QT Question

[fishman]

I have a six line wrasse, a clown goby and 2 other gobies that Im not sure what they are but I think are called scissor tails. I have had all of them in QT now for almost 6 weeks with no signs of disease. However, as soon as I got the clown goby, I could tell something was wrong. He is SO skinny and tries to eat but appears cant. He has lived now for 6 weeks like this but still swims around and such. The other fish are eating and look healthy. I want to put the others in my main but am afraid to because of this one that isnt eating. Is it safe to put the others in the main and leave the clown in QT?
Also what can I do to help the clown goby? As soon as food is put in the tank he goes right after it but only 1 time and then will either spit it out or doesnt try to eat again at that feeding. Personally I think he is to far gone as een his color is fading fast.

 

[roka64]

I would drip acclimate your other ones and put them in the main (if they do indeed look healthy and are eating). Definitely leave the clown in the QT.
Can you get a pic of him?
Has his color faded?
Have you tried soaking the food in garlic guard?
Are his droppings white?

 

[fishman]

Yeah all of the others look fine..I am going to put them in the main this weekened.
On the clown goby I cant get a pic of him. He hides most of the time. Yes his color has faded a lot. He is sort of faded yellow to white now in some areas. And yes I soak the food in garlic. He acts like he is starving and I think he is...just dont know why?
I havent seen any droppings. I really dont think he is eating enough if any to produce droppings. I really wish I knew what was wrong with him. His little stomach is sunken way in..

 

[roka64]

Sounds like like it could be intestinal flagellates, too bright light, pH, some sort of meds added to the tank (is this a new QT, that has never had anything in it?), the same food for long periods of time.
What are your water parameters, including pH?
What size is the QT?

 

[fishman]

I have had this QT tank set up for about 4-5 months now. I had a yellow tang in it for 7 weeks and then put these guys in there now. The yellow had no problems and has been in my main for 3+ months now.
No meds have been in this tank. I feed mysis, brine and the frozen cube that has a bunch of stuff in it...slips my mind. QT is 30 gallon long. 2 biowheels, some rubble rock from the main and PVC. I have 1 light that is a shop light - like 65 watts.
Parameters are stable...PH around 7.8-8.2, ammonia 0, trates less than 10, and all else 0. SG is around 1.022...same as my main

 

[melosu58]

I would also add the other fish to the main as soon as possible so we can worry about the sick one. I would try to feed using selcon or garlic or both to see if you can start to get him to eat. I hope all goes well.

 

[fishman]

I will then add them to the main this weekend and go from there. Again I want to make sure you understand...the sick fish tries to eat, and is VERY agressive on chasing the food but then after catching one bite, its like he either has blockage or it want go down and he cant swallow. I dont know how you would fix this?

 

[roka64]

Ok, is there any swelling around his mouth?
Are you letting the frozen thaw out?
Try not using the garlic, how much are you adding? I do 2 drops for my 55, of garlic guard.

 

[fishman]

Roak no swelling that I can see. He looks normal..
I sort of laughed out loud on the "do you let the food thaw out". I cant imagine someone being that slow shall we say? Sorry - I found it funny as yes this would present a problem!
But to answer your question, yes I do let the food thaw out. I add vitamin C and garlic to the food. I feed the same food to my main. I also rinse the food too.
I have tried using and NOT using the garlic..same result.
Also just small bit of background. I have been in the SW hobby for almost 5 years. So I know a lot of tricks and such. This one seems that the fish has a blockage in his throat or is just sick. He has been like this since late March. Seems to be getting worse.

 

[roka64]

Have you tried flake?
Hmmm, I'm running out of ideas, can you check the gills?
Try slowly lowering the salinity, that may help.

 

[fishman]

NO I have not tried flake. Again if he is attacking the food, I would think that anything I put in there he will go for. Hes hungry for sure and wants to eat...I can try this I guess...
Gills appear to be ok..
Also just check SG and its 1.021 not 1.022. If I lower the SG what will this do? How will it help the fish eat?

 

[roka64]

I was thinking flake might be easier because it kind of turns to mush and might be able to get through the blockage.
At lower salinitys, the fish do not have to work as hard to breathe and cause less stress.

 

[fishman]

Reason I ask is I thought 1.022 to 1.020 would be ideal. But I do see your point.
Honestly I have tried flake with other fish in the past and have had ZERO luck in any fish taking to it. Maybe because I have so much flow in my tank. Anyway, I will try it one more time and see if he takes to it. Wish I could target feed him but he is very skiddish!

 

[roka64]

Wish I could target feed him but he is very skiddish!

Two possibilities:
1. Remove anything he can hide behind, turn off your flow and feed (or try to).
2. Stick the "target feeding device" in the tank, let him get used to it. But you are saying he already goes after the food, that is not really the issue, IMO.

 

[MT79]

AFAIK fish caught using cyanide often have digestive problems. Is that a possibility?

 

[roka64]

AFAIK fish caught using cyanide often have digestive problems. Is that a possibility?

Hmmm, that's actually a great point!

 

[fishman]

Yeah thats a possibility. I feel bad for the little guy as he just wants to eat SO bad but seems like after grabbing the first peice of food, just goes and hides in the corner and watches other peices float by. All the other fish leave him alone so its not them that keeps him from eating. Im surprised he has made it this long. Im expecting to get up any morning and find him dead. He looks really bad. Also makes me nervous to think about putting the other fish that are in the QT with him - into my main. But they have eaten well for 6 weeks and look good. The six line wrasse has been in the QT for some 13 weeks with no signs of anything.

 

[MT79]

If that is the case, that is a shame. Euthanizing the fish may be something you want to look into if you feel it necessary. I would be cautious about buying from the same LFS or online vendor. Definitely ask to see fish eat before buying in the future and ask how/where it was collected. I thought this article was pretty informative, and it gives tips for spotting fish caught using cyanide.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-01/sp/index.php

 

[roka64]

That's a great article Mike. The box on the side, toward the bottom talks about the fishes "aura" and looking picture perfect and also about the anti social behavior, which was stated above.

 

[fishman]

Well just fyi...I took all of the fish in the QT with the described sick fish and he stayed in the QT tank. I left him in there and he got to the point to where he was getting so thin, losing color and was being sucked up against a very small pump in the QT tank..I finally put him down as I couldnt stand to let him go on like this. He was in the QT for some 6.5 weeks and was getting no better. I wont say how I did it but I just couldnt watch him go on.
Also I have bought from this store for 4 years and the fish are always healthy. I have a regal that is healthy as a horse that I got from there 3 years ago. I dont know but what the fish was sick when I bought him - although fat and looked healthy. The other fish in the QT tank with him still appear to be ok.