Royal gramma in bad shape

[T4ylor]

i’ve had my royal gramma 2 weeks now and he has been completely fine the whole time until i did a water change 2 days ago ( the first one i’ve done with him in the tank ).
He went and hid when i was doing it and i haven’t seen him since for 2 days.
i have a look this morning and he’s laying under a crevice in a rock on the sand bed breathing very heavily and laying still, his eyes may even look slightly bulged.
What can i do? What could have happened?

 

[SVTChili]

How much of a water change did you do? Could be too much of a chemistry spike for the little guy.

 

[T4ylor]

How much of a water change did you do? Could be too much of a chemistry spike for the little guy.

i changed 60L in my 300gal system

 

[T4ylor]

i changed 60L in my 300gal system

sorry, 300L system* 20%

 

[SVTChili]

Do you have ammonia or chloramines in your water? I don’t know anything about water in the UK but our city water has chloramines that aren’t typically filtered with RODI systems unless you get specific ones.. could have contaminants and he’s sensitive to it.

Could also be stress related to sticking stuff in the tank. I’m not a fish expert, but I do know if their eyes are bulging, it’s generally more noticeable than “I think”, you’ll know.

 

[T4ylor]

Do you have ammonia or chloramines in your water? I don’t know anything about water in the UK but our city water has chloramines that aren’t typically filtered with RODI systems unless you get specific ones.. could have contaminants and he’s sensitive to it.

Could also be stress related to sticking stuff in the tank. I’m not a fish expert, but I do know if their eyes are bulging, it’s generally more noticeable than “I think”, you’ll know.

it’s an i think because to me they have bulgy eyes anyway and i haven’t had a long look at his eyes before. There could possibly be chloramines but my clownfish, snails and hermits have been fine with the water i’m using for weeks. i’ve measured and ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/salinity are all in perfect range, only thing is there would have been a temperature swing when i performed my wc but no more than 1.5°c.

 

[SVTChili]

it’s an i think because to me they have bulgy eyes anyway and i haven’t had a long look at his eyes before. There could possibly be chloramines but my clownfish, snails and hermits have been fine with the water i’m using for weeks. i’ve measured and ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/salinity are all in perfect range, only thing is there would have been a temperature swing when i performed my wc but no more than 1.5°c.

I’ll wait for a fish expert to chime in, generally snails and crabs could care less about water quality and clowns if tank bred are pretty hearty.

Is the clown picking on him? Or was he before he started hiding?

 

[T4ylor]

I’ll wait for a fish expert to chime in, generally snails and crabs could care less about water quality and clowns if tank bred are pretty hearty.

Is the clown picking on him? Or was he before he started hiding?

he always had his own little cave and he tried out a few different spots that he’d hide in when the current was strong or if it was night but generally he’d be out swimming around the rocks, he was absolutely fine with the clowns he would swim next to them at times and peacefully eat right beside them when i feed the tank but he hasn’t been out to eat for a few days and i’m worried one of my crabs might find him vulnerable

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What size is the tank? What other fish are in the tank? How old is the tank?

do you have a lot of rocks in your tank? I can never see my RG, is that the only hiding spot in the tank?

I would look at other possibilities and solutions, seems like the water change was just a coincidence, I suspect something else is going on, but need more info.

 

[T4ylor]

What size is the tank? What other fish are in the tank? How old is the tank?

do you have a lot of rocks in your tank? I can never see my RG, is that the only hiding spot in the tank?

I would look at other possibilities and solutions, seems like the water change was just a coincidence, I suspect something else is going on, but need more info.

the tank is 80gallons, and about 2 months old. the other inhabitants are a pair of clown fish which have been in since the cycle ended and have been fine, 3 snails which one unexpected died a couple days after i added it and 2 scarlet hermit crabs going strong they’ve been in 3-4 weeks. The tank is going through an ugly phase where i have cyano, a lot of bryopsis and some hair algae but it’s got some healthy feather dusters and a growing copepod population. That trochus snail died unexpectedly but i put that down to poor health on delivery since the others seemed fine, maybe it’s linked?

 

[Uncle99]

He’s a rock dweller.
Are you sure he’s not behaving as normal.

I see mine, only when fed, then poof, gone, or at least gone when I’m near.

May be guarding his spot?

 

[Malum Argenteum]

but no more than 1.5°c.

I'd be careful with that. Matching the temp of the water to that of the tank is prudent.

 

[T4ylor]

He’s a rock dweller.
Are you sure he’s not behaving as normal.

I see mine, only when fed, then poof, gone, or at least gone when I’m near.

May be guarding his spot?

his usual behaviour is popping in and out of his cave and perching around the rocks and then swim out next to my clowns to get food. His behaviour atm is him away from his usual cave laying on his side on the sand leaning against a rock, he’s even laying almost upside down

 

[T4ylor]

I'd be careful with that. Matching the temp of the water to that of the tank is prudent.

the problem is i have to take the heaters out my tank to heat up my new water and in that time it drops

 

[Uncle99]

his usual behaviour is popping in and out of his cave and perching around the rocks and then swim out next to my clowns to get food. His behaviour atm is him away from his usual cave laying on his side on the sand leaning against a rock, he’s even laying almost upside down

No usual, very usual.
Mines doing that 5 years

I can’t see yours so likely Iam wrong.

 

[T4ylor]

No usual, very usual.
Mines doing that 5 years

I can’t see yours so likely Iam wrong.

yours lays down panting?

 

[Uncle99]

yours lays down panting?

Lay down sure.
Pant no
Maybe he had a disagreement with another

 

[T4ylor]

Lay down sure.
Pant no
Maybe he had a disagreement with another

maybe, hopefully he’ll get over it

 

[Malum Argenteum]

the problem is i have to take the heaters out my tank to heat up my new water and in that time it drops

Having a dedicated heater for the WC water is a good idea -- also a powerhead to get it well mixed, and leave the water to heat and aerate overnight.

 

[Uncle99]

maybe, hopefully he’ll get over it

Keep us posted when things change