2001]

How are you oxygenating the water?

Typically you will want to quarantine inverts separate from fish as the copper treatments for fish will kill the little pistol.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So just got a new goby and pistol shrimp pair and put them both in QT for now since I have not started any medication. I spent 45 min - 1 hour slowly drip acclimating them to QT. They seemed great over the past few days and have both eaten frozen fish frenzy and mysis, however, I just noticed the goby breathing hard and I am not sure what to do.

Is this normal for a new fish to breathe this hard when getting used to a new tank or do I need to remove the shrimp and start medication?

Info and video below:

Day 3 of fish moving to QT
10gal
Temp 79.2 degrees
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 1 or 2
Ph - 8.2
I have a PVC pipe and a small glass container with sand

- YouTube

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

www.youtube.com

Check your ammonia level as QT tanks often have limited oxygen due to basic filtration. If youre using API kit or badge, you may be getting false readings which is higher than your tests are showing
You can do a water change and see if it relaxes the breathing rate
Shrimp doesnt ned QT but I understand you want to keep them together.

 

[vetteguy53081]

How are you oxygenating the water?

Typically you will want to quarantine inverts separate from fish as the copper treatments for fish will kill the little pistol.

He is using no meds currenty due to shrimp

 

[CherryRock]

Yes tracking need to QT fish and inverts separately, but I have them in the same tank since I have not added any copper or medication.

Ammonia is 0, the badge says 0 and I just tested with Red Sea test kit.

I am using 2 HOB filters that waterfall into the tank. One is a bit small but the other is plenty big and creates a lot of air and water movement on the surface.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Unfortunately, there is a good chance that the goby has a gill disease. It is unlikely to be related to water quality or acclimation, since the shrimp has been along with it the whole time. That leaves some type of gill disease as the most likely cause of this. You might be able to give the goby a five minute freshwater dip to buy some time, but if this is velvet, you will need to start a copper treatment right away.

Jay

 

[CherryRock]

Unfortunately I found the Goby dead this morning.

Jay, do you happen to know what this might have been or what I can do to find out? It seemed like it took this fish fast. I had him in QT for a total of 3 days and he only showed symptoms (heavy breathing) starting last night. Also, he came from a LFS that had him in a tank with other clowns, shrimp, crabs and coral. I feel like they may need to know if it’s something like velvet.

I still have the shrimp in the QT and have no idea what to do with him now.

My dumb self also used the same Turkey blaster to feed this fish and the clowns in my DT.

 

[CherryRock]

Anyone able to help? I feel I am doing terrible at his new reef keeping.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Unfortunately I found the Goby dead this morning.

Jay, do you happen to know what this might have been or what I can do to find out? It seemed like it took this fish fast. I had him in QT for a total of 3 days and he only showed symptoms (heavy breathing) starting last night. Also, he came from a LFS that had him in a tank with other clowns, shrimp, crabs and coral. I feel like they may need to know if it’s something like velvet.

I still have the shrimp in the QT and have no idea what to do with him now.

My dumb self also used the same Turkey blaster to feed this fish and the clowns in my DT.

It very well could have been velvet. The first, and sometimes only symptom seen with that is rapid breathing. Bacterial infections can also cause this, but they don't typically progress that fast.

Jay