Firefish laying on side

Boochika

New member
Done a lot of research on this and have even seen some posts on here about similar issues. I have afire fish in a 5 gallon qt by himself. All parameters are good except 20 nitrate and 8.4 reading of pH. He has a small cave built out of marine pure and live rock in one corner of the aquarium.

I've fed him every other day since I got him Saturday and he's seemed perfect until today when I got home from work. I did a 50 percent water change and it doesnt seem much better so far. He is swimming around and seems fine when he does so. But when he stops he falls over to one side. He also seems to be breathing pretty hard but hasn't approached the surface or gasped with an open mouth much.

Could it be flukes? Is the tank too small? Is he underfed? His skin and coloration including eyes still looks very good. I don't know what else to do.

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It's still alive this morning but doesn't look much better. Also didn't eat the small amount of brine I put in there.

Any recommendations to save this little guy?

I was planning to do another 50 percent water change when I get home. Maybe get a 10 gallon tank for him and some airstones but I think water ahijkd be oxygenated enough based on aquaclesr 30 falling into water.

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I'm by far no expert but since no one has chimed in....

Nitrates are too high. 20 ppm for marine fish is not good.

I'd do a 100 percent water change make sure to match salinity and PH.

Unless you are changing water regular I'd have him in at least 10 gallon. You are getting rid of old food right?
 
I've been trying to net it out when he's done eating. I will try to move it into a 10 gallon today.

Wife is getting it set up, i'll acclimate and move when I get home.

I'll also be adding a powerhead to the set up, how powerful should the powerhead be?

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For quarantine I wouldn't use a powerhead. A sponge filter if you have one.

Get a turkey baster and suck out uneaten food.

Or siphon 30 minutes after feeding to keep the bottom clean and do a small water change each day.
 
For quarantine I wouldn't use a powerhead.

I tried to find a sponge filter to go with an air pump but I couldn't.

I do however have a sponge in my Aquaclear 30 HOB I can use on the 10 gallon if that''ll suffice.

Most people have recommended powerheads for quarantine, why do you not recommend it?
 
Here is a pic of him swimming in new 10 gallon qt. Still falling over when he stops swimming. Looks like an infection on his lower body where it's lighter white. How do I treat this? Perhaps from running on rocks in first qt?

I know I say rubbing and we think ick but I see no white spots to indicate so. I have prazi and copper coming tomorrow.
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He's darting around but his head is point down when he does so. He looks pretty awful. Tank parameters from new set up look good. I really tried my best to do this right. He even ate the first two days I had him.

Most of the time he's hiding.

Anything else to try?


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I don't have anything against a powerhead but depending on size it can make it hard for a sick fish to swim and you don't have any coral or anything that requires a lot of flow. So why put in a powerhead that would then need to be disinfected before using again?

If he has stopped eating I'd try live brine if you can hatch some or get some. The nice thing about brine is you can gut load them with medicine.

Sound like he is having some kinda problem with his swim bladder.

I really don't have any experience with that.

Prazi is good for flukes. Your description sounds like bacterial or viral infection. I'd leave the prazi until he's doing better and use something targeted to infection.

Unless the white area is oludium spelled wrong. but then I don't think prazi is for ich or oolidium sp?
 
Ya I'm thinking maybe he over are the first time I fed him and got constipated. Now his side is all roughed up from falling over constantly.

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Sadly the fish died. I tried some prazi yesterday in a last ditch effort and he didn't make it to the morning when I woke up.

I don't know if he starved or had parasites, but the white mark kept getting larger and larger and his bottom half had sunken in.
 
Appreciate it, I'm pretty bummed he didn't make it and my first attempt has failed in sw....should i sterilize my QT before trying again?
 
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