Powder Blue Tang - sitting on bottom

[rBlair]

I purchased a Powder Blue Tang Sunday and it was doing ok until today. It is sitting on the bottom of the QT tank, breathing hard. No spots or discoloration.

Tank params are
ammonia 0
Nitrites .25
Nitrates 5
PH 8
Salinity 1.026

It is in a 29 gallon bare bottom QT tank with new water on Sunday. Did a freshwater dip Monday. Started Prazipro last night thinking it was eating well and looked good so treatment would be ok.

I have 2 HOB filters on the tank and an air stone.

What would you recommend as a course of action at this point?


It will be going into a 180 gallon tank that is cycling now so would be in a 29 holding tank if it survives this till the 180 is ready.

 

[ThRoewer]

Breathing hard can have many reasons.

Low oxygenation of the water due to the temperature being too high - check that first!

It could be a reaction to the PraziPro pro treatment or simply coincidental. I had it with a clownfish once and it seemed to have been the PraziPro.

Flukes can probably be excluded for this time since you just did a FW dip - if there were some most should have come off and I don't think they multiply that fast. This is of course assuming the you did the FW dip for at least 10 minutes.

Velvet could also be the cause, but again the FW dip should have at least reduced the infection level to some degree and a rebound should take a few days.
Brook on the other hand can multiply extremely fast right on the fish.

My advice would be to do a large or even full water change and see if that makes him feel better.
I would also lower the salinity to 1.020 or even 1.018 to increase the oxygen saturation level of the water.

If all that all doesn't help I would try a 10 to 20 minute formalin dip against a possible velvet or brook infection.

 

[rBlair]

I did a large, about 60% water change, lowered the temp from 76 to 74 at the same time and reduced the salinity to 1.024 (didn't want to make to drastic a change and add to the stress). It seems it may be a little better, it is at least upright now and has moved to a different place in the tank. The color still looks good with no noticeable spots, not breathing as hard. I may do a formalin dip tomorrow if it is still alive.

 

[rBlair]

and thank you ThRoewer for your help

 

[rBlair]

it didn't make it through the night.

 

[mattcoug]

The timeline fits velvet or ammonia. Sterilize the qt before adding a new fish.

 

[lynchmob3000]

I don't think he was telling you to lower the temp. 76 could be the reason it wasn't moving around much as he was a lil cold. Tangs in qt need at least 78, especially when fighting some illness. I usually shoot for 79 at least. Breathing deep usually happens after a freshwater dip and or also prazipro is added to an already stressed fish. If your fish had some kind of parasite In its gills it's possible that the freshwater dip caused his demise, but prazipro can do the same thing. Hard to tell and powder blues are like an achellis as I would only qt in at least a 55 gallon possibly with live rock

 

[DOGGIE750]

I love And Hate PBT

I love And Hate PBT

The timeline fits velvet or ammonia. Sterilize the qt before adding a new fish.

Sorry to hear your loss buddy.

Mattcoug: may I ask how do you sterilize a QT? I thought having copper would do the trick? Please advise. Currently, I have a QT that's infected with ich or velvet and will take the water out this weekend. I'll add 50% of new water and 50% from DT and dose this with copper, yes straight to Hospital mode.

 

[mattcoug]

Copper will kill velvet, but you have to wait the full lifecycle. And you shouldn't put a fish directly into full strength copper.

Much easier to bleach clean and dry the tank and all equipment then refill, add bio spira and go.

 

[mattcoug]

I'll add 50% of new water and 50% from DT and dose this with copper, yes straight to Hospital mode.

Why are you using display water? Do you have ich/velvet in the display and are taking the fish out to treat or planning to get new fish?

 

[DOGGIE750]

DT fish going to the Hospital tank.

DT fish going to the Hospital tank.

Why are you using display water? Do you have ich/velvet in the display and are taking the fish out to treat or planning to get new fish?

Yes. Initiate the treatment and perhaps add new fish if possible.

 

[mattcoug]

For new fish you might be better off starting sterile and adding bio spira. This makes sure that you are not introducing new parasites to an immunocompromised fish. Any hint of velvet can take a new fish down in hours.

 

[scooter31707]

Might be traces of Ammonia. Your Nirites are .25ppm, meaning that tank is not cycled. So you may want to get some Prime and be prepared to do water changes (maybe)

 

[scooter31707]

Also I would not immediately dose with copper. Has it been eating? I have heard Prazi-Pro can be known to affect a fish appetite, causing them not to eat. Get a piece of Nori and rubberband to a small piece of rock or PVC and let it sit (no more than 24hrs).

 

[rBlair]

Might be traces of Ammonia. Your Nirites are .25ppm, meaning that tank is not cycled. So you may want to get some Prime and be prepared to do water changes (maybe)

scooter - this was a freshly set up QT tank that I dry between uses so I was ready to do water changes. My plan is to do the initial freshwater dip, then put it in this tank for a couple days, then move it to my TTM tubs.

I do have my 75 gal running with a few fish as well as a 20 gallon observation tank with a couple small fish so I don't think it has anything to do with my RO/DI water. (also have a few freshwater systems I use the water in that are fine)