Butterfly breathing heavily

[NC2WA]

Lee,

I purchased 3 Yellow Pyramid Butterflies from a LFS on Dec 11 2009. These fish are from Hawaii and were in the store for 2.5 months. they were kept in a tank with a small level of copper and Prazi-Pro was used.

I noticed that the smallest butterfly was breathing heavily today. the other two eat everything I throw in the tank..

there are no signs of disease or redness on the gills. He stays with the pack, but I have not seen it eat today.

Should I be concern??

If so, what treatment (if any) should I take and is this condition contagious to the other fish in my tank??

FWIW, Tank size 375 gallon, pH 8.15, Salinity 1.025, Ca 400, Temp 78
Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrates <5, PO4-0
I do run a 80w UV Sterilizer 24 x7.


The other fish in my tank are: Blueface, majestic angel, yellow eye tang, orange diamond goby, pair of percs that spend all day in a RBTA.

If there is any additional information you need, please let me know.
I have included a link to a pic of the fish in question:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7329275@N05/4185702291/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7329275@N05/4185701731/

thanks
Kirk

 

[Sea]

I have a funny feeling he is gonna say you should have quarantined them before introducing them to your system.

 

[leebca]

I thought you would have quarantined the fish first, but then again, your post doesn't say you didn't.

At this stage, about all that can be said is that the fish is under stress. It could be nothing you have done or failed to do, but just acclimation stress. Acclimation stress can occur up to and including 8 months after the capture of the fish. But the longer after capture the less likely it is the cause.

The next concern would be the 'low level' of copper. It is in the LFS's best interest to do this. But as time goes on, this becomes a chronic poisoning of the fish. Buying from an LFS that uses copper is best done before the fish spends a lot of time in that environment. Moved into a quarantine tank where it can be watched and not subjected to copper poisoning, right after the LFS receives the fish, is optimum.

Neither one of the above can be corrected by you. However, if that fish was in quarantine, it would be very good to lower the sp. gr. to 1.016 to help the fish conserve energy and direct its energy to managing the stressor(s).

Down below the above is the onset of a disease. You'll have to watch the fish to determine if there any other symptoms. The photos don't show a good coloring which can be the outcome of the stressor(s) mentioned, or the onset of disease.

About the only thing you can do at this point is move the fish to a QT and slowly lower the sp. gr. NOTE: A fish in this condition becomes the target of healthy fishes. Fish sense when another marine life form is stressed and/or losing its life. They can and do attack the weak. This is another (good) reason to move the fish out from the others. Then, monitor the fish closely.

 

[NC2WA]

Update: Today, the fish is breathing normally. No heavy breathing and is eating.
Will continue to monitor the fish and then take appropriate action.

thanks