Sick Royal Gramma

[barngeatbayman]

I have had this royal gramma for a month. He has been in QT since I got him. Up until now has been eating like a pig. Last week I noticed 2 white specks on him and put him into hypo. He has been in hypo almost a week now. As of yesterday went on a hunger strike. He wont eat pellets or mysis shrimp. Pellets he mouth and spits out mysis he just looks at. He shows no visible signs of being sick what do you think?

 

[billsreef]

Double check your water quality parameters, especially ammonia and pH to start with.

 

[barngeatbayman]

no ammonia dectable and PH fine still not eating

 

[billsreef]

Try live brine shrimp from the LFS. Usually pretty enticing. How's the breathing rate?

 

[barngeatbayman]

pretty normal beathing doesnt look labored or fast or anything. I'm baffled by this one. I tried feeding this evening and he just looked didnt seem interested at all. His color is good and no marks.

Is it known for this specie of fish to go off the feed once and a while?

 

[barngeatbayman]

I'll try the brine tommorrow

 

[billsreef]

Usually once they start eating, they keep it up.

 

[eskymick]

I recently put a Royal Gramma in hypo, as well. He was fine for a few days, then quit eating and eventually died.

I found the same symptoms with the other "smaller" fish that I also had in hypo (anthias, blenny).

 

[barngeatbayman]

Bill,

I tried the live brine tonight. He was reluctant but he ate. Once he started eating he didn't stop. Hurray for that. I also picked up some Kent Garlic extract today as well. How do you think I should proceed in the next couple of days?

Thanks again Bill for all your help!!!

 

[billsreef]

Glad to hear he ate. Keep up with the live brine, put some selcon in with the brine about 30 minutes before feeding them to the gramma. That will improve the nutritional quality of the brine shrimp. The garlic seems to work well as an appetite stimulant, soak the food in it for a few minutes. Another trick I was recently talking to someone about might be worth trying as well, vitamin B-12 added the water seems to work as an appetite stimulant as well.

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11221513#post11221513 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eskymick
I recently put a Royal Gramma in hypo, as well. He was fine for a few days, then quit eating and eventually died.

I found the same symptoms with the other "smaller" fish that I also had in hypo (anthias, blenny).

Likely had some other problems for which hypo was not the right treatment for. I've hypo'd plenty of small fish, including anthias, gobies, blennies, basslets, etc. , and never lost a fish to hypo.

 

[barngeatbayman]

I had the Selcon in my hand tonight and didnt buy it. Should have. How many days would you give it before trying the mysis and the pellets again?

 

[billsreef]

Give another day with just the live, than do the live with a little bit of mysis added to start. When he seems to be eating that mix really well, start adding a few pellets at a time and slowly ween him over.

Sorry I didn't think to mention the selcon earlier

 

[barngeatbayman]

fish doesnt look good tonight. Barely ate and is breathing hard laying on the bottom at times. Doesnt seem interested in the brine tonight. Anything else I can do? I'm baffled no outward signs of anything. Do you think it could be he was exposed to cyno capture. Do they catch Royal Grammas that way?

 

[barngeatbayman]

I just retested my ph it is at 7.4 what do I need to do to raise it

 

[billsreef]

Not cyanide, but some areas of the Caribean are known for using quinaldine. While safer than cyanide, some consider it bad for the fish caught with it. With the hard breathing, amyloodinium becomes a possibility also. Biggest problem with amyloodinium is that it is very difficult to recognize till it's very advanced. The best and fastest treatment is Choriquine, which is an antimalarial drug. You'd need a vet or physician to be willing to write a prescription. Next best is a brief FW dip to knock some of the protozoans off followed by a formalin bath.

 

[barngeatbayman]

I just did a 30% water change and started aerating his tank with the lid open to reduce the CO2. Anything else I can do to raise the PH. 7.4 is very low aint it?

 

[billsreef]

That is low. Baking soda can be used to raise pH, just use a little bit at a time. Theres plenty on info for using it in the chem forum.

 

[barngeatbayman]

Bill help!!!!!

Gramma still hanging in there. He is still not eating. I got the PH more inline around 8.0 (I need to test today). All water parameters seem fine. But he still not eating live or frozen. What I did notice yesterday and today is he has a long stringy fece hanging from his I believe vent (anus) its about as long as his body. Would that mean anything? Anything else you think I should try?

 

[billsreef]

Dang, that long stringy feces is a sign of internal protozoan parasites. Praziquantel usually works well for this as well as internal worms. It's available under the name Prazi Pro marketed for aquariums.