First Casualty - Midas Blenny

[niccumec]

I experienced my first casualty in my QT/Observation tank. Midas Blenny was seemingly fine after I got him. Shy at first, but took to eating well and became more confident. All other fish seem fine and still eating.

Water parameters: Ammonia 0, Nitrate 4.8, Salinity 1.025, Temp 79

I received pre-quarantined fish from Dr Reef on Tuesday (6 days ago) placed in my QT tank for observation with One Spot Foxface, Royal Gramma, Firefish Exquisite, and a Yellow Watchman Goby (doing fine, but somehow ended up in the overflow of my 25 gal IM AIO).

See pics below. Any thoughts and/or recommended actions?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I experienced my first casualty in my QT/Observation tank. Midas Blenny was seemingly fine after I got him. Shy at first, but took to eating well and became more confident. All other fish seem fine and still eating.

Water parameters: Ammonia 0, Nitrate 4.8, Salinity 1.025, Temp 79

I received pre-quarantined fish from Dr Reef on Tuesday (6 days ago) placed in my QT tank for observation with One Spot Foxface, Royal Gramma, Firefish Exquisite, and a Yellow Watchman Goby (doing fine, but somehow ended up in the overflow of my 25 gal IM AIO).

See pics below. Any thoughts and/or recommended actions?

Its always hard to tell from a dead carcass but I do see fish is a little thin and a fish that is often subject to dietary issues and its POSSIBLE that this fish already had an issue and was feeding off its liver until it expired , a situation known as edema

 

[niccumec]

Thanks, I kind of expected it to be hard to know from dead carcass. Thought I’d ask anyway.

Should I worry about disease or something spreading to other fish? Sine these are pre-quarantined, my process is to simply observe for a couple of weeks and to get them eating before transferring to my DT.

I performed a 60% water change just in case, even though the water parameters seem all in good order. Anything else recommended to do?

Behavior wise, initially Blenny was shy and peeked out of the PVC. Once he figured out the eating thing, he was voracious and pretty much ate whatever he wanted - bullying past the other fish - until he would eat his fill then retreat back to his PVC spot. I did notice that the day before he left his usual hiding place and hid behind a different PVC fitting - the next morning he was dead.

Remaining fish still seem healthy and are all eating. See video below.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks, I kind of expected it to be hard to know from dead carcass. Thought I’d ask anyway.

Should I worry about disease or something spreading to other fish? Sine these are pre-quarantined, my process is to simply observe for a couple of weeks and to get them eating before transferring to my DT.

I performed a 60% water change just in case, even though the water parameters seem all in good order. Anything else recommended to do?

Behavior wise, initially Blenny was shy and peeked out of the PVC. Once he figured out the eating thing, he was voracious and pretty much ate whatever he wanted - bullying past the other fish - until he would eat his fill then retreat back to his PVC spot. I did notice that the day before he left his usual hiding place and hid behind a different PVC fitting - the next morning he was dead.

Remaining fish still seem healthy and are all eating. See video below.

In the video, foxface is thin and weak and something is going on. Often, what you have is the answer - Quarantine. What if any treatments were you using during quarantine?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks, I kind of expected it to be hard to know from dead carcass. Thought I’d ask anyway.

Should I worry about disease or something spreading to other fish? Sine these are pre-quarantined, my process is to simply observe for a couple of weeks and to get them eating before transferring to my DT.

I performed a 60% water change just in case, even though the water parameters seem all in good order. Anything else recommended to do?

Behavior wise, initially Blenny was shy and peeked out of the PVC. Once he figured out the eating thing, he was voracious and pretty much ate whatever he wanted - bullying past the other fish - until he would eat his fill then retreat back to his PVC spot. I did notice that the day before he left his usual hiding place and hid behind a different PVC fitting - the next morning he was dead.

Remaining fish still seem healthy and are all eating. See video below.

I agree, the Midas was thin. This is a known issue with this species:

Skinny Blenny issue

Skinny blennies: Midas blennies are much more difficult to maintain than their common presence in the pet trade would have you believe. They are very prone to starvation. It is unknown if this is due to not feeding them often enough, not feeding enough, feeding the wrong foods, or if internal...

www.reef2reef.com

I also agree that the foxface is really small. They can be more delicate at that size. Feed it frequently, but in smaller amounts do as to not foul the tank with uneaten food.

 

[niccumec]

In the video, foxface is thin and weak and something is going on. Often, what you have is the answer - Quarantine. What if any treatments were you using during quarantine?

I have not done any treatments. Just observation as these were pre-quarantined by Dr Reef.

 

[niccumec]

I agree, the Midas was thin. This is a known issue with this species:

Skinny Blenny issue

Skinny blennies: Midas blennies are much more difficult to maintain than their common presence in the pet trade would have you believe. They are very prone to starvation. It is unknown if this is due to not feeding them often enough, not feeding enough, feeding the wrong foods, or if internal...

www.reef2reef.com

I also agree that the foxface is really small. They can be more delicate at that size. Feed it frequently, but in smaller amounts do as to not foul the tank with uneaten food.

Foxface was initially not showing its colors, but has started to show and attacks my feeding tube now. Still hides a lot, but comes out more and more on it’s own.

Currently feeding Brine Shrimp, TDO pellets, and Seaweed Extreme pellets.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have not done any treatments. Just observation as these were pre-quarantined by Dr Reef.

I understand dr. reef process but with shipping, assume fish has something and do your own short term quarantine (14-21 days) as better safe than sorry.

 

[niccumec]

I understand dr. reef process but with shipping, assume fish has something and do your own short term quarantine (14-21 days) as better safe than sorry.

Yes, these are in my Quarantine tank. I have not added to my display tank and do not intend to until I see normal behavior for 2+ weeks. I do not dose any medications, just observe and feed - unless any signs appear.

 

[niccumec]

I agree, the Midas was thin. This is a known issue with this species:

Skinny Blenny issue

Skinny blennies: Midas blennies are much more difficult to maintain than their common presence in the pet trade would have you believe. They are very prone to starvation. It is unknown if this is due to not feeding them often enough, not feeding enough, feeding the wrong foods, or if internal...

www.reef2reef.com

I also agree that the foxface is really small. They can be more delicate at that size. Feed it frequently, but in smaller amounts do as to not foul the tank with uneaten food.

Also, thanks for the link to that Midas Blenny article. Very informative and starts to make more sense now. The Midas would be the first to attack the food (like a bully) and clean up until it seemed satiated and returned to its PVC spot - then the others would eat. It looked “healthy” for the first 4 days after receiving, then started to change behavior on day 5, and on day 6 it died. That is what was so surprising for me, until I read the article.

 

[niccumec]

Sorry if this is a dumb question… but with the Foxface, it is very lethargic in the mornings (almost to the point I thought it did not make it), but since then it has taken mysis, brine, and a bit of TDO on multiple occasions today and is swimming around in full color. I have been trying to feed some every couple hours and so far it is coming to the feeding tube every time and eating.

Am I doing the right thing by trying every couple hours with small feedings? Anything else I can try to sustain this guy? It seems to like the mysis & brine shrimp better than the TDO or Seaweed Extreme, but I know they are less nutritious.

Any advice beyond what I am doing?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Sorry if this is a dumb question… but with the Foxface, it is very lethargic in the mornings (almost to the point I thought it did not make it), but since then it has taken mysis, brine, and a bit of TDO on multiple occasions today and is swimming around in full color. I have been trying to feed some every couple hours and so far it is coming to the feeding tube every time and eating.

Am I doing the right thing by trying every couple hours with small feedings? Anything else I can try to sustain this guy? It seems to like the mysis & brine shrimp better than the TDO or Seaweed Extreme, but I know they are less nutritious.

Any advice beyond what I am doing?

A fish that looks bad, but then rallies and eats well later in the day is pretty uncommon, I can't give you a reason why that would happen.

Multiple, small feedings of meaty seafoods would be best, like you are doing. Just feed it until it stops taking in food, then stop putting food in the tank. Later in the day, repeat the process. Let the fish's appetite be the "demand" as to how much food to feed it, you want to give it as much as it will consume, but don't allow uneaten food to sit in the tank.

Jay