Foxface breathing hard (panting)

[dusty16]

Ive had a foxface for 2 months now that has been sitting in quarantine since I bought it. Everything was good until this morning when I noticed that it was breathing really hard. 2 clownfish are in the tank as well and appear to be fine.
Tank parameters
Salt - 1.024
PH - 8.0
Temp - 78
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 3
Phosphate - 0
Ammonia - 0
I have a HOB filter and a powerhead for water movement.
I just removed copper treatment a few days ago (3 week treatment using cupramine) so parasites shouldnt be an issue. Nothing visible on the body.

Any ideas as to why its happening and what to do about it?

[George]

How big is your QT tank? how big is the foxface?
I will do a large water change, as large as you can, 50%-100%. Add an airstone if you can. What do you use to test ammonia?

[dusty16]

Originally Posted by George

How big is your QT tank? how big is the foxface?
I will do a large water change, as large as you can, 50%-100%. Add an airstone if you can. What do you use to test ammonia?

Tank is a 30 gallon and the foxface is about 2 inches. I just did a water change last night which was probably around 35%. The foxface was fine last night before and after the water change. I do have airstones in the tank as well. I use Seachem Multitest Ammonia to test for ammonia.

[Aquattro]

alk levels? My moorish idols both did that for a week after a water change that spiked the alk

[George]

OK, I think you have done everything you could. If the fish was mine, I would put her into the DT now. You have her long enough in the QT and went through copper.
I recently quarantined a fish showing the exact symptom (breathing hard) after being fine for a few weeks. I transferred her to another QT tank with freshly mixed salt water (100% water change ). She recovered on the same day.
There must be something in the water that we couldn't test that affect the fish.
Good luck!

[dusty16]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

alk levels? My moorish idols both did that for a week after a water change that spiked the alk

Alk was 3.5

[dusty16]

Originally Posted by George

OK, I think you have done everything you could. If the fish was mine, I would put her into the DT now. You have her long enough in the QT and went through copper.
I recently quarantined a fish showing the exact symptom (breathing hard) after being fine for a few weeks. I transferred her to another QT tank with freshly mixed salt water (100% water change ). She recovered on the same day.
There must be something in the water that we couldn't test that affect the fish.
Good luck!

Thanks George. Ill do another water change right now and hopefully that makes a difference. I wish I could put her in the DT but it got delayed a bit and is still cycling.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by dusty16

Alk was 3.5

3.5 what?

[dusty16]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

3.5 what?

Sorry. It was 3.5 meq/L

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by dusty16

Sorry. It was 3.5 meq/L

ok