midas blenny not doing well

C

Charlie

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Anyone have experience with a midas blenny? ours is about 3-4 months old, and has been doing well until recently. he was swimming at the top of the tank for awhile, and then started not eating well. with good oxygen in the water, all test kits look good (ammonia, phosphate, nitrite, nitrates, ph, kh etc) We figured possibly a parasite, so we gave him a fw dip, and put him in a hospital tank. He is now not eating and just sitting/laying at the bottom under a rock. He hasn't eaten for 3/4 days so I figure his time has almost past. Any recommendations for treatment?
 
Man, sorry to hear this. My fav fish. I've had three, first one jumped but the other two are with me now. They are usually pretty resilient fish, fairly immune to parasitic woes. I've never seen a sick Midas. Mine lived through several bouts of ich and never got it when the other fish were covered. What are you feeding him? I know they are supposed to get some algae, but mine have never really cared much for the greens, only a nibble from a nori strip now and then. Both of the Midas I have now mostly eats meaty foods like shrimp and squid. They also like Mysid and Krill. Try soaking food heavily in garlic and Zoe, maybe you can stimulate his appetite with the garlic and get some of the vitamins down him.

I don't think I'd put him through anymore dips, the stress will probably do more harm than good at this point, but you might lower the salinity in your QT tank slowly to around 1.020, make things a little easer on him. I seriously doubt this fish has parasites. Have you added anything new to the tank lately? Does he show any wounds or signs of aggression? How's his breathing? These guys breathe kind of fast, so it is hard to tell if they are laboring for a breath. I?d watch him very closely.

Perhaps Matt or Amanda will chime in.


Best of luck, please keep us posted.
 
Thanks for asking. The midas seems to be doing okay in the q-tank. He seems a little jumpy ie get near the tank and he hides, but other than that he is better. :D
 
Man, that?s great to hear. They are pretty tough little fish. Something else you might try to get him back on feed. Mine love to suck the eyes out of Silverside. I know it sounds gross, but for some reason Midas love to do this. Take a couple of Silversides and put them into an algae clip, tail first, so that the heads are hanging down. Soak them heavily in garlic and Zoe, and dangle them on a string down in the area where he is hanging out. If he is not swimming up into the column try dropping the clips all the way down to the bottom close to him, and leave the room. Check later to see if the eyes are gone. Might be a way to get the medicine in him.


Good luck, keep us posted.
 
Well, the Midas seems to have made a full recovery. He is out and being his friendly self again. Eating well, not hiding, and the usual midas activities. Looks like we are in the clear. Thanks for all of the recommendations.
 
As I said in the PM, this is terrific news. Seldom do these, "My fish isn't doing well" threads have a happy ending. Midas' are unbelievably tuff little fish. He was probably just having a bad hair day. :wink:

I?d still watch him closely for a while and continue with the garlic/Zoe regimen. And don?t forget the Silverside Eyeballs. A Midas delicacy. Yum
 
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