Small Blue Hippo Lethargic in Quarantine

[JackandJill]

I have a small (1") blue hippo tang in quarantine currently and he doesn't look like he's doing so well.

When I got him and transferred him to quarantine he was heavily infected with ich although still eating great and swimming around. He has made it through tank transfer so should be ich free, and indeed looks that way. But now he has been in an observation tank for a few days and is constantly laying on the ground seeming to breath heavy. I took a picture, although there is no external sign of problems, no white spots, no thickening of the slime coat, no patchyness, no redness.

The only external observations are a few white patches here and there, seem more like part of the "pattern" than anything else and he seems very emaciated and he refuses to eat.

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[snorvich]

Time line?

 

[JackandJill]

Time line?

11/3/2014 - Received, fish looks healthy, swimming, eating
11/18/2014 - Fish is lethargic, some white spots
11/19/2014 - Fish is barely moving, thickly covered in white spots
11/20/2014 - Fish is moved to 10g quarantine, hiding under pvc
11/24/2014 - First Move to another 10g quarantine, hiding under pvc
11/27/2014 - Second Move, hiding under pvc, but seen swimming around when peeking in the room
11/30/2014 - Third Move, white spots visually gone, hiding under pvc as before
12/3/2014 - Fourth move, to 20g long observation tank, laying on the ground in the open, hiding under pvc, and seeming to have trouble staying off his side.

 

[snorvich]

So you did tank transfer and then observed? Any white spots at this point? Did you fresh water dip to test for flukes? (Or prazi?) My concern is the time line fits velvet and the behavior somewhat matches.

 

[JackandJill]

So you did tank transfer and then observed?

Correct.

Any white spots at this point?

None.

Did you fresh water dip to test for flukes? (Or prazi?)

Fresh water dipped him today, looked like a few flukes may have come off. He seems even more lethargic all day today after the dip.

 

[snorvich]

Breathing (gilling) rate?

 

[JackandJill]

Breathing (gilling) rate?

Barely breathing. Once every two seconds. He seems to breath a few times then open his gills wide and seem to take a "big breath" and his body has a small spazm. I would compare it to a person choking and spitting up blood while breathing.

 

[snorvich]

Beat me. Velvet would have been alleviated (although not cured) by the fresh water dip.

 

[JackandJill]

Beat me. Velvet would have been alleviated (although not cured) by the fresh water dip.

Do you think its possible that it is malnutrition from the last few weeks of not eating while he had the parasites? Now even though the parasites are gone and/or reduced he is suffering from the starvation?

 

[snorvich]

Possible but unlikely based on the problems respiring (gilling).

 

[JackandJill]

Uronema? Internal parasites?

 

[tylersarah]

My thought is internal parasites

 

[snorvich]

My thought is internal parasites

Could be.

 

[snorvich]

Uronema? Internal parasites?

Ever in a tank with chromis?

 

[JackandJill]

Ever in a tank with chromis?

Surprisingly No, but the same nets and specimen containers are used with a system that has chromis and I lost about 20 chromis (and many others) to suspected Uronema.

 

[snorvich]

Surprisingly No, but the same nets and specimen containers are used with a system that has chromis and I lost about 20 chromis (and many others) to suspected Uronema.

That, then is the likely issue. Any skin peeling?

 

[JackandJill]

That, then is the likely issue. Any skin peeling?

Not that I noticed, somewhat hard to tell though with it being a blue tang and hiding constantly.

I have lost 3 blue tangs while in quarantine (all tiny) to similar circumstances (minus the infection with ich). They all seem to be doing alright and then one morning dead with no traces of ammonia or disease.

 

[Deinonych]

Not that I noticed, somewhat hard to tell though with it being a blue tang and hiding constantly.

I have lost 3 blue tangs while in quarantine (all tiny) to similar circumstances (minus the infection with ich). They all seem to be doing alright and then one morning dead with no traces of ammonia or disease.

Possible side effects from cyanide collection, perhaps? Do you know the country of origin for the fish?

 

[JackandJill]

Possible side effects from cyanide collection, perhaps? Do you know the country of origin for the fish?

I do not. I've not heard of cyanide being used commonly with Tangs though, have you had any experience with that?

 

[TheAngelfish]

I do not. I've not heard of cyanide being used commonly with Tangs though, have you had any experience with that?

I believe that is what happen to my blonde naso. It was all good, then stopped eating, and then *poof* it was on its side and then it died.