Firefish, swim bladder disease ? Help

stevo_87

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Hi,

I noticed yesterday my firefish wouldn’t leave its tubing where its sleeps and when it did it just lay on the bottom and some times sides ways.

Today has been no better, he’s out the tube but laying on the sand, sometimes from the flow it ends up with its tail in the air then laying on its side again.

Could this be swim bladder disease, any ideas for treating it or is he a soon to sea fish heaven?

he wont eat either I’ve tried target feeding and nothing, I’ve had him about a month prior to yesterday he was happy as wizzing all over the place.

Any advice would be appreciated?

Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 7.2
Nitrite - 7
Salinity 1024

My water Temp did rocket from 27 upto 29.2 over the last 3 days and i battled to keep it between 28 and 29.2, its now at stable 26.9/27

Thanks in advance
 

Jekyl

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Uncle99

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Hi,

I noticed yesterday my firefish wouldn’t leave its tubing where its sleeps and when it did it just lay on the bottom and some times sides ways.

Today has been no better, he’s out the tube but laying on the sand, sometimes from the flow it ends up with its tail in the air then laying on its side again.

Could this be swim bladder disease, any ideas for treating it or is he a soon to sea fish heaven?

he wont eat either I’ve tried target feeding and nothing, I’ve had him about a month prior to yesterday he was happy as wizzing all over the place.

Any advice would be appreciated?

Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 7.2
Nitrite - 7
Salinity 1024

My water Temp did rocket from 27 upto 29.2 over the last 3 days and i battled to keep it between 28 and 29.2, its now at stable 26.9/27

Thanks in advance
Any marks on him, fin damage or the like.
Happy yesterday and unhappy today reminds me of attack.

Have anyone else?
 

vetteguy53081

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Hi,

I noticed yesterday my firefish wouldn’t leave its tubing where its sleeps and when it did it just lay on the bottom and some times sides ways.

Today has been no better, he’s out the tube but laying on the sand, sometimes from the flow it ends up with its tail in the air then laying on its side again.

Could this be swim bladder disease, any ideas for treating it or is he a soon to sea fish heaven?

he wont eat either I’ve tried target feeding and nothing, I’ve had him about a month prior to yesterday he was happy as wizzing all over the place.

Any advice would be appreciated?

Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 7.2
Nitrite - 7
Salinity 1024

My water Temp did rocket from 27 upto 29.2 over the last 3 days and i battled to keep it between 28 and 29.2, its now at stable 26.9/27

Thanks in advance
Two issues would be constipation or yes- bladder.
Is fish breathing normal or heavy?
If eating, offer brine shrimp for now.
As requested not just a video, but you tube version with bright light intensity is best and of at least 20 seconds
 

MnFish1

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The other option is fluid retention which weighed the fish down - but you would likely see a different appearance. Can you give any more information? Age? Any other symptoms (breathing), how long you've had? Any other recent arrivals? Your parameters? Did you QT? These fish do have relatively short lifespans.
 
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stevo_87

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Here’s a little video.

I don’t think he’s been attacked, only got 2 clowns and a royal gamma , not seen issues before.

The breathing sometimes seems normals then Other times heavy.

He won’t eat ive tried brine and mysis shrimp, pellets and flake, all of which he’s eaten before
 

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Jekyl

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Here’s a little video.

I don’t think he’s been attacked, only got 2 clowns and a royal gamma , not seen issues before.

The breathing sometimes seems normals then Other times heavy.

He won’t eat ive tried brine and mysis shrimp, pellets and flake, all of which he’s eaten before
Can you please link the video via youtube?
 
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stevo_87

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The other option is fluid retention which weighed the fish down - but you would likely see a different appearance. Can you give any more information? Age? Any other symptoms (breathing), how long you've had? Any other recent arrivals? Your parameters? Did you QT? These fish do have relatively short lifespans.
Hi,

Age unsure I bought it a month ago and not been in LSF long, breathing heavy and normal mixed when I’ve observed.

No he was the last arrival
 

vetteguy53081

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Here’s a little video.

I don’t think he’s been attacked, only got 2 clowns and a royal gamma , not seen issues before.

The breathing sometimes seems normals then Other times heavy.

He won’t eat ive tried brine and mysis shrimp, pellets and flake, all of which he’s eaten before
I dont see this fish as bloated but rather starting to thin and seems scared. It is possible that fish may have edema and is starting to feed off its liver which is not uncommon with this type of fish but cant confirm as in video, fish is sitting in the sand
 

Jay Hemdal

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Here’s a little video.

I don’t think he’s been attacked, only got 2 clowns and a royal gamma , not seen issues before.

The breathing sometimes seems normals then Other times heavy.

He won’t eat ive tried brine and mysis shrimp, pellets and flake, all of which he’s eaten before

That's not a swim bladder issue, nor is it constipation. The fish is breathing a bit fast, and also very deeply. That can be due to low oxygen in the water, gill disease, or some systemic infection. The clownfish in the video looks pretty good, so I would tend to rule out low dissolved oxygen. If it was being attacked, you would see ripped fins or skin damage.

If your tank doesn't have good aeration or a protein skimmer, adding an air stone will possibly help alleviate the breathing symptoms (but it won't cure it if it is a disease).

The trouble is - without some secondary symptom, I just don't have a direction to go with in terms of what disease it might be.

While nitrite isn't toxic to marine fish, I didn't understand this reading:
Nitrite - 7 Did you mean 0.7?

Jay
 
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stevo_87

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That's not a swim bladder issue, nor is it constipation. The fish is breathing a bit fast, and also very deeply. That can be due to low oxygen in the water, gill disease, or some systemic infection. The clownfish in the video looks pretty good, so I would tend to rule out low dissolved oxygen. If it was being attacked, you would see ripped fins or skin damage.

If your tank doesn't have good aeration or a protein skimmer, adding an air stone will possibly help alleviate the breathing symptoms (but it won't cure it if it is a disease).

The trouble is - without some secondary symptom, I just don't have a direction to go with in terms of what disease it might be.

While nitrite isn't toxic to marine fish, I didn't understand this reading:
Nitrite - 7 Did you mean 0.7?

Jay
Thanks Jay, nitrite 7 is a typo it’s 0.

I have a protein skimmer running and all the other fish seem to be doing really well. Must be a disease, guess I just got to wait it out now and see what happens over the next day or so.
 

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