Foxface rapidly breathing after water change

benr783 · 03/30/2016, 09:23 PM

I've had my foxface rabbitfish for 3.5 weeks. after 1 week, I started treating with Ich Shield powder medicine. After 2.5 weeks of having the medicine in the water, I performed a 25% water change on my quarantine tank. I dosed correctly of the Ich Shield.

My fox is now rapidly breathing, like really badly. He's also swimming around a lot, really fast. Earlier, I saw him twitching.

Now I'm really worried he's gonna die. I dosed copper correctly also with my previous foxface, but he died. From the EXACT same symptoms! Rapid breathing!

Guys, what do I do? I can't lose another foxface..

LobsterOfJustice · 03/31/2016, 06:34 AM

Is this the first time you've done a water change since you've had him? You probably just scared him, they spook easy and are dramatic about it.

juniorrocketdad · 03/31/2016, 07:13 AM

Check ammonia sounds to me like ammonia poisoning, are sure the quarantine tank was cycled

Silly clownfish · 03/31/2016, 08:00 AM

Lobst of Justice is correct about how flighty rabbitfish are ( I think that is part of how they got named), they also change colors when scared to a dull mottled camo pattern that can be pretty disconcerting to a new owner.

That said, check all of your water parameters. Don't forget the semmingly obvious temperature and salinity. It is possible that you mixed the slat water wrong. Or even changing out 25% with room temp water shocked him.

In a QT, I agree with jr. Rocket Dad that ammonia is always a top suspect.

This and possible overdosing or adverse reactioin to meds is why I prefer TTM for QT. the transfers pretty much elimiate any concerns about ammonia build up.

dread240 · 03/31/2016, 08:37 AM

dude if I move a rock in the tank with a foxface he will look like he's ready to die at any moment. They are the most over dramatic fish I've ever met

benr783 · 03/31/2016, 09:07 AM

Ok so, 12 hours after he's still rapidly breathing.

I just checked my salinity which is fine, and my temp is fine. I preheated my bucket of water before the water change last night so it couldn't have shocked him because it was already heated.

My ammonia is at 0.25 according to my Seachem ammonia badge. I put in a dose of prime last night, and this morning I took my sponge filter from my cycled display tank and put it in the quarantine filter.

Is he gonna live?

Dmorty217 · 03/31/2016, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benr783

Ok so, 12 hours after he's still rapidly breathing.

I just checked my salinity which is fine, and my temp is fine. I preheated my bucket of water before the water change last night so it couldn't have shocked him because it was already heated.

My ammonia is at 0.25 according to my Seachem ammonia badge. I put in a dose of prime last night, and this morning I took my sponge filter from my cycled display tank and put it in the quarantine filter.

Is he gonna live?

Hard to tell for sure, if he does he will have ammonia burns on his gills for sure. Get some Nitrofuracin Green Powder (NFG) and keep dosing prime. You shouldn't be seeing any ammonia in your QT tank

benr783 · 03/31/2016, 07:11 PM

Update: He was acting very poorly with his breathing so this morning I moved him to my display tank which is completely cycled. He's been swimming around, he's been yellow the majority of the time.

My parameters in the tank he's in now are as follows:

Parameters:
Ammonia: 0.0-0.25
Nitrite: 0.0
Nitrate: 0.0
High range pH: 8.2

There was no ammonia before he joined the tank.

What do you think guys?

Deinonych · 03/31/2016, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benr783

Update: He was acting very poorly with his breathing so this morning I moved him to my display tank which is completely cycled. He's been swimming around, he's been yellow the majority of the time.

My parameters in the tank he's in now are as follows:

Parameters:
Ammonia: 0.0-0.25
Nitrite: 0.0
Nitrate: 0.0
High range pH: 8.2

There was no ammonia before he joined the tank.

What do you think guys?

Those parameters are not consistent with a cycled tank. There should be some nitrate present. How did you cycle this tank?

benr783 · 03/31/2016, 08:12 PM

I cycled the tank with one clownfish.

benr783 · 03/31/2016, 08:13 PM

Also does anybody think he will make it?

Dmorty217 · 04/01/2016, 06:30 AM

IF you can get the ammonia to go away I think he stands a chance, if not then he will eventually be killed by the gill damage

LobsterOfJustice · 04/01/2016, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dmorty217

Hard to tell for sure, if he does he will have ammonia burns on his gills for sure. Get some Nitrofuracin Green Powder (NFG) and keep dosing prime. You shouldn't be seeing any ammonia in your QT tank

How does NFG help in this situation?

Dmorty217 · 04/01/2016, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LobsterOfJustice

How does NFG help in this situation?

Ammonia burns and wounds are both solved with NFG

benr783 · 04/01/2016, 10:08 AM

Okay, update:

Overnight, the ammonia that was left in my display tank went away. So, now the fish is in a tank with no ammonia. Also, another good thing: His rapid breathing issue goes on and off, but most of the time he is breathing perfectly fine, so now maybe his rapid breathing is just him being scared?

He does have a faint line on him which I read could be from ammonia. Will that go away?

Also, I'm about to go to my LFS to buy some bio spira to help my biological filter develop so that I don't have ammonia problems anymore.

Deinonych · 04/01/2016, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benr783

He does have a faint line on him which I read could be from ammonia. Will that go away?

Are you talking about its Lateral Line? That's a normal part of its anatomy if so.

benr783 · 04/01/2016, 11:00 AM

Yeah, it is his lateral line. However, I've never seen this before his ammonia issues.

03/30/2016, 09:23 PM	#1
benr783 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 30	Foxface rapidly breathing after water change I've had my foxface rabbitfish for 3.5 weeks. after 1 week, I started treating with Ich Shield powder medicine. After 2.5 weeks of having the medicine in the water, I performed a 25% water change on my quarantine tank. I dosed correctly of the Ich Shield. My fox is now rapidly breathing, like really badly. He's also swimming around a lot, really fast. Earlier, I saw him twitching. Now I'm really worried he's gonna die. I dosed copper correctly also with my previous foxface, but he died. From the EXACT same symptoms! Rapid breathing! Guys, what do I do? I can't lose another foxface..

03/31/2016, 06:34 AM	#2
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	Foxface rapidly breathing after water change Is this the first time you've done a water change since you've had him? You probably just scared him, they spook easy and are dramatic about it. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

03/31/2016, 08:00 AM	#4
Silly clownfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Southeast Pennsylvania Posts: 488	Lobst of Justice is correct about how flighty rabbitfish are ( I think that is part of how they got named), they also change colors when scared to a dull mottled camo pattern that can be pretty disconcerting to a new owner. That said, check all of your water parameters. Don't forget the semmingly obvious temperature and salinity. It is possible that you mixed the slat water wrong. Or even changing out 25% with room temp water shocked him. In a QT, I agree with jr. Rocket Dad that ammonia is always a top suspect. This and possible overdosing or adverse reactioin to meds is why I prefer TTM for QT. the transfers pretty much elimiate any concerns about ammonia build up. __________________ 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair with RBTA Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef, 20g sump, ocelaris clownfish (20+yrs old), flame hawk, one spot foxface rabbitfish, green mandarin, Bicolor Blenny, Coral Beauty;30g sumpless with Spotcinctus pair

03/31/2016, 08:37 AM	#5
dread240 Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Essex, MD Posts: 979	dude if I move a rock in the tank with a foxface he will look like he's ready to die at any moment. They are the most over dramatic fish I've ever met __________________ BRB, Goldfish on fire How much deeper would the ocean really be if sponges didn't exist? Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef tank

04/01/2016, 06:30 AM	#12
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	IF you can get the ammonia to go away I think he stands a chance, if not then he will eventually be killed by the gill damage __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

03/31/2016, 07:13 AM	#3
juniorrocketdad Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 733	Check ammonia sounds to me like ammonia poisoning, are sure the quarantine tank was cycled

03/31/2016, 09:07 AM	#6
benr783 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 30	Ok so, 12 hours after he's still rapidly breathing. I just checked my salinity which is fine, and my temp is fine. I preheated my bucket of water before the water change last night so it couldn't have shocked him because it was already heated. My ammonia is at 0.25 according to my Seachem ammonia badge. I put in a dose of prime last night, and this morning I took my sponge filter from my cycled display tank and put it in the quarantine filter. Is he gonna live?

03/31/2016, 07:11 PM	#8
benr783 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 30	Update: He was acting very poorly with his breathing so this morning I moved him to my display tank which is completely cycled. He's been swimming around, he's been yellow the majority of the time. My parameters in the tank he's in now are as follows: Parameters: Ammonia: 0.0-0.25 Nitrite: 0.0 Nitrate: 0.0 High range pH: 8.2 There was no ammonia before he joined the tank. What do you think guys?

03/31/2016, 08:12 PM	#10
benr783 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 30	I cycled the tank with one clownfish.

03/31/2016, 08:13 PM	#11
benr783 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 30	Also does anybody think he will make it?

04/01/2016, 10:08 AM	#15
benr783 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 30	Okay, update: Overnight, the ammonia that was left in my display tank went away. So, now the fish is in a tank with no ammonia. Also, another good thing: His rapid breathing issue goes on and off, but most of the time he is breathing perfectly fine, so now maybe his rapid breathing is just him being scared? He does have a faint line on him which I read could be from ammonia. Will that go away? Also, I'm about to go to my LFS to buy some bio spira to help my biological filter develop so that I don't have ammonia problems anymore.

04/01/2016, 11:00 AM	#17
benr783 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 30	Yeah, it is his lateral line. However, I've never seen this before his ammonia issues.