Sick Blenny?

[nhandd]

Hi,

I have a starry blenny that is behaving abnormally. It's a 24g nanocube, with pair of baby maroons, and damsel. I had it for about 5 months. It is one of my favorite fish. It swims all over the tank and perch here and there looking at everything. At feeding time, it would come up and eat from my hands. But it hasn't been eating the past 3 days. At feeding time, it just lays somewhere or hide in some crack. He used to be darker grey..now it's a little pale. And it is hiding wedged between the rocks with no lights whatsoever. I can see it breathing...but it looks like it isn't doing so well. Any ideas? I don't have anything to QT it. Thanks

Nhan

 

[steve-s]

What do you normally feed and how's it's belly size?

Some tank histrory would help along with water parameters. How well the fish get along, how long you've had them, any previous problems/ailments and so on.

Cheers
Steve

 

[nhandd]

I usually feed it formula one and cyclopeze. pretty much same for the maroon clowns and damsel and shrimps. The fish gets along fine with all the fishes. Maroon clowns let it get near them no problem. I had all the fishes more than 4 months except for the damsel which I just got for 3 weeks. No previous ailments.

The belly size now is weeee small...he's really weak. Actually really weak tonight. He's not swimming anymore. I have put him in a bag and float it in the tank...and have turn off the lights. I tried to put food in there but he's not eating. It looks really bad.

Parameters:
temp: 80
1.025
everything else is normal.

 

[steve-s]

Do not place the fish in a bag like that, it will only make matters worse.

Most likely the problem here is food choices. This species of blenny is a herbavor and while it may take to meaty foods, it's diet should be fairly heavy in vegetable matter. They mainly consume micro algae. If it was accepting prepared foods, try spirulina flake, nori strapped to a rock and Ocean Nutrition frozen spirulina. That last one still has meat but is primarily algae.

There may be some type of worm but it doesn't sound like it. Any sign of irregular feces from any of the fish? Pale or stringy? All other fish seem healthy and have a good weight?

What species of damsel?

Cheers
Steve

 

[nhandd]

Steve, thanks for your help. Unfortunately he didn't make it. I knew he was in a grim state by last night. I think you are right about the food choices. I had some hair algae in my tank and I see him nibbling on it once in awhile. However, the last couple of weeks, I have pulled them out and not much hair algae for him to graze on. Darn, he was my favorite fish. Lesson learned. It's my first fish loss since I started last summer.

The damsel is I think a yellow tail regular damsel.

Nhan

 

[steve-s]

Sorry to hear that. Please don't take this as a lecture but future reference, try to avoid (research) various fish before you purchase them. In many cases a deposit with an LFS that knows you will be enough to secure it for you and give you time to decide if it's the "right fit" for you tank. Some will not refund you but will go towards a store credit. If it's a shoppe you frequent regularly (which i suggest), no harm done.

With this species (and similar) in particular, I would urge you to avoid it. In smaller tanks, there is really not enough of a natural supply of foods and they're accepting of prefab foods is usually the exception, not the rule. Many many choices otherwise for smaller tanks.

Cheers
Steve

 

[nhandd]

Thanks for your help Steve. I did ask the LFS, and they said the blenny should be fine in the 24 g nano. However, it was my oversight that I didn't give the blenny algae/seaweed as a diet. Like I said lesson learned. It was heart breaking to see him die. I don't think I will be adding any more fishes to the tank any time soon.