Fish behaving strangely

[CharlieAsh]

My little fish has been swimming vertically for about 5 days. He is still eating but generally hanging out like this. There used to be a school of 4, but we seem to have lost one earlier this week (the tank cleaning crew makes it impossible to find the bodies... Great at their job )

Can high nitrates cause this? I'm currently sitting at 80 ppm and doing a 20% water change later today.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My little fish has been swimming vertically for about 5 days. He is still eating but generally hanging out like this. There used to be a school of 4, but we seem to have lost one earlier this week (the tank cleaning crew makes it impossible to find the bodies... Great at their job )

Can high nitrates cause this? I'm currently sitting at 80 ppm and doing a 20% water change later today.

View attachment 3142898 View attachment 3142901

80 is high but often tolerable by fish opposed to coral and assuming its an accurate reading.
Some anthias are a little more delicate. Has clown or any other tankmate been harassing the anthias at all?
Is fish breathing normal or labored?
Is fish eating at all?

Opposed to uronema which they are susceptible to, this looks like injury /scars. A closer pic would be helpful

 

[CharlieAsh]

I took a less than stellar video to show how he is breathing... I am not sure how to determine that. He is eating from what I can see.

 

[vetteguy53081]

View attachment 3142914
I took a less than stellar video to show how he is breathing... I am not sure how to determine that. He is eating from what I can see.

Fish looks scared and/or intimidated and may be distressed from water quality. How are you testing water?

 

[CharlieAsh]

Fish looks scared and/or intimidated and may be distressed from water quality. How are you testing water?

API kit. The only level that was off was nitrates, which has been really difficult to get under control. I just water changed and retested, and I made a few new hiding spots for the little guys in the tank. I think the clowns were trying to be in the same space as the little school. I would love to get some coral back for them, but the nitrates are so high it just kills anything I add.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Please have your wat

API kit. The only level that was off was nitrates, which has been really difficult to get under control. I just water changed and retested, and I made a few new hiding spots for the little guys in the tank. I think the clowns were trying to be in the same space as the little school. I would love to get some coral back for them, but the nitrates are so high it just kills anything I add.

Please have your water retested to assure you are not getting false readings which Api is notorious for and may play a role in your issues. Take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at

 

[CharlieAsh]

Please have your wat

Please have your water retested to assure you are not getting false readings which Api is notorious for and may play a role in your issues. Take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at

Every time I have done that it has matched my kit.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Every time I have done that it has matched my kit.

Do you know what kits the store is using?

 

[CharlieAsh]

Do you know what kits the store is using?

Honestly, no. They put a sample in a device and get a digital read out.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Honestly, no. They put a sample in a device and get a digital read out.

It sounds like the Api spin test which is less than accurate

 

[CharlieAsh]

It sounds like the Api spin test which is less than accurate

Not gonna lie, that feels a bit frustrating . It can't be off that badly, can it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not gonna lie, that feels a bit frustrating . It can't be off that badly, can it?

Best way to determine is to take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at