orange shoulder staying in on place

C

criticalencore

New member
Not sure if this is the right place to post this but i figure he must be sick. I have a huge orange shoulder that i have kept for a couple years, he is probably 10" long and almost 2.5" wide. He was good up to about a week ago. Only thing I can think of that changed is I moved the sump into my living room so I could finish the last bit on the fish room I'm building and it stirred up some bottom crap and clouded tank up.

anyways, I feel like he was just swimming in front of the return from my CL for a day or so and I didn't think anything of it. Well, a couple days ago I noticed he was "hiding" behind the rocks in the corner and wouldn't eat or come out. I nudged him with my tongs and he still wouldn't come out. I figured it a day or so. Well 4 days later he was still in same spot and not coming get out. Yesterday during water change I nudged him out and into a midsection of the tank and he hasn't left that spot.... almost like he's blind or something but I see his eyes look all around. I thought maybe he was hiding from aggression or something but now I know it's not. I don't see any marks on him and he looks perfectly healthy. I'm going to setup a 150 for quarantine bbut I'll be a couple days waiting on a bulkhead.

anyone ever hear of this and know of a treatment or just good water quality and wait it out?

I can put up pics but only as tapatalk attachments
 
Have you tested the water parameters to make sure everything is good? What other fish are in the tank with the orange shoulder?
 
All the parameters are good except po4 which is always high. Alk stays 8.3ish. Salinity is 1.025. Po4 stays around 1.6 always... several other tangs and other fish but it's not aggression. He literally is staying in one place and no one else seems to even notice him. The tank is a 8'x4' 550g
 
No new anything. Water changed 100g yesterday and doing another today. I'm fairly sure it's not aggression. He won't eat and don't even react when I add food. He is fat and healthy looking for sure just acting odd now
 
uploadfromtaptalk1432480511753.jpg

I'll add a YouTube link of him top down once the white led are on so you can see how he is just chillin in one place
 
As long as nothing wet has been within the last 3 months you can rule out parasitic which would lend the behavior to be environmental, perhaps bacterial. Another water change may help certainly wouldn't hurt. I would add some carbon also. This may help to counteract whatever may have been stirred up. Have you checked your ammonia level? If he doesn't perk up after the water change I would move him into a qt and treat with an antibiotic. All other fish are eating and behaving ok?
 
Everyone else is cool. They don't even acknowledge him being weird. I'm 90% sure it's not aggression. I had to take my ATS down because of temporary sump until my fish room os done and po4 has gone up
Ive maxed hanna po4 meter at 2.5 several times with no issues. what treatment would I do once I qt. I have a 150g I should have enough water to fill tommorrow. I have plenty of sump rock to stick in the tank and a half gallon of mb7 to dose with. He looks so healthy I'm not sure what could have changed
 
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So we can rule out environmental since all other fish are ok. I would put him in a qt and treat him for a bacterial infection. Unfortunately it is impossible for the hobbyist to pinpoint the bacteria however we can still make an educated guess. I've had great success with metronidazole with fish that are lethargic and haven't eaten. Here's an article on metro: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/metranidazole.htm
Another good option is kanamycin. I can't find the article I have on utilization of antibiotics but this has some good info as well. http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.html#change_med
 
I have one of these guys - almost same size and age. They are quite hardy and don't seemed too bothered by water chemistry (although - i can't say i've ever had my PO4 anywhere close to 1.0).

Usually with a bacterial issue - you can see where the infection is being attacked by the bacterial. Sounds almost like a internal problem (not sure what foods you are feeding) - try Prazipro.
 
Newsmyrna80 said:
So we can rule out environmental since all other fish are ok. I would put him in a qt and treat him for a bacterial infection. Unfortunately it is impossible for the hobbyist to pinpoint the bacteria however we can still make an educated guess. I've had great success with metronidazole with fish that are lethargic and haven't eaten. Here's an article on metro: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/metranidazole.htm
Another good option is kanamycin. I can't find the article I have on utilization of antibiotics but this has some good info as well. http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.html#change_med
Click to expand...

noy said:
I have one of these guys - almost same size and age. They are quite hardy and don't seemed too bothered by water chemistry (although - i can't say i've ever had my PO4 anywhere close to 1.0).

Usually with a bacterial issue - you can see where the infection is being attacked by the bacterial. Sounds almost like a internal problem (not sure what foods you are feeding) - try Prazipro.
Click to expand...


Can I treat the whole tank with either of these medicines. I have a 150g I can set up for qt but it might take me a couple days to get it ready. I could easily set up a 40b but not sure if that will be big enough for him. I'm going to the lfs after work to see what kinda medicine they have in stock or if I'll have to order something. Thanks for the input
 
View attachment 318742

uploadfromtaptalk1432600194651.jpg

He is in a 40b now. Just started the treatment with prazi and metro. A freshwater dip is probably not a good idea since it doesn't seem external right? I was planning to change 10g out a day while he is in there, is that okay or will that defeat the medicine purpose? he is super fat so I'm hoping the fact he hasn't eaten will not be a factor. Some had said to feed him peas because they are a natural laxative I guess. yay or nay
 
FW dip not helpful for this situation. Be sure to redose whatever water you change out. I've read the pea treatment but if he's not eating he may not eat a pea but you could try. Be sure to keep an ammonia detoxifier on hand.
 
Started treatment last night but just got home and he's breathing heavy and laying on his side kinda. Doubt he makes it through the night. Only thing I notice weird is his mouth looks like part has turned whitish
 
Newsmyrna80 said:
Stress markings
Click to expand...
I was direct messaging a couple knowledgeable guys I know off instagram and they suggest an air stone which I completely didn't think about. I dug through my extra crap and got one going and he is out sitting upright outside of the rockwork. I did put the stone beside the rock work though since that's where he was laying on his side. I'll find out tomorrow I guess but this looks way more promising then the way he looked when I posted that pic. I hate to lose any fish but watching them die and just waiting it out to scoop him is the worst.. he is easily the fattest fish I have at prob 3" thick so if anyone can fight it off hopefully it will be him. Thanks for the advice and I'll update either way.
 
So I was about to do round 2 of my metro and prazi treatment (api general cure is all I could find at local lfs) but notice it says for parasitic treatment. Do I need to be using this or am I needing to treat for bacterial disease? He still want eat either going to try garlic tommorrow. He looks like he's doing good but just swimming in one place still just like in display
 
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