Gasping Ocellaris...

[Kalanianaole]

I bought a TR Ocellaris at the LFS today. He's been in the tank for a few hours and hasn't moved out of the same six-inch spot. He seems to be gasping but isn't at the surface. I noticed this behavior in all the Ocies at the store, but didn't think much of it. Am I worrying too much?

[Guest AbSoluTc]

First things first -

 

TEST your water - this helps narrow down some possibilities, even though you said all the ones at the store where doing it.

 

How did you acclimate him? Did they just receive them in a shipment?

 

Lastly - not to be rude - Why did you buy him in the first place?

[Kalanianaole]

Temp, salinity, nitrates, etc. all check out fine.

 

I acclimated him by placing the bag in the tank to adjust it to tank temp, then added a cup of tank water every five minutes for 20 minutes.

 

I bought him cos I'm a sucker and felt sorry for him and since there aren't any fish in the 5 gal he's in, I'm hoping I might be able to save him. It's odd because the clowns had been in there for a few weeks. It's no big deal for the wallet if he dies, the guys at the store are nice and know me well. I'm just curious if anyone knows particulars on what his condition might be.

 

Oh, and I dumped in some copper-based treatement. Will that be of any concern for my Scleronephthya and gorgonia frags?

 

Yeah.....joking about that last part. Just wanted to try and get some peeps' dander up.

[Guest AbSoluTc]

Best thing you can do at this point is make sure the tank is getting alot of circulation. Nothing like "niagra falls", but make sure he is getting the most amount of O2 he can get.

 

Other than that, just wait it out. I have an ocellaris whether he is true or false is byond me. However, he has been through thick and thin this past year and some. Always doing well.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Gill flukes, praziquantel is a good med for it, a 24 hour bath in salt water or even a fresh water dip may help.

 

Prazi is available under the trade name Droncit from Vets, it is used to treat dogs and cats for internal worms but it works well on flukes as well.

 

Watch the fish and if it seems to be breathing from one side more than the other it is very possible you have flukes.

 

Double test your ammonia, take in a sample of your water to the LFS and ask them to compare it with your kit, ask them to test their water too while you watch. Maybe the fish got an ammonia or pH burn in shipment......

[tinyreef]

totally agree with BC. my bet's that there's something eating (basically) the little fellow. 86 his butt or quarantine him.

 

the acclimation seemed a little quick too. i usually go for 3 min/1 oz. until the bag's full (about 40 min) dump half and repeat. all while floating in the intended tank w/o lights.

 

any ragged fins or spotting (white or red)? you might want to add an airstone (coarser bubbles kind imo) basically more o2 like abs is recommending.

[Kalanianaole]

Thanks for the responses....

 

Yesterday I gave him a freshwater bath. The only guidelines I know for that are match pH, add just a little tank water and once he looks like he can't stand it anymore, take him out. He was in there for a minute and a half. Since I don't have a quarantine tank (I have two fish in the 6 gal, and the oci in the 5 gal so it doesn't make much sense to have one), that was my only treatment option.

 

I don't think it did much good. He hasn't eaten since I got him, and although there are no skin spots, his gills are still flaring out and his mouth won't stop moving.

 

I'm going to call the store I bought him from and take him back tomorrow...and check on the rest of that Oci batch they had.

 

I just hoped that taking him out of the store water would help turn things around for the bugger. I hate seeing life go to waste. Unless it's mosquitos. Or ticketers.

 

kalaniana'ole

[BCOrchidGuy]

Sounds like Gill flukes to me, bummer sorry that you are having a bit of bad luck.

[Pikelet]

Dear dear dear.

 

NEVER buy a fish that is obviously unwell in the LFS unless you have a quarantine tank and know exactly what the problem is and how to fix it. I sure hope your tank water parameters were close to those at the LFS because your acclimation was far too brief in my opinion. Lets all hope the little chap pulls through.