Chromis suddenly greying, blackening, swimming vertically :(

[flakychips]

Is my Chromis dying? New reefer here. Quite upset by seeing ourChromis blackening / greying and possibly dying. It keeps swimming vertically in the same area and not sure what to do. It has lost a lot of colour as you can see from the first picture, the streak of blue you see is all that is left of its original colour. I have checked all parameters with my saltwater test kit and pH, ammonia etc are all in order.

For comparison, below is the picture of another Chromis in the same tank, which seems to be healthy.

Any advice that could help save it is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Have you noticed any aggression between the two? Chromis can be very nasty and often will pick each other off to just one.

 

[flakychips]

<Removed, accidental post>

 

[flakychips]

Have you noticed any aggression between the two? Chromis can be very nasty and often will pick each other off to just one.

I didn't know that! And no, I haven't seen any aggression between them. I only saw the healthy Chromis hit the sick one once it started greying/blackening. I figured this was a "What's wrong with you?! Swim normally already!" type reaction from the healthy one? But maybe I caught the tail end of an attack?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Sounds like it - submissive fish will often go darker. Really the only thing you can do is separate them, but at this point I’m not sure about it’s chances.

 

[flakychips]

Sounds like it - submissive fish will often go darker. Really the only thing you can do is separate them, but at this point I’m not sure about it’s chances.

It has consistently been in this dark/ashen state although the other Chromis has not been attacking it except that one time I saw it pushing the darkened one once it made this state. Do you know if the vertical swimming means injury or dying? Unfortunately, I have no tank separators at the moment Will go out to get one and hopefully it survives. Thanks so much for helping.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

It has consistently been in this dark/ashen state although the other Chromis has not been attacking it except that one time I saw it pushing the darkened one once it made this state. Do you know if the vertical swimming means injury or dying? Unfortunately, I have no tank separators at the moment Will go out to get one and hopefully it survives. Thanks so much for helping.

Welcome to eef2Reef!

Can you post a picture taken under white light?

The location and shape of that mark looks like Uronema, but the color is wrong, but that could be a result of the blue lights.

Jay

 

[flakychips]

Welcome to eef2Reef!

Can you post a picture taken under white light?

The location and shape of that mark looks like Uronema, but the color is wrong, but that could be a result of the blue lights.

Jay

Hey Jay! Thanks for the welcome and for the help. The Chromis died already RIP Didn't have the heart to look at the body after, but attached is a video of what it looked like a few hours earlier under white light

 

[Treefer32]

I had 6 caribbean blue Chromises. One by one they started swimming vertically by the powerhead. It was about 3 hours between, stayed close to the surface and hid behind Powerheads. When they came out to eat there was a couple occasions I would see fighting. But it wasn't often. I suspect either Chromises don't naturally live long or in captivity they fight when you're not looking and the submissive one chooses to die. I had one of the 6 jump out of the tank, then the rest were picked off one by one. Guess how many I have left out of 6? --- 1 Carribean blue Chromis left. And he's perfectly healthy.

They just are brutal to their siblings. I don't know why.. In the ocean the swim together so peacefully, but I don't know if one gets weak and it's immediately picked off or what.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is my Chromis dying? New reefer here. Quite upset by seeing ourChromis blackening / greying and possibly dying. It keeps swimming vertically in the same area and not sure what to do. It has lost a lot of colour as you can see from the first picture, the streak of blue you see is all that is left of its original colour. I have checked all parameters with my saltwater test kit and pH, ammonia etc are all in order.

For comparison, below is the picture of another Chromis in the same tank, which seems to be healthy.

Any advice that could help save it is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

I believe Uronema myself. Aggression maybe but aggression often blamed for disease. If it a reddish/brown rash, likely uronema but to confirm. . . Pics under white lighting very helpful with that assessment.
If it is, you will want to get Quick Cure. If none, then Ruby rally Pro.
best treatment choice is a 45 min formalin bath using Quick Cure then finished in a quarantine tank. Once in QT tank, treat and assure that the parasites have been eliminated. You can also soak food in metronidazole at 5gm weight which is a Tiny amount . . . Seachem Metroplex for 10-14 days.

 

[Sharkbait19]

It has consistently been in this dark/ashen state although the other Chromis has not been attacking it except that one time I saw it pushing the darkened one once it made this state. Do you know if the vertical swimming means injury or dying? Unfortunately, I have no tank separators at the moment Will go out to get one and hopefully it survives. Thanks so much for helping.

I haven’t personally had chromis, but just about every fish I’ve lost to aggression has done similar, where it hides up in the corner.
I’ve seen this a lot with tiger barbs, even though they are freshwater, they pick each other off the same way and will act the same when fighting each other.

Uro is possible, but since you mentioned the lighter spot was blue I’d think that rules it out.

 

[flakychips]

I believe Uronema myself. Aggression maybe but aggression often blamed for disease. If it a reddish/brown rash, likely uronema but to confirm. . . Pics under white lighting very helpful with that assessment.
If it is, you will want to get Quick Cure. If none, then Ruby rally Pro.
best treatment choice is a 45 min formalin bath using Quick Cure then finished in a quarantine tank. Once in QT tank, treat and assure that the parasites have been eliminated. You can also soak food in metronidazole at 5gm weight which is a Tiny amount . . . Seachem Metroplex for 10-14 days.

Thanks for the info and protocol! Sadly the Chromis is already RIP. I don't have a photo but this video is under white lighting a few hours before the vertical swimming and ashen state. I don't see any red/rash like spots though.

 

[flakychips]

I had 6 caribbean blue Chromises. One by one they started swimming vertically by the powerhead. It was about 3 hours between, stayed close to the surface and hid behind Powerheads. When they came out to eat there was a couple occasions I would see fighting. But it wasn't often. I suspect either Chromises don't naturally live long or in captivity they fight when you're not looking and the submissive one chooses to die. I had one of the 6 jump out of the tank, then the rest were picked off one by one. Guess how many I have left out of 6? --- 1 Carribean blue Chromis left. And he's perfectly healthy.

They just are brutal to their siblings. I don't know why.. In the ocean the swim together so peacefully, but I don't know if one gets weak and it's immediately picked off or what.

Sad to hear you lost your Chromis but glad to hear that it may not be disease, as I tried to follow all the right steps with QT before introduction into the tank. Similar story to yours with this Chromis started swimming vertically by the power head in the corner.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the info and protocol! Sadly the Chromis is already RIP. I don't have a photo but this video is under white lighting a few hours before the vertical swimming and ashen state. I don't see any red/rash like spots though.

Sorry to hear and the fish in video under high distress and seemed to have an issue at rectal area

 

[flakychips]

I haven’t personally had chromis, but just about every fish I’ve lost to aggression has done similar, where it hides up in the corner.
I’ve seen this a lot with tiger barbs, even though they are freshwater, they pick each other off the same way and will act the same when fighting each other.

Uro is possible, but since you mentioned the lighter spot was blue I’d think that rules it out.

Yes the lighter spot in the photo was blue, just like its original colour. The ashen portion as in the picture didn't change at all. It was almost like the ashen area was spreading slowly from its tail to its head.