Stressed Foxface!

[AlexR9364]

Hi guys!

Perhaps I am being overzealous but I worried about my Foxface. He is constantly flaring his fins and the upper half of his body is constant dark camo colours. He has also recently shed his slime coat (I assume from stress.). I recently added a tuxedo urchin, a torch coral to the tank, and a frag wrack. I have since removed the frag tank as I thought this might have been the item stressing him out. I am checking parameters daily at the moment, he is eating well and swimming fine following his best friend (Mimic tang).

Water parameters:
Salinity - 1.025
pH - 8.2
Alkalinity - 8dKH
Temp - 25.2 c/ 77F
Phosphate - 0.03
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate - 0

I can't see any spots/abrasions on him currently, but he just won't settle. It normally takes him a couple of hours but he has been like this for three days now. As I said perhaps I am being over-zealous, but it is upsetting to see him constantly stressed.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi guys!

Perhaps I am being overzealous but I worried about my Foxface. He is constantly flaring his fins and the upper half of his body is constant dark camo colours. He has also recently shed his slime coat (I assume from stress.). I recently added a tuxedo urchin, a torch coral to the tank, and a frag wrack. I have since removed the frag tank as I thought this might have been the item stressing him out. I am checking parameters daily at the moment, he is eating well and swimming fine following his best friend (Mimic tang).

Water parameters:
Salinity - 1.025
pH - 8.2
Alkalinity - 8dKH
Temp - 25.2 c/ 77F
Phosphate - 0.03
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate - 0

I can't see any spots/abrasions on him currently, but he just won't settle. It normally takes him a couple of hours but he has been like this for three days now. As I said perhaps I am being over-zealous, but it is upsetting to see him constantly stressed.

Ammonia and nitrate zero:
What test kits are you using?
Any yawning behavior or rapid breathing?

 

[AlexR9364]

Ammonia and nitrate zero:
What test kits are you using?
Any yawning behavior or rapid breathing?

Red Sea, as I thought it better to go with a company with a reputation. Occasionally yawning and some rapid breathing but not consistently.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Red Sea, as I thought it better to go with a company with a reputation. Occasionally yawning and some rapid breathing but not consistently.

May be a sign of flukes. A 5 minute freshwater dip will offer the fish some temporary relief and you can then treat with prazipro or ruby rally pro
For freshwater water dip- tap is fine at same temperature as your display tank in a clean container and after returning fish to tank, look on bottom of container for what looks like sesame seeds or fish scales. If you see any, those are your flukes

 

[AlexR9364]

Ok, I shall give this a go and see what I find.

 

[jim_fitz]

i have two
one is perfectly normal

the other is pretty much like yours

If you are going to dip it when i catch mine i use a glass jug as those spines often get caught in the net

 

[AlexR9364]

May be a sign of flukes. A 5 minute freshwater dip will offer the fish some temporary relief and you can then treat with prazipro or ruby rally pro
For freshwater water dip- tap is fine at same temperature as your display tank in a clean container and after returning fish to tank, look on bottom of container for what looks like sesame seeds or fish scales. If you see any, those are your flukes

Back from our dip and doesn't look like flukes. He has gone to hide now, so will have to wait and let him calm down before I can assess the situation.

 

[AlexR9364]

Ok, he has gone from bad to worse. Now lying on the bottom of the tank gasping for breath. I am not sure he is going to make it. My LFS is closed and any medicines I could get won't be here until late tomorrow.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

i have two
one is perfectly normal

the other is pretty much like yours

If you are going to dip it when i catch mine i use a glass jug as those spines often get caught in the net

And bear in mind their spines are toxic!
Jay

 

[AlexR9364]

He has passed, unfortunately. I have inspected the body and can't find anything out of the ordinary. Bit gutted if I am honest. Shall keep an eye on the rest of the tank for now.

 

[jim_fitz]

thats a shame