Need help quickly - Naso in trouble

[2ntx]

I posted this on another forum but got no response so trying again here - not sure how much time I have and I need some help please. I have a new Naso Tang in my quarantine tank. (tank has been up for 6 months) He arrived yesterday at 10:30 and we acclimated him until 1:00. He was doing fine for several hours and then right before the light went out he was breathing only slightly fast but no other symptoms of problems and was even nipping at rocks already and showing interest in the algae sheet. However, today he is breathing very rapidly and hovering at the bottom. After a water check, found that there is no ammonia; however, the nitrates are about 40. The specific gravity is 1.024 and the temp is 75*. The ph is 7.8, nitrites less than .25 but not quite zero. It is a 10 gallon tank. There is a 6-line wrasse in there who is doing great and not breathing heavily. Those are the only 2 fish. The rest is live rock and a couple mushrooms and a cleaner shrimp.
I have deduced that the filter media in the overhang filter needed to be changed and that was the cause of the nitrates, so I have changed that out but I am wondering if I need to do a small water change or if that would do more harm than good. Should I just let the new filter media do its work and hope for the best. I want to do what I can for him but I am also trying to be cautious not to make him worse!! Any advice out there???

 

[krista921]

uh i think the problem might be the 10 gallon tank
wayyyy too small

 

[matt b]

Originally Posted by Krista921
uh i think the problem might be the 10 gallon tank
wayyyy too small
and i think low ph and make fish breath fast 7.8 is kinda low

 

[2ntx]

The 10 gallon tank is a quarantine tank. I keep my fish in there 4-6 weeks before moving them into my 90 gallon. He is only about 3 1/2 inches long right now and has rock to hide behind.

 

[ophiura]

It is unusual to have so much in a QT tank, I would not do that personally. I would not have another fish in there, while Qting a naso, and no sand or shrimp or corals. The purpose of a QT is to allow the fish to be established and eat and treat for disease. The sixline can be a nasty little fish, IME. So I would reconsider the set up of your QT.
I am concerned about nitrites, and I am concerned about the significant increase in bioload in a very small QT.
I am not concerned by the 7.8 pH in general, however if it gets lower I am concerned. What is your calcium and alkalinity? Do you have glass tops, and do you have a powerhead? I am concerned about gas exchange.
I do not recommend a water change as that can be a significant stress, in fact, I would recommend you turn off the lights and leave things alone. I would keep a very very close eye on your parameters, and also buy some ammonia detoxifier. I am a bit concerned by your temperature as well. Do you have a heater?

 

[triggerz92]

I do not recommend a water change as that can be a significant stress, in fact, I would recommend you turn off the lights and leave things alone.QUOTE]
That is 100% correct.

After this is all done I would highly recommend moving your 6-line and everything else out.

 

[2ntx]

Hmm. Well, I could catch the 6-line and move her to the refugium but that would most certainly stress everyone out at this time. So far, she swims around the Naso, but does not seem to be a bother other than her constant swimming - nothing aggressive, just passing around and through the rocks a lot.
I did turn the lights off. His breathing seems to be getting somewhat better, still labored, but a little better. Yes, I do have glass tops but the front top is opened about an inch (due to a powerhead's positioning) so that allows for some air to escape. I was afraid the powerhead might be too strong so I have temporarily turned it off.
I do have a heater, but we have always kept both of our tanks between 75 and 78. Should the new fish be at a different temp?
We started this hobby about 3 years ago and the ph has always run a little low in the QT - a little better in the big one. I have some ammonia detox, but I have not added it because I have read numerous times (mostly on this site) that the additives weren't a good idea. However, if you think that it's a better idea in this case to avoid the water change, at what point would you add it? Ammonia still reads at zero currently, but I am watching it closely because of the nitrite reading.
BTW, thanks for the responses.

 

[2ntx]

Just tested ammonia again and it is at about .4, so I added the Ammolock as you suggested. I turned the powerhead back on and moved it so that the flow is more indirect hoping to cut down some of its strength. Lights are still off and the wrasse is sleeping. The naso is at the back of the tank behind some a rock and still breathing rapidly and very labored with his nose pointed up - looks almost like he's sitting on his tail.
What else can I do for him???I know it would not be the right thing to do, but it's tempting to just move him over to the refugium of the big tank where the
water parameters are better.

 

[ophiura]

Just how strong is this powerhead?
I would want a powerhead in there, but not one that is crazy strong for sure. Do you have a heater in there...set at 75...or is it just basically running at room temperature?
My overall concern is that it is a small QT for a naso really of any size. With other livestock in there, it is real tiny. Moving it to a main display - even a refugium - is defeating the purpose of QTing. It is possible it is dying because it has parasites or whatever. So I would be wary of that. Overall I tend to say leave QTs as "alone" as possible, quiet as possible, lights off, etc. THis is the bind with keeping corals and such in there because it is hard to leave the lights off.
I would not feed the tank at this time, to avoid any further ammonia. I would potentially get some water mixing, to the exact specific gravity, temp of the tank. It may be necessary to do a W/C at some point but it will have to be one that is very quiet (eg a tubing stuck in one corner siphoning a bit, and a pump to pump water back in, quietly.