Single-Gill Breathing

[delphinus]

Hello, I have kept Cortez Angelfish (Pomacanthus zonipectus) for one year.

Yesterday I found that she was moving only one side of gills only, the other side of gill didn't move. She feeds well and looks healthy, fin edges are clear, no white-spot, good color, but her unilateral gill moves very rapidly as if she were troubled by Ich or Oodinium. 　

In Japan some aquarists reported this gill trouble (we call it Single-Gill Breathing), but we don't know the reason and how to cure. Any help you can give me on this trouble would be much appreciated.
Regards,

 

[NaH2O]

I'm not sure, but will be here to learn from Steve, too....

How are your water parameters? What size tank? What are your other fish in the tank?

 

[delphinus]

Hello, NaH20

Thanks for your reply. I would like to show additional data of Cortez's tank.

Size: 60gal.(fish only tank, no living rock), Temperature: around 75F, pH: 8.0, No2,NH3/NH4+: not to found, No.3: under 30mg (I change 50-70% water every month), Additional Equipment: Protein Skimmer, UV sterilizer.

Fishes: one Cortez Angel (about 3 inch), one Half-and-Half Wrass (Hemigymnus melapterus, about 4.5 inch), one Saddled Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ephippium, about 3.5 inch), Half-and-Half Wrass and Saddled butterflyfish looks fine.

Japanese aquarits have reported this gill problem on Holacantus and Pomacantus (especially Holacantus ciliaris and Pomacanthus imperator). Some aquarists suggest so-called Gill fluke diseases infected with Hetaraxine spp., Heterobothrium spp., and Neoheterobothrium spp., but no evidence. If these suggestions were right, Formalin, Prazicantel, or Hydrogen peroxide might be effective. But I have never heard using these medicines for hobbists' aquariums. Thanks very much.

 

[ronj]

my first guess would have been water quality, but that seems fine ????? does the gill look normal??

 

[leebca]

I am not familiar with this condition. Sorry I can't be of more help. I will ask Dr. Noga about it when I see him in a few weeks.

Is there anything you can tell us about it? Is it usually fatal? Has anyone ever performed necropsy on a fish that had this condition?

Have you introduced any new livestock to the aquarium during the last 6 weeks? If so, what?

Where did you obtain this fish? (That is, mail order, fish store, etc.). Do you know what waters the fish comes from?

Thanks.

 

[delphinus]

Hello ronj and leebca,

Thanks very much for your arrangement.
I have heard of Dr. Noga, one of the greatest aquatic veterinarians.
I would like to answer your additional questions.

Does the gill look normal?
Yes, look normal.

Is it usually fatal?
Not fatal, often self-healing with mysterious reason, but often repeated.

Has anyone ever performed necropsy on a fish that had this condition?
I have never heard.

Have you introduced any new livestock to the aquarium during the last 6 weeks?
No.

Where did you obtain this fish?
Mail order (about 13 months ago, Famous shop in Tokyo).

Do you know what waters the fish comes from?
I do not have any information about what waters she came from.

Regards,

 

[leebca]

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. I will bring it to Dr. Noga's attention. He will probably want to know what is being fed to the fish. Can you be detailed and answer these questions:

1. How often do you/someone feeds the fish?
2. What foods are fed to the fish?
3. Any additives put into the food (vitamins, fats, etc.)
4. Any additives put into the aquarium water (vitamins, fats, trace elements, water conditioners, etc.)
5. What is your source water?
6. Would you be willing to list all the other livestock in the aquarium with this fish?

Sorry for all the questions, but I think the more answers I have for Dr. Noga, the more likely he may have an opinion.

 

[Krish]

One thing I thought of which may (and I'm sure) may be just "way out there", but you said you change 50-70% of the water a month. How is that done? All at one time, weekly, every other week and when you do it, do you allow the salt mix to dissolve properly before adding to the tank? The reason I ask is say you are doing a 70% water change at once and just toss the water right in after salt and water are combined, I would think that the newly added salt mix (which is not quite mixed) could over time damage the fishs' gills. I'm not saying that is what you do now and it would be weird that it is only happening to one of your fish, but thought I'd just toss that out there just incase. I have never heard or seen anything like this happen to a fish before and so I have no idea what it could be, but just wanted to throw out some points until someone with more accurate assumptions or info can chime in. I hope you fish pulls through for you...Good luck

 

[ronj]

that is actually a good guess!!! it could be the salt or something else damaging or irritating the gills

 

[delphinus]

Hello leebca,

Any questions of this mysterious trouble are welcome. Some foods and salts might be not available outside Japan.

1.2～3 times a day

2.Daily change some dry foods as follows: Spectrum Marine Formula(Newlife), Sure(SEALIFE), Formula 1 Pellet(Ocean Nutrition), Formula 2 Pellet(Ocean Nurtirion), Platinum Reef Herbivore(KENT). Sometimes I give them some frozen foods (White-shrimp, Brineshrimp, and clam).

3.No (because I give my fish various foods).

4.No (because of fish only tank).

5.RO+Aquarium salts. I use New Saltaquare (Aquatech) as usual. But sometimes I use OCEANPURE(LSS Labo.), SEALIFE (Marin-Tech), and Instant Ocean(Aquarium Systems).

6.one Cortez Angel (about 3 inch), one Half-and-Half Wrass (Hemigymnus melapterus, about 4.5 inch), one Saddled Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ephippium, about 3.5 inch). no living rock, no invertebrates.

I have kept marine aqarium for over 20 years. As I wrote, Japanese aquarists have faced this problem on verious situations and on various fishes.
Thanks very much.


Hello krish75 and ronj,

Thank you for your suggestions and cheers. I would like to do my best.
I use synthetic seawater after the salts dissolved perfectly, I think.
Like the most Japanese aquarists I always mix the salts and the RO water, and leave 24-48 hours with aeration and circulation. Then I check gravity and temprature, and change water.

I'm very surprised at the reactions of respectable aquarists. At least in Japan Single-Gill Breathing is very notorious Angelfishes' trouble. Although Many Japanese aquarists are at a loss, their fishes often self-healing (and often repeated). It's a mystery.

Regards,

 

[steve-s]

Is the branchiostegal membrane distended away (lower) from the operculum? (The innner gill plate/membrane pulling away and down from the outer gill plate)
Can you see the color (pink/red/whiish) of the branchial arch or gill filaments?
Are the filaments round and buldging or flat?
Is the spike still present on that particular outer plate?
Does the angel spend a good majority of it's time higher or lower in the tank?

Cheers
Steve

 

[delphinus]

Hello, Steve.　Thanks for your reply. I'd like to answer your questions.

1.Is the branchiostegal membrane distended away (lower) from the operculum?
Yes.

2.2.Can you see the color (pink/red/whiish) of the branchial arch or gill filaments?.
Red, they look normal.

3.Are the filaments round and buldging or flat?.
They looks flat (with no trouble).

4.Is the spike still present on that particular outer plate?
Yes, spike looks normal.

5.Does the angel spend a good majority of it's time higher or lower in the tank?
She swims vigorously.

I have a good news!
As many Japanese aqarists have reported,I found my Cortez recovered with mystical reason. But I don't know the reason why this condition have occured and recovered. If you have any suggestions, please teach me. If repeated, I would report as soon as possible.

Hello, leebca.

I long for Dr.Noga's comments as a representative of Japanese aquarists confused by this Single-Gill Breathing. I would very appreciate if you could talk about this trouble. Even among Far East's aquarits, Dr. Noga is known very much.

Thanks very much for courtesy of all Reef Frontiers' staffs and members.

 

[steve-s]

It could be debris is getting caught up in the gill, a worm/parasite in the system or a sensitivity issue.
If this is only affecting one certain species of fish in the system and not all the fish, I would suspect it's some type of super sensitivity to either an additive, water quality issue or possibly behavioral. What your describing so far sounds like an irritant to be sure but what kind I'm at a loss.

How often does this occur and how sensitive are your test kits/what type/brand?
Is this isolated to just this species, what other species are kept?
Have these fish ever been dewormed or treated for copepods?

Cheers
Steve

 

[NaH2O]

Steve, I find it interesting that Japenese aquarists are reporting this. I'm unfamiliar with how fish are brought into Japan, so could it be something in the tanks at the wholesalers, or a similar holding type facility?

 

[delphinus]

Hello, Steve and NaH20.

I think that krish75 and ronj's suggestion is right. the salt or something else damaged or irritated the Coltez's gill, then healed naturally.
I would answer steve's qusetions.

1.How often does this occur?.
For over 20 years as a marine aquarist, I faced this trouble three times: Queen Angelfish, Reef Bannerfish, and Coltez Angelfish. But as I wrote, Japanese aqarists often reported about this problem on thier own websites and forums.

2.How sensitive are your test kits/what type/brand?
Sorry, I don't know their sensitivities, I use these brands
Temperature: Kotobuki Degi-Meter
Gravity: Akanuma-Shiki (Certificated by Japan Electric Meters Inspection Corporation)
pH, NH4, No2: Tetra Test
NO3: ELOS Test kit

3.Is this isolated to just this species?
Yes, this fish only. I think my Cortez's problem was not occured by Copepods or Monogenea. But some Japanese aquarist might be troubled by parasitic Copepods or Monogenea (e.g. Ergasilus, Heterobothrium, Hetaraxine, and Dactylogyrus).

4.What other species are kept?
One Half-and-Half Wrass, One Saddled Butterflyfish, no living rock and sand.

5.Have these fish ever been dewormed or treated for copepods?
No, I have never. Japanese aquarists usually don't deworm and treat for copepods. In Japan it is difficult for aquarists generally to get Formalin, Antibiotics (except Sulfa and Fran) and Prazicantel.

Thanks very much.

 

[steve-s]

Steve, I find it interesting that Japenese aquarists are reporting this. I'm unfamiliar with how fish are brought into Japan, so could it be something in the tanks at the wholesalers, or a similar holding type facility?

I am thinking it's the transfer point or wholesaler, it's actually quite common. With the problem aleiviating itself, there is the possibility the parasite is an obligate but would greatly depend on anything being added to the tank or any access to other animals.

5.Have these fish ever been dewormed or treated for copepods?
No, I have never. Japanese aquarists usually don't deworm and treat for copepods. In Japan it is difficult for aquarists generally to get Formalin, Antibiotics (except Sulfa and Fran) and Prazicantel.

Do you have access to any type of organophosphates?

Cheers
Steve

 

[delphinus]

Hello, Steve. Thanks for your interest.

>Do you have access to any type of organophosphates?

Yes, I have Trichlorfon(Masoten) for my Koi, of course NOT Koi-Queen, Koi in the freshwater pond.
In Japan Organophosphates are sold for Koi and Goldfish. we could get them in Koi-shop.
In 1970s, Japanese aquarists used organophosphates against Crytptocarion and Ooinium, as a substitute for copper sulfate, or with copper sulfate. Though some aquarists reported their success, most of Japanese felt less inefective than usnig copper sulfate only.

P.S. Unlike many Japanese aquarist, I could have and have ever used various antibiotics (Tetracycline, Erythromycin and so on), formaldehyde, and Praziquantel. I have a qualification for using them.

With best Wishes,

 

[steve-s]

If this is a potential fluke/worm the Trichlorofon (Dylox) will work, it's the same stuff used in Fluke tabs. It will also have a lethal affect on crustacea. As yet though, no clear indications of a parasite have been determined. There is still the possibility of bacterial but the small amount of details provided so far lead to nothing conclusive.

Copper sulphate and Trichlorofon where used in conjunction for treating many type of ciliated protozoa/ectoparasites but it is very hard on the fish and something I would strongly discourage. The use of copper sulphate unto itself would be bad enough. If dealing with Amyloodinium ocellatum or Cryptocaryon irritans, copper treatments alone would be enough given they are monitired properly and the treatment level maintained. Combining treatments is overkill with the possible exception of antibiotics.

I think ID'ing it properly will come down to labratory work though. In the interm, the only thing I can suggest is as always, quarantine. If the ailment cannot be identified or a successful treatment implemented, the fish should not be allowed into the community system(s). Personally I would lean towards a parasite being the issue. Formalin or a prolonged immersion in an aldehyde solution (PARAguard etc..) would be the best "gunshot" approach.

Cheers
Steve

 

[leebca]

delphinus,

Last week I spent a few days with some leading veterinarians in ornamental fish care. They included:

Dr. Edward Noga
Dr. Greg Lewhart
Dr. Cliff Swanson
Dr. Michael Stoskopf
Dr. Craig Harms, and
Dr. Wade Lehmann

You may recognize three or more of them from the books they have written on fish diseases and fish medicine and fish treatments. The primary purpose of my visit with them was to perform some fish surgeries and refresh my knowledge of marine fish disease/condition diagnoses.

Although I correspond with these gentlemen, I waited until I was face-to-face with them to bring up "Single-Gill Breathing" as you've described it.

None of these men have heard of this condition. Dr. Harms, a leading fish surgeon in the USA, indicated a rather lengthy list of possibilities but without additional information and perhaps having the lab report of an investigative study or at least a necropsy, it will be nothing more than speculation.

However, Dr. Lewhart has a colleague in Japan. He has promised to correspond with this contact and ask if that colleague has heard of this and/or knows anything about this.

Sorry that I have nothing more to offer at this time. If I hear of anything more, I will convey that on to you. If you have any other information than what you've posted so far, please share that.

Good luck!

 

[NaH2O]

Lee - thanks for taking the time to look further into this!