Banggai Cardinal belly up for 3 days, but still alive.

[Fritz05]

I have two Banggais in my 65g for almost two years. Both were doing well. There was and is aggression, but the chased one was always able to escape to another spot in the aquarium. I only saw a damaged fin once. Both were eating well and growing.

Three days ago one was missing, and I found it stuck between my in-tank skimmer and the glass. Upon freeing it, it swam in loopy circles and sank to the bottom. I put it in a large net hanging in the tank. It clearly has significant fin damage. There are no signs of external parasites. Soon after putting it in the net it started to be positioned belly up at the surface, and it still does so on day three. Its breathing is about 70 per minute. It does move its fins, but does not feed.

I observed a black dot at the anus. I do not know if this is normal for the species.

Every morning I am sure the fish will be dead, but the status appears unchanged.

What is my best course of action? Thank you.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I had something similar happen to a chromis recently and I thought he was going to be a goner. Fast forward 6 weeks and his fins are growing back. If you can get him to eat that would be major.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have two Banggais in my 65g for almost two years. Both were doing well. There was and is aggression, but the chased one was always able to escape to another spot in the aquarium. I only saw a damaged fin once. Both were eating well and growing.

Three days ago one was missing, and I found it stuck between my in-tank skimmer and the glass. Upon freeing it, it swam in loopy circles and sank to the bottom. I put it in a large net hanging in the tank. It clearly has significant fin damage. There are no signs of external parasites. Soon after putting it in the net it started to be positioned belly up at the surface, and it still does so on day three. Its breathing is about 70 per minute. It does move its fins, but does not feed.

I observed a black dot at the anus. I do not know if this is normal for the species.

Every morning I am sure the fish will be dead, but the status appears unchanged.

What is my best course of action? Thank you.

These fish are subject to many import issues and become weak in time but this may or may not be the case. If this is a blockage, feeding brine shrimp will help with that.
What food are you currently feeding?

 

[MnFish1]

It could be a swim bladder issue - with increased gas , or it could be an organism producing gas somewhere in the intestine/abdomen. Either way, the brine shrimp may be a good idea - but with the fish not eating this may be difficult.

Note also that the life expectancy in the wild is estimated at 1-2 years - and up to 4 years in captivity (obviously, there will be exceptions to these estimates). If I were you - since there's no evidence of a protozoan, and given the nearly moribund condition - as well as the fins, I would put the fish in a hospital tank and treat with kanamycin or neomycin. Hope this helps. Its certainly not an easy process when one has a sick fish

 

[Fritz05]

Thank you all for your advice.

 

[ryanjohn1]

My last one lasted for 4.5 years. Then one morning. It was unalived. I got super sad then read it went past expecting life span and was no longer sad.

 

[Fritz05]

These fish are subject to many import issues and become weak in time but this may or may not be the case. If this is a blockage, feeding brine shrimp will help with that.
What food are you currently feeding?

These are captive-bred. I am mostly feeding Larrys Reef Frenzy and rods Reef. Some times a week I feed pellets.

 

[vetteguy53081]

These are captive-bred. I am mostly feeding Larrys Reef Frenzy and rods Reef. Some times a week I feed pellets.

Youre lucky as they generally eat nothing dry

 

[MnFish1]

My last one lasted for 4.5 years. Then one morning. It was unalived. I got super sad then read it went past expecting life span and was no longer sad.

can I just ask you - what the heck does this word mean 'unalived' - is this some kind of new phrase? If so - I think it sounds somewhat odd - but - I'm sorry about your fish

 

[Naekuh]

Youre lucky as they generally eat nothing dry

try freeze dried mysis.
Mine started to eat it, and taught its mate to eat it too.

Infact my blotched even kept watching them eat it, and now goes after it, including freeze dried plankton.

 

[sfin52]

can I just ask you - what the heck does this word mean 'unalived' - is this some kind of new phrase? If so - I think it sounds somewhat odd - but - I'm sorry about your fish

Spontaneously died

 

[MnFish1]

try freeze dried mysis.
Mine started to eat it, and taught its mate to eat it too.

Infact my blotched even kept watching them eat it, and now goes after it, including freeze dried plankton.

The fish is not eating...? Plus - is apparently dead

 

[Naekuh]

The fish is not eating...? Plus - is apparently dead

nonono i think you missed who i was quotting... vetteguy said he has had issues getting baggani to eat dry...

So i told him next time he should try freeze dried mysis.
As i got even the pickiest of eatters to eat that eventually.

 

[ryanjohn1]

can I just ask you - what the heck does this word mean 'unalived' - is this some kind of new phrase? If so - I think it sounds somewhat odd - but - I'm sorry about your fish

Means dead.

 

[Australian_Reef]

can I just ask you - what the heck does this word mean 'unalived' - is this some kind of new phrase? If so - I think it sounds somewhat odd - but - I'm sorry about your fish

In a lot of social sites etc saying bad words like died is blocked or reported. So like in 1984 people start creating words that mean the same. It’s definitely a recent thing.

 

[ryanjohn1]

In a lot of social sites etc saying bad words like died is blocked or reported. So like in 1984 people start creating words that mean the same. It’s definitely a recent thing.

Correct. Some words get you flagged booted blocked shadow banned etc. it’s a work around. It’s unfortunate but it’s the current world we live in. I don’t like it but I can’t change anything so. Work around it is.

 

[MnFish1]

Again sorry about the fish - interesting about the word.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Again sorry about the fish - interesting about the word.

It lived longer then the internet said it would so I figured must be doing something right.

 

[Naekuh]

In a lot of social sites etc saying bad words like died is blocked or reported. So like in 1984 people start creating words that mean the same. It’s definitely a recent thing.

or they just don't have the words for it...

like some people call resuscitation, undead... and your like huh? how can something become undead without being a zombie.