spotted help required

[bellus angel]

my bluespotted jaw fish has stopped eating looks a bit thin all of a sudden. Got him about a month and a half ago he settled in well building his nest in the sand and was eating well. aAfter about three weeks he got spooked by my convict blenny which seemed to be taking away its nesting material. removed blenny to sump but spotty still going down hill. Do not think I could catch him as in 6'x2'x2' reef tank. water parametrers are fine any suggestions
Ian

 

[lcstorc]

Is there another fish pestering him?
The only thing you can do without catching him is try to get the food right in front of him and hope he eats.

 

[bellus angel]

I do not think ther is another fish pestering him. I do get food near him . I feed other fish away from him and then feed him while they are still munching. He ignores the food. He then get more stressed when the other fish come to eat the food from near his nest. Is the heavy breathing due to disease. if so what and is he likely to recover without intervention.what diseases are blue spotts prone to ?
many thanks for your help
Ian

 

[bellus angel]

I do not think there is another fish pestering him. I do get food near him . I feed other fish away from him and then feed him while they are still munching. He ignores the food. He then get more stressed when the other fish come to eat the food from near his nest. Is the heavy breathing due to disease. if so what and is he likely to recover without intervention.what diseases are blue spotts prone to ?
many thanks for your help
Ian

 

[lcstorc]

Check out this thread. It is all about bluespots and various people who have kept them. Maybe it will give you some suggestions.
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/bluespot-club/16244-bluespot-club.html

 

[Dentoid]

So sorry to hear this Ian. It seems to be a common occurance with this species. No one really knows why this happens. From all that I have read, about this species poor captivity record, it seems to point to intestinal parasites, and for what ever reason seems to overcome the fish in captivity. I have seen this more times than I want to say. The fish seems fine for a month or so, then stops eating and perishes quickly. It is best to purchase this species from a reputable source that quarantines them first and treats them for parasites while they are still eating. Or the hobbyist should QT them and treat them for intestinal parasites using frozen food soaked in praziquantel, metronidazole, and piperazine prior to releasing them into their main tank.

All you can do at this point is keep trying to feed him. Best of luck to you. Keep us posted.

 

[bluespotjawfish]

Sorry to hear this. I myself have lost them from this.

 

[carnavor]

blue spotts do not do well in captivity, they eat and look good for a few weeks and then they stop eating, heavy breathing, lose color, and die from a bacterial infection, never heard or anyone having one over a month or so , i have had three on differnt occations all the same fate, this is definitely a fish better left in the ocean.

 

[carnavor]

blue spotts do not do well in captivity, they eat and look good for a few weeks and then they stop eating, heavy breathing, lose color, and die from a bacterial infection, never heard or anyone having one over a month or so , i have had three on differnt occations all the same fate, this is definitely a fish better left in the ocean.

 

[Dentoid]

I agree that many of these fish do not survive long in captivity as is evidenced in the http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/bluespot-club/16244-bluespot-club.html thread. However, there are hobbyists that have had this species for extended periods of time. My first BS was with me for 6 months and very healthy, until she jumped out of the tank. My current BS I have had for over 2 months and is doing very well. Michael has had his for about 8 months and Lorraine has kept this species for well over a year.

Until someone actually does some research on this species, we will never know why their survivability is so low. The best theory is that they are being collected with internal parasites that overcome the fish when they start living in captivity. Perhaps stress induced. Since this species is a burrowing fish, they take in mouthfuls of mud and sand which could be a source or route of entry for internal parasites. This theory has not been tested, but is promising given the signs and symptoms these fish present with before they perish.