Rip Loki
Not a happy update as I euthanised Loki (an Exquisite Wrasse) tonight.
I'm not sure of the cause (possibly Brooklynella or M. marinum?) but would like to know to avoid similar problems in future. If you're going to read on, fair warning that it gets verbose...
On Monday night after lights out (moonlights on) - I was looking at the tank and saw him dart out, hit the glass and generally bounce around the rocks for around 30s before going to bed. I had not seen him do this and he looked distressed.
On Tuesday he was out but sticking close to the rocks. Eating but with less enthusiasm than normal.
Wednesday & Thursday he was hiding in the rocks. He did come out during feeding time, but was not eating well. It appeared that his mouth was staying open (gill movement looked normal). Observed him eating mysis, but he would then spit it out again. Colours were faded and his tail fin was not spread out like normal - the tail also appeared to have a small tear. Finally, I noticed him drop a couple of very thin, stringy white poos.
Friday: Same as above, but condition had deteriorated. Noticed patches of white on his flanks.
Today: As above, after lights out I found him on the sandbed and unable to swim. At this point I thought that he would not recover and chose to euthanise him.
Some general/misc info that may or may not be relevant:
- I've seen no aggression with tank mates (5 x Blue/Green Chromis, 1x Skunk cleaner shimp and a few snails (trochus, nassarius, turbo and a stromb)
- Water params have been good: 8.0-8.25 pH, 1.0255 SG, 24.2-24.8℃, undetectable ammonia/nitrite, 0-1ppm nitrate
- He had been eating well. The tank has been getting 3-5 feeds per day consisting of hikari mysis, new era flake, and ocean nutrition fish eggs/rotifers/cyclops/red plankton. Approx. 1-1/4 cubes per day.
- Last saturday, the cleaner shrimp and 2 corals (millepora/stylopora) were added, along with a small mantis in the refugium
- He has been in my care for 30 days
- On the day after he was added, I noticed a small white circle (1-2mm diameter) above his nostrils. This concerned me but after looking online, I presumed it was a scrape from jumping and hitting the cover.
- Was observed occasionally rubbing his flanks against the rocks during the first 2 weeks
- Observed a pale patch on his flank which disappeared after the first week but returned in the days leading up to his death
- Breathing seemed normal until the point where he was removed, at which point breathing was very slow
- The other fish seem fine, although one of the chromis has odd discolouration which looks like a strip running under the dorsal thin that is slightly thinner than the other chromis, and a darker shade of blue. No change of behaviour or appetite.
- The chromis came from a tank that had an ill damsel fish (bloated gut, lost scales, rapid gilling and eventual death), I presumed this was dropsy caused by earlier damage (purchased from a LFS with a particularly bad rep).
Thanks for reading - looking for advice and appreciate any suggestions.
I'm not sure of the cause (possibly Brooklynella or M. marinum?) but would like to know to avoid similar problems in future. If you're going to read on, fair warning that it gets verbose...
On Monday night after lights out (moonlights on) - I was looking at the tank and saw him dart out, hit the glass and generally bounce around the rocks for around 30s before going to bed. I had not seen him do this and he looked distressed.
On Tuesday he was out but sticking close to the rocks. Eating but with less enthusiasm than normal.
Wednesday & Thursday he was hiding in the rocks. He did come out during feeding time, but was not eating well. It appeared that his mouth was staying open (gill movement looked normal). Observed him eating mysis, but he would then spit it out again. Colours were faded and his tail fin was not spread out like normal - the tail also appeared to have a small tear. Finally, I noticed him drop a couple of very thin, stringy white poos.
Friday: Same as above, but condition had deteriorated. Noticed patches of white on his flanks.
Today: As above, after lights out I found him on the sandbed and unable to swim. At this point I thought that he would not recover and chose to euthanise him.
Some general/misc info that may or may not be relevant:
- I've seen no aggression with tank mates (5 x Blue/Green Chromis, 1x Skunk cleaner shimp and a few snails (trochus, nassarius, turbo and a stromb)
- Water params have been good: 8.0-8.25 pH, 1.0255 SG, 24.2-24.8℃, undetectable ammonia/nitrite, 0-1ppm nitrate
- He had been eating well. The tank has been getting 3-5 feeds per day consisting of hikari mysis, new era flake, and ocean nutrition fish eggs/rotifers/cyclops/red plankton. Approx. 1-1/4 cubes per day.
- Last saturday, the cleaner shrimp and 2 corals (millepora/stylopora) were added, along with a small mantis in the refugium
- He has been in my care for 30 days
- On the day after he was added, I noticed a small white circle (1-2mm diameter) above his nostrils. This concerned me but after looking online, I presumed it was a scrape from jumping and hitting the cover.
- Was observed occasionally rubbing his flanks against the rocks during the first 2 weeks
- Observed a pale patch on his flank which disappeared after the first week but returned in the days leading up to his death
- Breathing seemed normal until the point where he was removed, at which point breathing was very slow
- The other fish seem fine, although one of the chromis has odd discolouration which looks like a strip running under the dorsal thin that is slightly thinner than the other chromis, and a darker shade of blue. No change of behaviour or appetite.
- The chromis came from a tank that had an ill damsel fish (bloated gut, lost scales, rapid gilling and eventual death), I presumed this was dropsy caused by earlier damage (purchased from a LFS with a particularly bad rep).
Thanks for reading - looking for advice and appreciate any suggestions.
