HELP! My Royal Gramma is dying! (I think)

[todd2000]

So Im in the process of cooking my Live Rock, so my tank is basically sand with Frags, no rocks. I did a water change earlier and my Royal Gramma was laying on his side between a frag and the glass. I didn't think anything of it since thats what they do, but he is still there 5 hours later! He was laying on his side, and breathing heavily without moving for hours. I gently persuaded him with my net, and he moved a little, but couldn't seem to get off the floor of the tank. I put some food in, and it seemed to peek his interest, but he couldn't really get to it. He swam around on the bottom a little (maybe a 2 in square area), and then just sat there again. I took some videos here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyk6kRvdzVU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQqvua0uoWQ

Im not sure what I can do he doesn't appear to physically injured, Could it be stress? I would have thought he would have relaxed by now. What do I do?

[BuddhaKiss]

Maybe its the fact that you don't have any rocks and crevices for hiding spots. Reef fishes feel more comfortable in their surroundings when they know there are spots for them to retreat to for safety. Without the rock, they feel exposed and stressed out. Maybe try to put some pvc piping in your tank in the meantime and see if he returns to normal.

Could be other reasons too, since the rock is the main filtration method in reef tank. Do you have other methods of filtration? What are your water parameters?

Was he acting like this before you took the rock out?

[todd2000]

Yeah I know I should have given him some place to hide, but I've had the rock out for almost a month, and he has been fine. Im testing the water now, but I think I know the problem already:

Ammonia is at 1-2 PPM (and thats with a 4G water change on a 10G tank today), other tests pending. I will admit I haven't been testing the water for a while, but everything has looked fine until now. Im just trying to figure out what I should do. I don't want the Clown to die too. I also changed 100% of the water in the rock curing tub today, do you think I should put them in there, or just wait till tomorrow and do another big water change?

[cwk132]

removing the rocks probably stirred up a lot of junk in the sandbed/under the rocks. Maybe the ammonia slowly crept up until the point were it was just too much. I would do another water change as soon as you can and hope for the best.

[todd2000]

Alright final parameters:

pH - 8.2
Ammonia - 1-2 PPM
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 40 PPM

I have to go to bed and work early tomorrow, will do another water change and at least try to save the Clown before it's too late.

[BuddhaKiss]

Yea, it looks like your going through a mini cycle. I guess the best thing is to keep doing small water changes. It may prolong the cycle, IDK, but it'll ease the affects of the ammonia, and eventual nitrite spikes.

[banditpowdercoat]

Give him something to hide in. Couple chunks of PVC tube or somethiong

[todd2000]

Well I haven't done a water change yet, but he seems to be doing better then last night. The Ammonia seems to have gone down a little, but the Nitrite and Nitrate are still the same, which is odd. Maybe I read the Ammonia test wrong last night. Either way there is still some ammonia in there. I bought some Seachem Prime, Im gonna do another water change and put some of that in there.

[todd2000]

I did the water change a few hours ago, and I think he just might make it! He is still resting on the bottom a little more then usual, but swimming around some, and I just put some food in there, and he darted around like his normal self eating anything he could catch. Will update tomorrow!

[boxfishpooalot]

if your ammonia is that high, its the reason you fish is breathing hard. I would add some amquel, keep lights on 24 hours and wait it out. Also best to add some live rock asap because it will provide ammonification. Even a small 1" piece is better than nothing.