Rapid breathing suddenly during treatment

[AaronFReef]

I have been QTing a yellow tang (4”) and a sailfin blenny under cupramine at 0.5ppm for 21 days. Three days ago I started feeding General cure and focus soaked PE mysis pellets along with my free feed of nori.

They’re in a 29g tank with a HOB with pre-seeded filter from in my DT sump and a large sponge filter and another air stone and a Hydor korallia for flow. Lots of air. Lots of surface agitation. Two cobalt 100w heaters for stable temps.

My fish seem good and happy but yesterday the temperature spiked in my house for the evening to the low 80s and the QT slowly rose from 78 to 79.5. At this point I was feeding and watching closely and I saw the yellow tang was breathing rapidly. The sailfin blenny appears to be happy but breathing faster too (it’s harder for me to judge his rate).

I had planned to use prazipro when the copper was done for any flukes or anything.

Should I freshwater dip? Any guides anyone can link on doing that? Should I add prazipro to the mix? Any guides on it?

Thanks all!

 

[ngoodermuth]

Yep, I would freshwater dip... the tang specifically since his symptoms seem worse.

Here is a good link:

 

[AaronFReef]

 

[AaronFReef]

Yep, I would freshwater dip... the tang specifically since his symptoms seem worse.

Here is a good link:

Thank you! You are quick. The emergency vet of Reef2Reef!

 

[ngoodermuth]

Thank you! You are quick. The emergency vet of Reef2Reef!

You’re welcome... I wish we had a vet on staff here lol, I’m just an unfortunately experienced hobbyist that has seen many of these issues first-hand [emoji849]

 

[AaronFReef]

Well I got some tap mixed with RO (20 TDS mixed with 400 TDS) since I have hard water and mixed 50/50. I warmed it in the microwave and aerated it while floating in the tank until temps were within a degree.

He just floated upside down in there and maybe 10 white flakes floated off after a minute.

then when I added him back to the tank he floated down into a corner like this.

Now as I write this he has righted himself and swam into his pipe! Thanks! Hopefully he’s going to be okay now.

 

[Big G]

The freshwater dip usually removes most of the flukes on the fish's skin and some of the flukes on the gills. Really important to follow through as soon as you can with the Prazi to rid the fish of the rest of the gill flukes.

 

[AaronFReef]

Can you point me towards how to do this? Can it be done simultaneous to cupramine and GC+focus food treatment? I realize GC has praziquantel in it

 

[Big G]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/flukes-–-general-guidelines.224423/#post-2594743

Rather than try to dose another med that could suppress the fish's immune system, consider the following option: A Prazi Bath - see post #4
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/prazi-as-a-dip.362181/#post-4482289

 

[AaronFReef]

Thanks. So since I’m nearly done with cupramine treatment, if I started dosing prazi to the tank, which I would prefer to do since I can’t transfer to a new QT after a bath, I can add carbon and drop the copper simultaneously in seven days and still have achieved 29 days in copper which is supposed to be plenty conservative. Then I can do my water change and redose prazi.

Am I on the right track with that?

 

[AaronFReef]

Happy to report the prazipro really has the tangs health turning around. He’s breathing normal and still eating up GC+focus+garlic infused PE mysis pellets like a champ along wit his nori. Thanks you two.