Sick Royal Gramma - need help

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DarthFred6996

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Mar 13, 2007
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This is the only fish in the tank with a peppermint shrimp, 2 nassarius snails, 2 blue legged hermits, 2 red legged hermits, 4 turbo snails, 3 cerith snails, and one pulsing xenia frag that is doing great.

A small spot showed up a few days ago and I have not been able to catch him or get a photo until last night. I still can't catch him though. The spot has grown as you can see in the photo. He also has a white spot on his lower lip and a very small one on his bottom fin.

I am going today to get the smallest cleaner shrimp I can find to see if that will help, but if the LFS did not get any on yesterdays shipment then the ones they had on Monday are too big more than likely. (I guess ?)

Thank you for helping save my daughter's fish.:help:

Ph = 8.3
SG = 1.0245
Ammonia = 0.0
Nitrite = 0.0
Nitrate = 10

Sick Fish 011_edited.jpg
 
Does noone want this fish to live? Have a heart and help a brother out. Or are you guys just looking and don't want ot give me the bad news that he will not survive? Come on, I can take it.
 
im sorry about how no one is replying, i cant help much but from what i see its a bacterial infection. I dont know if im right since im not too sure of saltwater diseases but i hope that could help you a bit
 
DarthFred6996 said:
Does noone want this fish to live? Have a heart and help a brother out. Or are you guys just looking and don't want ot give me the bad news that he will not survive? Come on, I can take it.
Click to expand...

Hi there. It wasn't even 3 hours before your initial post and your follow-up. I've never seen a marine thread with no responses. It's just that it's a weekday and people may not have a chance to respond immediately- especially with all different time zones. Please don't think you're being ignored. :)

Okay, how long have you had your royal gramma? Is it still eating? How often are your water changes and when was your last one- and with what kind of water?

Is there anywhere you can move him to? I'm asking you if you can move him for two reasons. One is because if he's not moving around a lot, your nassarius snails might take advantage of that. Is he swimming around a lot?- That picture looks as if he's lying on the sand. To me, it looks like he may have something bacterial or fungal.

If it were me, and depending on the above answers to those questions, I would try to treat him with Melafix. I normally wouldn't recommend dosing your main tank (second reason), do you have a QT at all? Melafix is "all natural" though so even if you choose to dose your main tank, you shouldn't have any problems- especially since he's the only fish in there.

Could you provide a little more information?
 
I have had him for 1.5 weeks and he has and is still eating good.

I change 3 gallons in the 14 gallon BioCube with 18lbs live rock and 2-3"sand bed every week with RO water and Instant Ocean salt.

I do not have a place to put him other than the main tank. I have not set up a quarantine tank yet because I do not plan on adding any more fish for at least 2 months while I am working on algae control and stocking my corals.

He is lying inside a barnacle that has sand in it. He goes in there for a while and then he goes back to another cave in the rock. He has been trying to scratch his itch on a piece of live rock.

He started sleeping in the barnacle after the spot came up. He would rest against a pice of LR at the back of the tank that makes a little cave betwen the rock and the back. The spot seems to be on the same side that was always resting on the rock. Do you think he got something from the rock or something on the rock was nibbling on him when he was sleeping?

I am sorry for my impatience. I live 45 miles from the LFS, but work only 10 miles from it. So I was hoping to have an answer before I leave work today so I would not have to drive 90 miles round trip this weekend.

Thanks for he help.
 
You won't be able to treat the fish in your tank. You'll need a QT / hospital setup. If you don't have one a brand new rubbermaid tote (10 gallons or more) or one that has been well washed (with water, not soap) and wiped down would do. Best would be to do a water change on your main tank and use the old water removed from your tank for your QT, but you could mix new water if needed. Just make sure to airate it well before ready to use. An extra heater to put in your QT is a must and a small powerhead to create water movement should be used. If you have an airstone or air pump, put that in too. PH of QT should match your tank, temp of QT can be the same or slightly higher, specific gravity of QT can be the same or lower. 1.015 - 1.020 is a good range for a QT. I would catch your fish and give a freshwater dip (~4-5 minutes, watch stress levels) before transfering to your QT. Use RO water for freshwater dip in a container or bag that you have floated in your main tank to match temperature. Treat your QT with an antibacterial medication (erythromycin has worked for me, there are many options available). Follow directions for dosage, also I recommend using a stress coat in your QT. Probably need to keep the fish in QT for 4 days, but again follow directions on the antibiotic medication you go with. During this time, keep a sharp eye on ammonia levels and dialy small volume water changes will probably be needed. Do not use any medications, especially antibiotics in your main tank! You will not be happy with the results, it will destroy you biological filtration and flatten your tank.

This recommendation is based on the assumption that your gramma has a bacterial / fungus infection which it appears to have in the picture. Also, this is a procedure that has worked well for me, but others may have very different recommendations.

If you don't have the means to go the route of treating your fish (QT, medications, extra heater, etc.). You can try slowly lowering the specific gravity in your tank (however if you have inverts I would not go below 1.021) raising the temperature to 81-82, treating the gramma's food with garlic xtreme (assuming it is still eating), maintaining pristine water conditions with small volume water changes and hoping...
 
Anyone have any advice on how to catch him without destroying my tank? This little dude is quick!

And how does garlic help a sick fish?
 
There is a belief that when food is treated with garlic it will boost the immune system and general health of fish. Can't say that I've had enough experience to give an opinion on wether this is true or not.

As to catching him I don't have any great ideas, maybe someone will chime in here. You could leave the net in the tank for a while so the fish gets used to it and then try to force him towards the net with something else before scooping him up?
 
He stays hidden in the rock caves until feeding time. He comes out and swims around but then goes back in when someone gets near the tank. :confused:
 
try using two nets.
my best method for catching fish is when they first get light.. I am speaking in my experience with angels and discus in FW.
I try to get them when they are inactive..for them is't first light..when they are resting..I get up at 4 am anyway..I was able to net nearly an entire tank of fish this way.
 
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