[Fxdupcobra]

This is something new. I have my fish in hypo. I had the clown and the powder blue together then after 1 week the pbt started attacking the maroon clown fish. By the time I got to him he was hiding between the rock and the wall and was barely moving. I took him out and (acclimated him) into a 20 gallon that is at the same hypo level. Now the clown seems to have gotten his color back (he was black when he was being attacked) but he seems to be hosting the ground. He is active but not eating. He is protecting that spot of the ground as if it was an anemone but he seems incredibly hyper and agitated. My concern is he is not eating and probably burning a lot of energy. Has he lost his mind (its been 3 days)?

[leebca]

Not so much a loss of mind, just over-stressed. The results of stress can be a variety of symptoms. Most fish don't quarantine well with others and usually not worth the risk, although I understand your circumstances.

Remind me again:
How long has the fish been in hyposalinity?
What are you running the salinity at?
What is the pH of the water?

You can slowly (very slowly) raise the sp. gr. up a couple of points. This change can encourage a different behavior and may relieve some stress on the fish. Be very alert to water quality. Don't let the water have anything more than a "0" ammonia and nitrite reading. Hold pH steady.

Not to worry about energy (too much) since at the low salinity the fish is conserving quite a lot of energy.

[Fxdupcobra]

Thank you for your reply leebca. Here are the answers to your questions:

How long has the fish been in hyposalinity? About a week (was fine until he got attacked.)
What are you running the salinity at? 1.008 - 1.009

What is the pH of the water? 8.2

Ammonia level? 0

Nitrite Level? 0

Everything looks ok! Other then a clown fish on a mission of hosting the floor?

What do you think still raise the salinity?

Thanks

[leebca]

I would recommend raising the salinity to 1.012 over a 36-hour time span.

Hold that pH steady. I would recommend checking the pH two or three times per day with a real accurate/reliable means (pH meter would be optimum). Especially check the pH one hour after attempting to feed the fish.

The above and time should give the fish some 'room' to adjust to the stress to where it will be interested in food. Keep trying different foods. When it begins to eat keep offering different foods to avoid the fish getting 'stuck' on one type of diet.

[Fxdupcobra]

How would this effect the hyposalinity treatment?

Thanks

[leebca]

It is the current practice is to recommend a specific gravity of between 1.012 to 1.014 for a hyposalinity treatment. I and other professionals rather use 1.008 (11ppt).

The change up to the lower part of that range would still be 98% effective. If and when the fish begins to eat, you can lower it again.

For now, a change in salinity could trigger the fish's eating response and I believe would be worth the loss of 1.5% or so on the effectiveness for a time.

My further recommendation, though I haven't said it yet, is that if the fish continues to not eat, then return the salinity to normal. A living, eating, infected fish is better than a dead fish. So the emphasis now is getting the fish to eat, regardless of the infection. In other words, the first priority is the fish's life.

[Fxdupcobra]

I agree, I shall do it.

Thank you

[anthias]

sorry for my question but it is the first time I read about hypo therpy ,can u tell why to but the fish in hyposalinity tank??

[leebca]

Hyposalinity is one of the three proven methods to cure marine fish of Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans). It cures fish of this one disease very well. On the other hand, it is not something that will work all the time on all ciliated protozoans. A hyposalinity treatment is actually enjoyed by some parasites.

[Fxdupcobra]

I have reaised the salinity to 1.0111-1.012 and he is still not eating He just keeps pretending the floor is an anemone and he is really really hyper. Its like he is on a mission!?

What else can I try?

Thanks

[leebca]

Slowly return the salinity to normal (sp. gr. of about 1.023) over a 48 hour period.

Does the fish see the food at all? Can you tell if the fish is noticing your presence? By 'hyper' do you mean swimming a lot or breathing fast?

[Fxdupcobra]

Breathing is normal. He is now swimming around (slightly) he is not on the floor anymore. I tried feeding him he is not going for the food at all. I think he sees me because if he had a problem seeing he would probably swim into the wall. What I did notice is that he has discoloration round his face. It looks like his skin is a little lighter around his face. I thought it might be brook but i dont think so.

What do yout think?

[leebca]

Generally, with Brooklynella there would be additional symptoms. Also, Brooklynella kills pretty fast.

My concern is, that if the fish isn't noticing what is going around it, that it could be stressed into a shock-kind of condition. Nothing but time and prayer will help that.

The fish can sometimes come out of it on their own or not. It's not the food or conditions that will entice it. Although, if you have access to a live food, like live brine shrimp, that would be worth a try. Still, don't assume it is the food that is the problem.

[Fxdupcobra]

I have brine shrimp all over my display! I guess I can try to catch some . . . will they survive in the q tank with the salinity at 1.012?

Thanks for all the help!

[leebca]

They will live for long enough to entice the fish.

[Fxdupcobra]

Ok, now I am truly devastated. My regal which was probably doing better then all my fish (eating, swimming, responding) was stuck on my inlet pump for my filter. I released him and watched him and he recently just died, FOR NO Reason. Water Parameters are salinity 1.011-1.012, PH 8.2, Amn 0, Nitrite 0. I took him out of the tank he had perfect color and was fat from all the food he was eating. I don’t know what could have killed him I looked at him closely and saw that around his gills it was swollen and the color was a little yellowish/whitish/beige. I don’t know if that is normal. What could have killed him he has been alive for 2 months and was doing extremely well. Could it have been the pump?

I know its hard to say but I am just very disappointed, he was my favorite!

[leebca]

Sorry for your loss.

The gill color you mention is not normal. Healthy gills themselves are red (a bit on the maroon of the color).

The pump intake most likely did not kill or hurt the fish. A healthy fish can maneuver away from a pump intake, unless the intake is so large and volume so great that even a healthy fish couldn't (not likely with the equipment we use in our systems).

A necropsy could tell something, but there isn't anything more to go on. Was it in its QT alone or with another fish? How are the other fish looking and acting? What was the fish eating?

Do you have Vita-Chem vitamins? For the Maroon, you should consider putting vitamins into the water, following the Vita-Chem directions for additions directly to the water.

[Fxdupcobra]

That is the same tank that the clown fish is in (the one that is not eating). I supplement, vita-chem, selcon and garlic into their diet.

What does it mean when the gills are a whitish color?

The regal was eating everything! Formula 2, Marineland pellets, small chopped up krill (his favorite was the formula 2 he would attack that).

I didnt add any vitamins directly into the water because of fear of amn spike due to the fact that it is in hypo in a q-tank.

[leebca]

The outward appearance of the gills is not too helpful. I'd have to view them under a microscope to verify their status. Although the coloration simulates a bacterial infection, that is too hard to tell and not a reliable thought.

The thing about infection, space, captivity, water quality, tank mates, etc., etc. is stressors. Aquarists often don't focus on the consequences of these things because to some extent their fish are not thought of as long-term pets. Aquarists think of themselves as 'lucky' if their fish live a few years. But fish that are under stress (even low long-term stress) have a shortened life span and often are easy prey to pathogens and opportunistic microbes.

You're right about the vitamins affecting the water borne bacteria population. But, I would still recommend that for the fish not eating, when that fish has exceeded two weeks being off of food.

How are you measuring your ammonia, nitrites, and pH?

[anthias]

good morning fx ,
me too I lost my best fish ,mybe because of the internal bacteria.
how is your clown now ?