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Help!! Spotted Hawkfish

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by StormyMoe, Dec 1, 2016.

  1. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    I picked up a spotted hawkfish from the LFS last night and put him in my 15 gal QT which had cycled and has normal parameters. He seemed happy as could be and was perching up on top of the PVC and sponge filter I've got in there, and even this morning he seemed to be doing well. Now he is tucked up under a piece of rock and his breathing seems to be very rapid and he's kind of leaning on one side.

    Ammonia & nitrite are 0, pH around 8.1, and temp at 78F with a SG of 1.022. I did about a 15% water change to see if that helped but so far to no avail. He ate some mysis shrimp I put in there last night and seemed to take to the new aquarium very well. Moved the rock a little bit and he kind of came out from under it and sat normally for a little bit, but then went back under the rock. I tried putting just a bit more food in there to see if he'd eat, but he didn't even make an effort. I turned off the stock florescent light to see if that would help.

    Anyone have any ideas or advice on something else I should be looking at? Should also probably add that I haven't ruled out the possibility I'm overreacting...

    Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2016
  2. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    This morning he's looking worse, still laying on a side and is definitely breathing rapidly. Did another check on the water (Ammonia & Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 5, and pH at 8.1) before doing a 30% water change. I'm starting to come to terms that I'm going to lose my first marine animal. Anyone have suggestions or ideas on something I may have done wrong or is this just the nature of the hobby sometimes?
     
  3. beckerj3 Expert Reefkeeper Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +610 / 2 / -0
    Sometimes its the nature of the hobby.

    Did you acclimate him? Your salinity is on the low side. My display tank is at 1.025 - 1.026. I know that some people QT with a lower salinity, but I'm not sure they go that low. Maybe someone else can comment on that.

    Could be an infection - but I'm also not good ad diagnosing/treating that.
     
  4. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    Yeah I did float acclimate him when I introduced him to the tank and that first night he was doing great! Day 2 was when the problems started. My display runs 1.025-1.026 as well, I got a little heavy when topping off RO water and dropped the QT tank below that range prior to adding him, but from what I've read online the SG range for them is 1.020 - 1.025. With the WC this morning, after my initial reading of 1.022, I brought it up to 1.023 which should be fine for him I would think.

    Infection was something I was looking at too, but no signs of anything that I can see.
     
  5. blackx-runner Administrator Website Team Leadership Team

    Cedar Rapids, IA
    Ratings:
    +738 / 5 / -0
    are you running an airstone in the sponge filter. Maybe low O2 levels?
     
  6. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    I've got a big sponge filter in there that's rated for I think twice the tank size. Here's a pic of Day 1 with him sitting on it.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. danmgray Well-Known ReefKeeper

    307
    Sioux City, IA
    Ratings:
    +26 / 0 / -0
    I hope he pull through. It's a nice looking fish. I like your QT setup.
     
  8. ShaneP Well Known Hawkfish

    473
    Williamsburg, IA
    Ratings:
    +126 / 0 / -0
    That's a nice looking hawk. I have a falco, he's my fave fish.

    Is it ok? You mentioned you float acclimated him, was that a temp acclimation or did you slowly swap the water out too? Petco once told me their corporate mandated SG was like 1.017 or 1.019. I can't remember which, but it's low. Not sure where you got it though.
     
  9. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    Thanks @danmgray@danmgray & @ShaneP@ShaneP. I really like the fish, it's been on my wish list since I started putting my tank together. I started Prazipro last night since I couldn't see anything on him like ich or velvet and as of this morning he's still hanging in there. I'll even cautiously say he may be doing just a little bit better; breathing doesn't seem to be as rapid and he's moved around a little in the tank. Last night I tried pushing a few mysis in front of his mouth with a small dropper, he moved a little bit though I don't if that was because of the food or the dropper; think I'll try that again this morning.

    Oh and when I float acclimated I did gradually mix in water from the tank into the bag over the course of about 30 minutes. The LFS I got him from typically run their tanks in the 1.024-1.026 range I think, though I didn't think to test the bag water for SG. Might be something I add to my list for the future.
     
  10. blackx-runner Administrator Website Team Leadership Team

    Cedar Rapids, IA
    Ratings:
    +738 / 5 / -0
    Hope he pulls through for you.
     
  11. Fence13 Experienced Reefkeeper

    Des Moines
    Ratings:
    +300 / 1 / -0
    Honestly it could be the stress the fish has had was too much prior you coming to you.

    I'm not huge on QTing fish, but some times there are species that do better with or without the QT.
     
  12. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    Yeah that thought had crossed my mind too @Fence13@Fence13. Not sure if it was the Prazipro or a couple days in a dark tank but he seems to be doing pretty good now. Still hanging out on the bottom and not perching on anything in the tank, but he is moving around a bit and raises his dorsal fin when I go to look at him so I'm taking that as a good sign.
     
  13. Fence13 Experienced Reefkeeper

    Des Moines
    Ratings:
    +300 / 1 / -0
    I would take that as a good sign as well. Best way to tell when things are going well is from the constant attention to detail.
     
  14. Borky00 Well-Known ReefKeeper

    472
    Lisbon
    Ratings:
    +70 / 0 / -0
    Glad he is doing better are you feeding him enough? That is one thing I think cost me a few fish, not enough food.
     
  15. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    Yeah I feel like I'm feeding him enough @Borky00@Borky00, maybe even over-feeding honestly. I throw some mysis shrimp in there about everyday or every other day at the longest. So far he's still hanging in there!
     
  16. Borky00 Well-Known ReefKeeper

    472
    Lisbon
    Ratings:
    +70 / 0 / -0
    You only feed once a day? Is that enough for this type of fish? I really don't know but thinking about these fish in the wild they eat constantly. I am trying to feed small meals multiple times a day. For me it is two small amounts of flake food during the day and frozen at night. I doubt that is causing your current issues but it could cause stress.
     
  17. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    Yeah I only feed my DT once a day with 1/2 cube of frozen mysis, pellets, or flakes; maybe I need to rethink that though? I've got 2 clowns and a wrasse in there currently. The DT wakes up after I go to work so not sure if putting food into a dark tank would be worth it. I feed my candy cane coral mysis every 2-3 days in the morning while the tank is dark and there is always some shrimp that aren't caught by the tentacles. I don't have an auto-feeder either but maybe I should look into one and set it up to feed a bit while I'm at work? What's everyone's feeding schedules in general?
     
  18. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    @ShaneP@ShaneP you mentioned having a falco and just kind of wondering about how you introduced it to your main tank? Did you QT or anything like that? Mine is still in QT and seems to be doing ok, breathing at a steady pace and doesn't seem to be gasping or anything like that. Occasionally he will swim towards the surface, and that kind of freaks me out, but I don't know if that is an attempt to get oxygen or he's eating things in the tank (just noticed some very small white things in the tank that maybe amphipods, copepods, or rotifers). He moves around fairly frequently and the LFS said typically hawkfish are disease resistant and they thought I could add him to my DT today (QT of 8 days, Prazipro 7 days ago).

    I don't want to jepordize anything in the DT but also don't want to put unnecessary/prolonged stress on a fish if I don't need to, anyone with strong feelings one way or the other? Thanks for all of the advice/suggestions so far!
     
  19. ShaneP Well Known Hawkfish

    473
    Williamsburg, IA
    Ratings:
    +126 / 0 / -0
    @StormyMoe@StormyMoe

    I do not QT and never have. I did a slow acclimation in a bucket with this guy, if I remember right. Otherwise I poke small holes in the bag and just let it float for a few hours.

    Hawkfish are very hardy. I am actually surprised you had the episode with him you did. I've had mine for over three years, maybe close to four. Mine will swim up to the water line all the time and perch in the corners or sit on my pumps. He's usually moving around the tank regularly; never perching in one spot for more than a minute.

    In general, tons of personality, but he's the only one I worry about with new additions. He's prohibitive in purchasing small fish or any crustacean (not that I trust anything with an exoskeleton anyway). I just purchased a small six line wrasse and he hunted it for two days. The wrasse is faster though, and now there is no problem. My yellow chromis hates him, but only ever puts on an aggressive show while Falco just sits there like "yeah whatever."
     
  20. StormyMoe

    134
    Waukee
    Ratings:
    +50 / 0 / -0
    Good to know @ShaneP@ShaneP, the aggression towards new tanks mates is something I'd read about. I think mine has a similar personality, I can get right up next to him so only the glass is separating us and he just stares at me like "can I help you?". Hopefully he does well with the other fish once I add him to my main. Thanks!
     

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