Upside down Yellow Longnose

[Caryvera]

Hello!

I got a Yellow Longnose Butterfly about two days ago. It was eating and looked fine. The first night, it started swimming upside for a while. Since last night, I've only seen it swimming upside down. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Cary

 

[reefrunner69]

First off,

Now on tt the problem:
It sounds like a swim bladder infection. You can try a broadspectrum antibiotic (like e-mycin) in a quarantine tank. You may actually try Maracyn and Maracyn 2, they are different broadspectrum antibiotics that treat different infections. It has been my experience, though that if a fish can not right itself in the water, it's too late. I have never seen one make it through. If you have only had the fish for 2 days, I would certainly be contacting my LFS to express my displeasure.

 

[Caryvera]

Thanks for the info.

Should I worry about it spreading to my other fish? Or can I let the Longnose remain in my display tank?

 

[reefrunner69]

Provided it is a bacterial infection of the swim bladder, the chances of it spreading are almost nil. Bacterial infection are almost always secondary infections to something else. The fish is new, so we will probably never know what it is secondary too. The fish could have had a parasitic condition or it could simply have been stress from capture and shipping. This can show you the value of a good quarantine, it probably wouldn't have helped this fish, but it could have easily been ick.

 

[Caryvera]

Upside Down Yellow Longnose

Thanks.

I've learned my lesson. I'll be setting up a quarantine tank with my next fish.

Cary