Orchid Dottyback not really eating

[HockeyRooster]

I’ve had my captive bred dottyback in a separate tanks for 11 days. I’m in Canada and as meds are hard to come by I did not dose anything to the tank. Just placed it in there to observe and ensure it eats. It was eating okay for a while and now it’s become really picky. Some days it eats a lot others not so much. I’ve seen it eat mysis so big it has to jam the mysis down it’s throat by hitting against the rocks. Just now it ate a couple of blood worms. It is always interested in the food but doesn’t always eat.
ammonia in the tank is fine (I have an ammonia alert) and I did a water change last night.
I did notice it was rubbing against the rocks a bit over the past few days but there are no noticeable signs of ich.
what I can see is it’s tail is clear at the very end-i don’t know if that’s new or how it was when I got it. The majority of it is purple and I don’t think the pics I posted are good enough to see what I’m talking about.
I added the only ich medicine available (just today) because I have it.
Can anyone give me some guidance here? I feel like I’m having a bad run (killed a beautiful copperband after only a week in my QT and my mandarin went missing after about 4 months in my DT). Frankly, I’m feeling sorry for myself and these fish.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The fish looks a bit pale. Have you tried cutting the food into smaller pieces?

I've not used Kick-Ich. It is a Nitroimidazole antibiotic, similar to metronidazole and others in that class that I have used. They aren't the best choice for protozoan infections, but they are better for a DT than copper would be. Kick-Ich is going to take 3+ days before it works on any protozoans (if that's the problem).

The scratching could be flukes - but I don't think you will be able to get Praziquantel. Canadian fish medication problems are a huge issue, not sure what to tell you about that....


Jay

 

[HockeyRooster]

The fish looks a bit pale. Have you tried cutting the food into smaller pieces?

I've not used Kick-Ich. It is a Nitroimidazole antibiotic, similar to metronidazole and others in that class that I have used. They aren't the best choice for protozoan infections, but they are better for a DT than copper would be. Kick-Ich is going to take 3+ days before it works on any protozoans (if that's the problem).

The scratching could be flukes - but I don't think you will be able to get Praziquantel. Canadian fish medication problems are a huge issue, not sure what to tell you about that....


Jay

Thanks Jay. I will say the fish isn’t as pale as the picture shows. I will cut the food up but it’s interesting that it isn’t interested in anything smaller. No interest in brine shrimp or tiny pellets. It puts the pellets in its mouth and spits them out.

also, while this tank has live rock in it, it is my QT. I can easily take the rock out if I was able to find medicine.

ive heard of people getting fish meds from a vet. If I could do that what meds would you suggest? I’m thinking I could just call them and ask if they would sell me some.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have NO faith in ammonia badges or API test kits. I would take a water sample to a trusted LFS or even a friend and test it with a well known test kit. I suspect water quality issue may exist and agreeing with jay that may be flukes rather than parasitical.
Kick Ich made by Ruby who also makes Rally Pro is a mild and supposed reef safe med for the control of Ich on fish (white spot disease) in marine and freshwater aquaria. Its primarily sold to treat infectious stage of the ich life cycle while being safe for all fish, corals and invertebrates but is regarded as mild and is copper free which questions its' effectiveness.
In your case Rally pro may have been more effective. Prazi will be great IF there are ant internal issues but thats' IF.

 

[HockeyRooster]

I have NO faith in ammonia badges or API test kits. I would take a water sample to a trusted LFS or even a friend and test it with a well known test kit. I suspect water quality issue may exist and agreeing with jay that may be flukes rather than parasitical.
Kick Ich made by Ruby who also makes Rally Pro is a mild and supposed reef safe med for the control of Ich on fish (white spot disease) in marine and freshwater aquaria. Its primarily sold to treat infectious stage of the ich life cycle while being safe for all fish, corals and invertebrates but is regarded as mild and is copper free which questions its' effectiveness.
In your case Rally pro may have been more effective. Prazi will be great IF there are ant internal issues but thats' IF.

Thanks. I’m headed to lfs (already left the house though so I can’t take water to be tested). I’ll test the water with whatever kit I have at home as well. The water came from my DT originally and I’ve done a few water changes since. I’ll grab some rally pro if they have it.

 

[SMSREEF]

Did you use the same rocks and tank that you quarantined the copperband that died?
If CBB had ICH, velvet, or other disease, maybe it lingered on the rock.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks. I’m headed to lfs (already left the house though so I can’t take water to be tested). I’ll test the water with whatever kit I have at home as well. The water came from my DT originally and I’ve done a few water changes since. I’ll grab some rally pro if they have it.

Love your enthusiasm to get this remedied. Read the label on the rally- You will see it covers a whole array of issues.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks Jay. I will say the fish isn’t as pale as the picture shows. I will cut the food up but it’s interesting that it isn’t interested in anything smaller. No interest in brine shrimp or tiny pellets. It puts the pellets in its mouth and spits them out.

also, while this tank has live rock in it, it is my QT. I can easily take the rock out if I was able to find medicine.

ive heard of people getting fish meds from a vet. If I could do that what meds would you suggest? I’m thinking I could just call them and ask if they would sell me some.

If you can get a vet to prescribe praziquantel, that might be an option. The typical dose is 2 to 4 mg/l. For 4 mg/l, the way you calculate it is: gallons * mg/l divided by 266. So - if you have a 20 gallon tank, it is 20 * 4 / 266 = 0.30 grams. Prazi doesn't dissolve well, so you need to mix it well in some tank water, and I press it through a brine shrimp (fine mesh) net into the tank. Prazipro, available in the US is a liquid that is already dissolved. You dose it once, then dose it again 7 days later, and then again after another 7 days (3x).

Jay

 

[HockeyRooster]

Did you use the same rocks and tank that you quarantined the copperband that died?
If CBB had ICH, velvet, or other disease, maybe it lingered on the rock.

Like a dumba$$, I did. But I’m pretty sure it was ammonia that got the cbb. You know the saying “f’ing up and picking up speed” ? Seems to be what I’m doing. I can’t seem to get out of my own way right now.

 

[HockeyRooster]

Love your enthusiasm to get this remedied. Read the label on the rally- You will see it covers a whole array of issues.

Got it. Will do!

 

[HockeyRooster]

If you can get a vet to prescribe praziquantel, that might be an option. The typical dose is 2 to 4 mg/l. For 4 mg/l, the way you calculate it is: gallons * mg/l divided by 266. So - if you have a 20 gallon tank, it is 20 * 4 / 266 = 0.30 grams. Prazi doesn't dissolve well, so you need to mix it well in some tank water, and I press it through a brine shrimp (fine mesh) net into the tank. Prazipro, available in the US is a liquid that is already dissolved. You dose it once, then dose it again 7 days later, and then again after another 7 days (3x).

Jay

Thanks Jay. Will see what goes on over the next few days (and if I can get rally pro). Will call the vet Monday if there’s no improvement.

 

[HockeyRooster]

I got the rally! Since I dosed kick ich this morning the lfs said to do a 25% water change before dosing rally. Is this good advice?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I got the rally! Since I dosed kick ich this morning the lfs said to do a 25% water change before dosing rally. Is this good advice?

I agree

 

[HockeyRooster]

Thanks for all the help. Love this forum. Such great help and great people.
I also wanted to mention that I added prime to the tank a couple of nights ago and I believe that was your advice on a earlier thread.

 

[HockeyRooster]

Update.

the dottyback is covered in ich.

I didn’t dose the rally last night. I am just bringing some water up to temp in order to do another change and will keep dosing kick ich. i will add about 2 g of new water and about 2 g from my DT which will be about a 40% change. I am going to dose the rally and kick ich Since the package says it is recommended to use with kick ich.
I used my fluval test kit and the ammonia is still in the safe zone to the best of my understanding. The fluval kit says under 1.2 is okay even though none should be detected.
Vette-you called this and I am sorry I didn’t act quicker (even though I did a water change and added prime last night). I should have known that a poster with vette in the name knew exactly what was happening. You picked the best car in the world

 

[SMSREEF]

Since you are in Canada and unable to get some of the meds for ICH, take a look at Hybrid Tank Transfer Method.

Hybrid TTM to treat all parasites!

10/9/2022: Jay Hemdal and the current Fish Medic staff are suggesting that people find other treatments rather than TTM. It has some substantial drawbacks: “Tank chasing” method (Tank Transfer Method - TTM) A mostly theoretical method for treating Cryptocaryon infections takes advantage of...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[HockeyRooster]

Since you are in Canada and unable to get some of the meds for ICH, take a look at Hybrid Tank Transfer Method.

Hybrid TTM to treat all parasites!

10/9/2022: Jay Hemdal and the current Fish Medic staff are suggesting that people find other treatments rather than TTM. It has some substantial drawbacks: “Tank chasing” method (Tank Transfer Method - TTM) A mostly theoretical method for treating Cryptocaryon infections takes advantage of...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks. Will do some more reading!!