Sapphire Damsel Rapid Breathing & Hiding

MeMyFishandI · Sep 12, 2020

My damsel started hiding in his cave about three or four days ago and only came out to eat. Before this he was out all the time. I figured it may be due stress from a water change I did, where I also re-arranged some of the corals for better (hopefully) placement. However, yesterday I noticed his breathing has increased, and he did not come out for food.
Water is all good:
Ph 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5 ish
Salinity 1.025
RODI water with 0 TTDS

25g with one other fish inhabitant (yellow watchman goby) who is healthy. Inverts are happy.

I have had this fish for a few months now. He did have a couple scratches on him, i treated with melafix, and they were all healed up before this event. I have been having some bad luck with this tank since I set it up earlier in the year. I appreciate any thoughts on the matter. Thanks!

Jay Hemdal · Sep 12, 2020

This is unlikely to be related stress from a water change, unless something went really wrong. I just changed 50% of the water in my biocube and my clown's respiration rate didn't increase at all (well, just for a bit while it tried to kill me by biting my hand while I plucked algae!). Any chance you can get an actual breathing rate on the fish? Try to count the number of breaths in say, 15 seconds, and then multiply by 4. That gives gill beats per minute. I have a database that can then relate that number to the relative severity of the issue. What is the water temp? That also has some bearing on the respiration rate. Any physical changes in the fish, cloudy eyes, white cast to the skin, etc.?

Jay

MeMyFishandI · Sep 13, 2020

Jay Hemdal said:
This is unlikely to be related stress from a water change, unless something went really wrong. I just changed 50% of the water in my biocube and my clown's respiration rate didn't increase at all (well, just for a bit while it tried to kill me by biting my hand while I plucked algae!). Any chance you can get an actual breathing rate on the fish? Try to count the number of breaths in say, 15 seconds, and then multiply by 4. That gives gill beats per minute. I have a database that can then relate that number to the relative severity of the issue. What is the water temp? That also has some bearing on the respiration rate. Any physical changes in the fish, cloudy eyes, white cast to the skin, etc.?

Jay

Hi Jay,

Thanks for the help. I counted 42 breaths in 15 seconds, so 168 a minute.

The temperature is usually around 79-81 on any given day. It has been hotter over the mid-summer and he didn't react then.

The fish looks healthy.

Last night the peppermint shrimp pushed him out of his cave and he had to hide in another one on the far side of the tank. He was back in his regular cave this morning. So, he can swim.

As a side note, I have a video of a clown I had (he disappeared) attacking my hand as I cleaned the glass. He was a mean little creature.

Jay Hemdal · Sep 13, 2020

Normal respiration rate for that fish should be around 100 to 120 bpm. At around 200 bpm, the fish may collapse from anoxia. Your fish is approaching that point. You didn't change anything that would relate to gas exchange in the tank?

If the inverts are happy, that points less to water quality issues and more towards a fish disease. The watchman either isn't susceptible to the same disease, or it just hasn't caught it yet.

Without a second symptom, I can't really guess as to a diagnosis. Velvet causes rapid breathing, but it also causes fish loss within 36 hours, so that isn't it.

Which species do you have? Is it a springeri? I've always found those to be a bit more delicate than related Chrysiptera species.

I don't suppose you have a QT you could move it to?

Jay

MeMyFishandI · Sep 13, 2020

The protein skimmer did act up last week, it was producing a lot of micro bubbles, so I took it out. I could toss a bubbler in there. The tank is has a mesh top, and a fair amount of surface agitation from the pumps, so lots of gas exchange potential, even without the skimmer.

I do have a QT I can throw him in. I'm concerned the additional stress would cause more trouble.

He is a springeri.

Jay Hemdal · Sep 13, 2020

I doubt if it is gas exchange issue then, but be sure that the surface film is actually being broken, not just rippled. I've seen issues with high CO2 levels in tanks where it isn't actively being driven off by surface agitation.

I agree, moving the fish to a QT is going to add to the stress. If I had a clear thought as to a treatment to try, I'd say risk it, but in this case, I'd just be guessing at a treatment to try.

I normally am reluctant to suggest "reef safe" meds, but Ruby Reef could be something you could try, it has formalin and acriflavine in it.

Jay

MeMyFishandI · Sep 13, 2020

I added the bubbler and moved my power head up a bit, just in case. I looked at all my usual website and it seems Ruby Reed is hard to come by at the moment. I think we are at a fingers crossed moment.

Thanks for your time Jay. I appreciate your insights. If anything changes, I'll let you know.

MeMyFishandI · Sep 18, 2020

I added some carbon a few days ago, I don't know why I didn't think if it sooner.

Sadly I found the little guy dead today. I am surprised that he survived this long. Now, I only wish I knew what happened, so I can learn from the mistake.