Lionfish acting lethargic and not eating

[Klewis]

Why do things always go wrong when your away? Our lion fish has been on a hunger strike for several days, this has happened before just not as long as this time. I'm in Vegas now and my wife just called me and informed me our Lionfish is acting very lethargic and has labored breathing. It has been hanging upside down under a rock and hasn't moved for about 2 days now. (Maybe he misses me) Normally when she cleans the glass with the mag float or feed and picks things up with the giant tweezers he would move out of the way but now he just stays there. There are two other fish in the tank; a yellow tang and a fox face rabbit fish.Their behavior is normal and eating regularly.

If anyone has had a similar experience or could give some guidance it would be appreciated.

specs are:
75 Gallon FOWLR
Remora pro HOB skimmer
eheim 2215 canister
Water Para ??? I'm away and my wife hasn't done them before

Thanks for any help. My wife will be checking any post.

 

[Dre]

Very high nitrates, lion fishes are very hardy but very high nitrates can be detrimental.

 

[Klewis]

we had some water ready, so i did a water change...hopefully that will help w/ the nitrates...thanks !!

 

[Dre]

[PDF OVERLAY][/PDF OVERLAY]specs are:
75 Gallon FOWLR
Remora pro HOB skimmer
eheim 2215 canister
Water Para ??? [PDF OVERLAY][/PDF OVERLAY]

Know what your water Pars are.

 

[Paul B]

What and when did you feed it last? They only need to eat once or twice a week depending on their last meal.

 

[Klewis]

Unfortunately I'm in Vegas right now unable to do any test or even observe the fish and my wife is home watching him suffer. She is the one that posted she did the water change. I instructed her how to mix more water to prepare if she needs to do another water change and to bring the water to a local fish store to be tested.

She just called me this morning and said he is floating near the protein skimmer when he gets enough energy he'll work his way under a rock.

If it is due to a high nitrates, what are the odds that multiple water changes will help him survive???

 

[Klewis]

What and when did you feed it last? They only need to eat once or twice a week depending on their last meal.

It has been more than 4-5 days since he has eaten. We feed him a combination of krill and silversides. Our regular feeding schedule is ever other day. Some times he'll eat al ot and others he'll eat nothing, its not that unusual for him to skip a meal. This is a longer run than normal.

 

[Reeftanker3295]

Try live food. If he is still ok when you get home, go down to a harbor and scoop up some ghost shrimp off of the pilings and the sides of the docks.

 

[Klewis]

Is it possible that the fox face poisoned him??? If yes, would he tolirate the sting am I stretching for an explaination???

Due back tomorrow night.

 

[Paul B]

what are the odds that multiple water changes will help him survive???

Slim to none. It does not sound too good but they can go a few weeks without eating with no problem. Hiding under a rock is not good for a lionfish.
Water changes should not help if the other fish are fine.
There is not much you can do except wait and see if he recovers.
Of course live food may help, you can try a goldfish.

 

[Klewis]

My wife and I don't have the heart to put a gold fish into a saltwater tank. Would a cheap damsel be a healthy meal for him? If it would save the Lion fish my wife might be willing to get one.

 

[Paul B]

Why would you put in a $5.00 damsel when you could put in a 10 cent feeder goldfish? They both belong to the same union and collect the same benefits only one is practically free. All of those feeder goldfish you see in a pet store are there to be fed to fish so if you don't do it, someone else will.
When that lionfish was in the sea he was eating fish, a lot of them, every day.

 

[Reeftanker3295]

I wouldn't feed your lion goldfish... It's been proven that feeding your lionfish freshwater feeders like goldfish will cause lockjaw. The freshwater feeders do not have the proteins that the lion needs to survive with good health and can also carry many diseases. Try getting some ghost shrimp off the docks, believe me if he'll eat anything it will be them. First day I got my lionfish I dropped a ghost shrimp in and he came out of hiding right away and jumped on the shrimp. He even wagged his tail like a dog when he saw I was putting in shrimp.

 

[Paul B]

I wouldn't feed your lion goldfish... It's been proven that feeding your lionfish freshwater feeders like goldfish will cause lockjaw. The freshwater feeders do not have the proteins that the lion needs to survive with good health and can also carry many diseases.

I really don't know where you got that from but anyway, I only said to feed "a" goldfish to get the thing eating--not to feed it goldfish every day.

But you are correct about feeding fresh water fish to salt water fish but not because of the wrong proteins, but the wrong oil.
The diseases a goldfish may carry will most likely not affect a lionfish.
I also feed them grass shrimp that I collect but not everyone has access to them

 

[Dre]

When was the last time you did a water change ?And how much? Feeding Live foods is a bad idea at this time because if he doesn't eat it ,it will pollute the water even more. Sound like you need to do a very large water change when you get back.

 

[Klewis]

When was the last time you did a water change ?And how much? Feeding Live foods is a bad idea at this time because if he doesn't eat it ,it will pollute the water even more. Sound like you need to do a very large water change when you get back.

My wife did major water change's on Sat and Sun while I was away ( replaced a little more than 2/3 of water) She brought the water to a local fish store to be tested. They told her ammonia and nitrites are good but nitrates were high. Going to do another water change and test water again.

A few weeks ago I did a water change, and the maintenance of the filter, rinsed the substrate with w/c water, replaced filter pads and filter floss. All regular maintenance I do every couple of months. ( Water Change gets done on average once a month )

The Yellow tang and Foxface Rabbit fish are behaving normal and eating regularly. (before if something wasn't right the fox face would show erratic behavior)

The Lion fish swam a little after the water change but is back to hanging upside down bracing against a rock in a water stream facing the ground with his face touching the ground. It looks like when he loses his bracing he starts to tumble in the water stream floating to the top of the tank then he struggles to get another bracing. The lion fish color is fine he hasn't lost any weight, no physical signs other than what has been described. Unfortunately all we can do is wait and hope its something that he can overcome.

 

[Paul B]

It looks like when he loses his bracing he starts to tumble in the water stream floating to the top of the tank then he struggles to get another bracing.

Not a good sign for any fish. I would say if he is doing that he is dying. I can't see him but that is my opinion. I had quite a few lionfish.
I hope I am wrong.

 

[Dre]

Know what your water Pars are.

Check pH as well.

 

[Klewis]

Sad day today, He died this morning

 

[Dre]

Sad day today, He died this morning

Sorry for the fish and your loss man.