Finished TT- stressed firefish Q.

[erinangele]

Just finished TT and put my fish in the QT tank today. Everyone looks good except for my firefish. The last day in the bucket he was in a vertical position with his mouth open at the top of the water. Now that he is in the QT tank he is horizontal again but one of his cheeks is redish pink like broken blood vessels. Could this be an oxygen problem? I had an air stone in with them.

He will be in QT until the beginning of August and I want to make sure he/she is okay until then. I have a hob filter in my QT tank, but have not added the air stone in case this was part of the problem. What do you think?

 

[MrTuskfish]

Now that the fish are in a QT, ammonia can build up, unless you used cycled media in the HOB filter. How many fish, tank size, test for ammonia? For now, an airstone won't hurt. You didn't use the same airstone during TT, did you?

 

[erinangele]

Now that the fish are in a QT, ammonia can build up, unless you used cycled media in the HOB filter. How many fish, tank size, test for ammonia? For now, an airstone won't hurt. You didn't use the same airstone during TT, did you?

No, I used new tubing and air stones after each transfer. I just put him into QT today so I don't think ammonia is an issue (yet). It's a 15 gallon with 1 firefish, 1 cardinal, 1 flame hawk, 1 very small six line, 2 small clowns, and temporarily a yellow tang (he's going into my 125 within the next few days). All the fish are about an inch, except the YT who is maybe 2 inches. I don't have anything "seeded" in the tank. I'm using a Seachem "ammonia alert" badge on the tank.

I just checked on him and he looks the same but I just noticed his tail is almost gone! I wonder if someone was picking on him or if this goes along with the red cheek, poor guy! he is eating fine.

 

[erinangele]

I woke up this morning to find my firefish dead I guess the TTM was too stressful for him? I wish I knew what went wrong to avoid this happening again. I was planning on using the TTM for all new arrivals, and did plan on adding firefish to my big tank.

Besides the red cheek, his fins look bad. Ha has almost no tail. He was swimming vertically, mouth open to the surface water the last few days. Seemed a little better yesterday in QT (swimming horizontally). He was not one of the fish displaying ich symptoms, and I've had him 8 month. I really think it may have been an oxygen issue, although all the other fish are fine.

Here's a pic

 

[MrTuskfish]

Sorry about your fish. I doubt you'll ever know for sure what did him in. Could have been the ich, I assume that's what you were treating, I didn't notice that in the thread. Ich in the gills isn't visible and it doesn't take many bugs to do-in a small fish. Also, firefish, being hole-hiders, probably have a tough time sharing a bare QT with larger fish. Just be sure to use a good QT regimen with all new fish and you shouldn't have to go through this again.

 

[erinangele]

Yes, I was treating for ich. I think your right about it being stressful for him in bare bottom tank with other tank mates and only PVC for hiding. I had not though of that. So in the future quarantining firefish without other tank mates may be the ticket.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Yes, I was treating for ich. I think your right about it being stressful for him in bare bottom tank with other tank mates and only PVC for hiding. I had not though of that. So in the future quarantining firefish without other tank mates may be the ticket.

Assuming you won't be buying a firefish and a tang at the same time again, that shouldn't be a problem. I keep way too many fish, but always order with QT compatibility in mind. I use a 55 QT that I can divide into up to 4 sections, if needed. But adding more than one species at a time is probably isn't a good idea for most tanks. I buy all my fish online, so I know the free shipping can be a consideration too.

 

[b0bab0ey]

Yes, I was treating for ich. I think your right about it being stressful for him in bare bottom tank with other tank mates and only PVC for hiding. I had not though of that. So in the future quarantining firefish without other tank mates may be the ticket.

I just ran a school of firefish (6) thru TT and now they are getting two rounds of Prazi treatment. I used 2-27 gal sterilite containers from Walmart to do the TT. Just a heater, airstone and a few small PVC fittings in each container. It was super easy to do. I would just drain the sterilite container, clean it and the equipment with vinegar, let it dry thoroughly and then re-fill it with s/w the night before the next TT was due. They are in a 20 gal tank now with a HOB filter (seeded sponge) so I can administer the prazi and observe them.

Thinking back, I don't think there really was any better way to QT them. Firefish are sissies and don't really do well with other fish unless they have rocks to hide in. They would always come out to eat, so I would use a magnifying glass to view them from the top of the water (looking for signs of Ich/Velvet). And now in a 20 gal tank I can keep an eye on them for the next month or so until they are ready to go in the DT.