$255 Vet Appointment for sick purple tang

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Hi Guys very nervous about taking my purple tang Charlie too a vet but decided its the best course of action.

Charlie has been losing his appetite and at times lethargic for the past 3 weeks. I couldn't see anything wrong with him visually. All other fish are thriving. No Ammonia or Nitrite. Nitrate did get up to 40.

I noticed he was often lethargic more so after eating. About 16 hours ago he was laying on top of the powerhead and I was ready to euthanasie. However he immediately started rapidly swimming around the tank when I went to catch him. He continued swimming rapidly swimming around the tank kind of like shaking his head as if he was trying to shake something off. He also began to lose some colour and was breathing rapidly. At the moment he is swimming much more calmly but still gently bumps into glass or tank wall.

His swimming is much better coordinated.

I have not put any food in the tank and kept lights off for 15 hours. I also reduced flow rate.

So I am taking Charlie to a vet who specialises in fish. I want to do everything I can to save this guy which I feel is 50/50.

Few questions.

Anyway to make transporting Charlie to vet less stressful ?

I have set up a hospital tank that he will return to. I took a piece of cured live rock out of DP tank and put it straight in a bucket and into hospital tank plus a cheap hang on filter for flow. Will I likely see an Ammonia spike ?

Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi Guys very nervous about taking my purple tang Charlie too a vet but decided its the best course of action.

Charlie has been losing his appetite and at times lethargic for the past 3 weeks. I couldn't see anything wrong with him visually. All other fish are thriving. No Ammonia or Nitrite. Nitrate did get up to 40.

I noticed he was often lethargic more so after eating. About 16 hours ago he was laying on top of the powerhead and I was ready to euthanasie. However he immediately started rapidly swimming around the tank when I went to catch him. He continued swimming rapidly swimming around the tank kind of like shaking his head as if he was trying to shake something off. He also began to lose some colour and was breathing rapidly. At the moment he is swimming much more calmly but still gently bumps into glass or tank wall.

His swimming is much better coordinated.

I have not put any food in the tank and kept lights off for 15 hours. I also reduced flow rate.

So I am taking Charlie to a vet who specialises in fish. I want to do everything I can to save this guy which I feel is 50/50.

Few questions.

Anyway to make transporting Charlie to vet less stressful ?

I have set up a hospital tank that he will return to. I took a piece of cured live rock out of DP tank and put it straight in a bucket and into hospital tank plus a cheap hang on filter for flow. Will I likely see an Ammonia spike ?

Any help is greatly appreciated

How far is the trip to the vet?

For less than a 30 minute trip, you can just bag the fish like they do at stores. Longer than that and it is best to fill the bag with oxygen. You could move the fish in an aerated bucket, but water tends to slosh out.

I’m surprised they wanted to see it in person out of the tank. Fish health is so closely related to their environment, that seeing a fish out of that context is limited in diagnostic benefit.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hi Guys very nervous about taking my purple tang Charlie too a vet but decided its the best course of action.

Charlie has been losing his appetite and at times lethargic for the past 3 weeks. I couldn't see anything wrong with him visually. All other fish are thriving. No Ammonia or Nitrite. Nitrate did get up to 40.

I noticed he was often lethargic more so after eating. About 16 hours ago he was laying on top of the powerhead and I was ready to euthanasie. However he immediately started rapidly swimming around the tank when I went to catch him. He continued swimming rapidly swimming around the tank kind of like shaking his head as if he was trying to shake something off. He also began to lose some colour and was breathing rapidly. At the moment he is swimming much more calmly but still gently bumps into glass or tank wall.

His swimming is much better coordinated.

I have not put any food in the tank and kept lights off for 15 hours. I also reduced flow rate.

So I am taking Charlie to a vet who specialises in fish. I want to do everything I can to save this guy which I feel is 50/50.

Few questions.

Anyway to make transporting Charlie to vet less stressful ?

I have set up a hospital tank that he will return to. I took a piece of cured live rock out of DP tank and put it straight in a bucket and into hospital tank plus a cheap hang on filter for flow. Will I likely see an Ammonia spike ?

Any help is greatly appreciated

I'd get the vet to come to the patient.

They're used to doing that.

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

How far is the trip to the vet?

For less than a 30 minute trip, you can just bag the fish like they do at stores. Longer than that and it is best to fill the bag with oxygen. You could move the fish in an aerated bucket, but water tends to slosh out.

I’m surprised they wanted to see it in person out of the tank. Fish health is so closely related to their environment, that seeing a fish out of that context is limited in diagnostic benefit.

I tried to go over the phone but they wanted to see it in person. I have been keeping fish for 18 years and I can't figure out what this guy has. I suspect it is some type of imternal parasite that requires metronidazole which in Australia you can only get via a vet prescription.

The only other vet I can get a phone appointment with is available in 3 days.

He seems to get lethargic after eating and has improved drastically having not been fed for 18 hours.

Should I call and push for a phone consultation ?

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Vet is 15 minutes away

 

[Jekyl]

Have you tried working out the issue here? I would doubt the vet has the knowledge that Jay does. Might be best to go over some description and post some white light videos.

 

[gbroadbridge]

requires metronidazole which in Australia you can only get via a vet prescription.

Have you asked around?

A lot of LFS have medications available, but not on display.

For next time, I've had good luck with Amazon US.

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Have you tried working out the issue here? I would doubt the vet has the knowledge that Jay does. Might be best to go over some description and post some white light videos.

It was Jay's response to other posts that made me realise I need metronidazole for swim bladder.

I honestly can't see anything on the outside. I will post some pictures soon

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Thinking this was a huge mistake. Instead of just giving some medication my fish is being forensically analysed for past 30 minutes

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Have you asked around?

A lot of LFS have medications available, but not on display.

For next time, I've had good luck with Amazon US.

Unfortunately I tried mate. No metronidazole without prescription in Australia. I am going to order some online

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Confirmed under a microscope no external parasite. Ver thinks its swim bladder. Fish seems to be getting better somehow from fasting. Hopefully it continues.

They had to order in metronidazole for me. Should arrive in 24 hours

 

[gbroadbridge]

Unfortunately I tried mate. No metronidazole without prescription in Australia. I am going to order some online

Mate, I'm in Australia too and there are several LFS near me who have that med available.

If you were closer I'd drop some off to you.

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

I got it $367 later.

You based in Melbourne?

I tried everywhere. I found it online (seachem) but I want to start dosing

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Guys for my hospital tank I have some live rock and a cheap hang on filter i just brought. Is the live rock going to be a problem with metronidazole ?

Currently ammonia is 0,

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I tried to go over the phone but they wanted to see it in person. I have been keeping fish for 18 years and I can't figure out what this guy has. I suspect it is some type of imternal parasite that requires metronidazole which in Australia you can only get via a vet prescription.

The only other vet I can get a phone appointment with is available in 3 days.

He seems to get lethargic after eating and has improved drastically having not been fed for 18 hours.

Should I call and push for a phone consultation ?

Live rock isn't an issue with metronidazole.

 

[MnFish1]

Hi Guys very nervous about taking my purple tang Charlie too a vet but decided its the best course of action.

Charlie has been losing his appetite and at times lethargic for the past 3 weeks. I couldn't see anything wrong with him visually. All other fish are thriving. No Ammonia or Nitrite. Nitrate did get up to 40.

I noticed he was often lethargic more so after eating. About 16 hours ago he was laying on top of the powerhead and I was ready to euthanasie. However he immediately started rapidly swimming around the tank when I went to catch him. He continued swimming rapidly swimming around the tank kind of like shaking his head as if he was trying to shake something off. He also began to lose some colour and was breathing rapidly. At the moment he is swimming much more calmly but still gently bumps into glass or tank wall.

His swimming is much better coordinated.

I have not put any food in the tank and kept lights off for 15 hours. I also reduced flow rate.

So I am taking Charlie to a vet who specialises in fish. I want to do everything I can to save this guy which I feel is 50/50.

Few questions.

Anyway to make transporting Charlie to vet less stressful ?

I have set up a hospital tank that he will return to. I took a piece of cured live rock out of DP tank and put it straight in a bucket and into hospital tank plus a cheap hang on filter for flow. Will I likely see an Ammonia spike ?

Any help is greatly appreciated

EDIT - before writing this - I didn't see the other answers - but maybe it will help someone else. I would try a zoom visit. Unless you are thinking that the vet is going to do some kind of biopsy - or unless the vet won't do it. I would not use rock in a hospital tank - but instead a sponge filter - if you need to do water changes thats better. It it unlikely that the rock will cause an ammonia spike - but I would check it (the ammonia)

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Live rock isn't an issue with metronidazole.

Jay in the case of future emergencies would a medical cabinet with copper, prazipro and metronidazole cover most illnesses ?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Jay in the case of future emergencies would a medical cabinet with copper, prazipro and metronidazole cover most illnesses ?

Copper and prazi cover about 80% of contagious fish diseases. Metro overlaps with copper for external protozoans (and copper is better) but metro has some benefit against internal flagellates.

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Some minor improvements over the last 24 hours. He has the ability to somewhat swim vertically, breathing slowed down. He is kind of hovering around the tank.

2 doses of Metro given. 72 hours since he has eaten. Going to try some Nori and Frozen pods.

In the meantime all other fish in my DP tank including my bicolour angel are thriving.

 

[Aussie_Saltwater]

Guys he is eating frozen Coppepods and Nori sheets and picking at the live rock.

I am both happy and extremely nervous. Going to do everything I can to save this guy