A little help please - disease outbreak!!

[JMR5]

We noticed the Ringtail tang had dark spots on his skin (he always seemed to have ich that you could see if he darkened up, but it didn't get worse over months). This was new, dark patches on his skin. We pulled him out and set up a QT tank using copper and Prazipro that I was able to quickly get at the local LFS. It looked like there must've been other parasites beyond ich, as they jumped ship in the tank and I removed them (white stringy worms). In the meantime, the Ocellaris clown (her tiny mate simply disappeared, with no warning) she started looking less great and we pulled her, after a grey splotch showed up on her fin. We also pulled the Sailfin tang who had similar dark spots to the Ringtail. After reading everything I could on this forum (and the book The Marine Fish Health & Feeding Handbook), I assumed black ick and Brooklyn, so I added Fin & Body, General Cure, and Melafix to the tank - assuming a worst-case scenario. Those were added yesterday afternoon. This morning, both the Ringtail and Clown were dead. I'm going to do a water change on the tank in the hopes that the Sailfin makes it through. Timeline: Monday 24th setup QT with Ringtail, 26th added clown and Sailfin, 27th Ringtail and Clown died. Questions:

1. Would you suggest using all those meds again? With the WC, I'd need to re-add what I remove, so wanted to be sure. In terms of biofilter, there's a chunk of live rock in there but that's it (30 gal tank, assuming approx 28 gals of water). If not those meds, what would you suggest instead? Furan-2, Metro and Kanaplex will arrive today, and Ruby Rally should be here in a few days. (ammonia badge and Copper tester should be here tomorrow, too - I did actually try to read everything on here before posting!)

2. Display tank: I'm forced to assume that either the newly-added snails or a piece of coral that I didn't dip (we use Bayer) caused these issues as ALL fish were recently in QT at the local LFS for 6 weeks, and the tank cleaned to the bare glass. We have a mixed reef (heavy acros, but a handful of hammers, acans, pretty much every coral type is in there) with a sand bed, and the remaining fish are a pair of Banngai cardinals, one each Melanarus and Six Line wrasses, a small Blue Hippo, and a Scopus tang (along with a bunch of cleaner crew - Halloween hermit, Tiger conch, variety of snails). It sounds like PraziPro (can) be used on a display - is that the only option? Would you assume it's necessary? My corals are really starting to grow and be very happy, so I'm super hesitant to add things to the display. It's 105 gals (net water), with a sump that has pom pom algae and is running a small amount of GFO, along with a sock filter and protein skimmer.

Sorry for the long read, I'm trying to give you as much info as I have. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

 

[najer]

Bump, @ReefSquad ?

Do have some pics please?

 

[JMR5]

Bump, @ReefSquad ?

Do have some pics please?

I'll try to get a pic of the Sailfin, the others are already gone.

 

[JMR5]

Bump, @ReefSquad ?

Do have some pics please?

He's skittish (lights off to help him be calmer), so I don't know if these help.

 

[vetteguy53081]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[najer]

Won't load for me, someone will be along.

 

[JMR5]

Won't load for me, someone will be along.

Thanks for the look and the bump! This is a little traumatic - my fish are my pets.

 

[najer]

Thanks for the look and the bump! This is a little traumatic - my fish are my pets.

England here, I feel for you, I have never had a fish disease so can't help, do you have an air stone running?

 

[JMR5]

England here, I feel for you, I have never had a fish disease so can't help, do you have an air stone running?

I do have an air stone running, yes. And this is all moving so quickly!

 

[Brew12]

It looked like there must've been other parasites beyond ich, as they jumped ship in the tank and I removed them (white stringy worms).

Can you describe the white stringy worms you found? Are you sure it wasn't white stringy poo?

 

[Redfoxtang]

White stringy worms you are seeing are probably white string poop like above it stating. Which would confirm internal parasites. But pictures will help big time in this situation to help everyone make a better judgement!

 

[JMR5]

Can you describe the white stringy worms you found? Are you sure it wasn't white stringy poo?

At this point, I'm not sure of anything. It might've been poo, as the other two, when we moved them pooped regular brown poo in the bucket, but the Ringtail didn't that I noticed (and he was always full of it haha). They were thread-like, one was pretty long in the water column, I'd guess 3 inches. The rest were small. After the first ones I removed, there were a few more but that was it. He did eat that first day in QT, twice, but nothing after that.

 

[JMR5]

OK - here's what I've got for pics.I turned the lights on, which made the Sailfin a little more friendly. He's not eating though, which I expected. The other two pics are self explanatory.

 

[Brew12]

At this point, I'm not sure of anything. It might've been poo, as the other two, when we moved them pooped regular brown poo in the bucket, but the Ringtail didn't that I noticed (and he was always full of it haha). They were thread-like, one was pretty long in the water column, I'd guess 3 inches. The rest were small. After the first ones I removed, there were a few more but that was it. He did eat that first day in QT, twice, but nothing after that.

That sounds a lot like poo which could be from internal parasites. Poo is white and stringy from the intestine lining that gets shed. It also doesn't sound like black ich or brook to me. Black ich shows as small black dots, not splotches. Brook shows as the mucus layer coming off which is pretty distinctive and doesn't sound like what you are describing.
The grey splotches are a bigger concern to me. They could be from stress, but looking at the pictures you just posted it could be a bacterial infection. I would run a combination of Metro, Kano, and Furan-2 after removing the other med's from the system.

 

[JMR5]

That sounds a lot like poo which could be from internal parasites. Poo is white and stringy from the intestine lining that gets shed. It also doesn't sound like black ich or brook to me. Black ich shows as small black dots, not splotches. Brook shows as the mucus layer coming off which is pretty distinctive and doesn't sound like what you are describing.
The grey splotches are a bigger concern to me. They could be from stress, but looking at the pictures you just posted it could be a bacterial infection. I would run a combination of Metro, Kano, and Furan-2 after removing the other med's from the system.

OK, thanks for looking! I'm guessing that means carbon to remove? Or a bigger WC might be faster? Would you include copper or prazi, too?

 

[Brew12]

OK, thanks for looking! I'm guessing that means carbon to remove? Or a bigger WC might be faster? Would you include copper or prazi, too?

I would do a big WC then run carbon. I would not do copper or prazi without seeing a specific reason to.

 

[JMR5]

I would do a big WC then run carbon. I would not do copper or prazi without seeing a specific reason to.

OK, will do. Any thoughts on the display tank? So far today, the rest seem healthy and are eating well....with the exception of the small hippo tang, who has now disappeared (I saw her pressed between two rocks earlier, with no real way to get her out and now I can't find her at all). The Scopas doesn't have any frayed fins, nor spots and his eyes are clear.

 

[Brew12]

OK, will do. Any thoughts on the display tank? So far today, the rest seem healthy and are eating well....with the exception of the small hippo tang, who has now disappeared (I saw her pressed between two rocks earlier, with no real way to get her out and now I can't find her at all). The Scopas doesn't have any frayed fins, nor spots and his eyes are clear.

I wouldn't do anything with the rest yet. Hippo's often press between rocks when stressed and they also sleep in tight crevices. My biggest concern is that, if this is bacterial, stress is the enemy and by catching them you are elevating their stress levels.
Hopefully @Jay Hemdal can help with more long term planning.

 

[JMR5]

I wouldn't do anything with the rest yet. Hippo's often press between rocks when stressed and they also sleep in tight crevices. My biggest concern is that, if this is bacterial, stress is the enemy and by catching them you are elevating their stress levels.
Hopefully @Jay Hemdal can help with more long term planning.

That was my thought - it stresses ME when having to catch them, so I can't imagine what it's like for them. So, I'll hang tight for a minute and go start that water change. THANK YOU! I appreciate the help, I tried reading and reading and reading....but sometimes, that's not always helpful!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

We noticed the Ringtail tang had dark spots on his skin (he always seemed to have ich that you could see if he darkened up, but it didn't get worse over months). This was new, dark patches on his skin. We pulled him out and set up a QT tank using copper and Prazipro that I was able to quickly get at the local LFS. It looked like there must've been other parasites beyond ich, as they jumped ship in the tank and I removed them (white stringy worms). In the meantime, the Ocellaris clown (her tiny mate simply disappeared, with no warning) she started looking less great and we pulled her, after a grey splotch showed up on her fin. We also pulled the Sailfin tang who had similar dark spots to the Ringtail. After reading everything I could on this forum (and the book The Marine Fish Health & Feeding Handbook), I assumed black ick and Brooklyn, so I added Fin & Body, General Cure, and Melafix to the tank - assuming a worst-case scenario. Those were added yesterday afternoon. This morning, both the Ringtail and Clown were dead. I'm going to do a water change on the tank in the hopes that the Sailfin makes it through. Timeline: Monday 24th setup QT with Ringtail, 26th added clown and Sailfin, 27th Ringtail and Clown died. Questions:

1. Would you suggest using all those meds again? With the WC, I'd need to re-add what I remove, so wanted to be sure. In terms of biofilter, there's a chunk of live rock in there but that's it (30 gal tank, assuming approx 28 gals of water). If not those meds, what would you suggest instead? Furan-2, Metro and Kanaplex will arrive today, and Ruby Rally should be here in a few days. (ammonia badge and Copper tester should be here tomorrow, too - I did actually try to read everything on here before posting!)

2. Display tank: I'm forced to assume that either the newly-added snails or a piece of coral that I didn't dip (we use Bayer) caused these issues as ALL fish were recently in QT at the local LFS for 6 weeks, and the tank cleaned to the bare glass. We have a mixed reef (heavy acros, but a handful of hammers, acans, pretty much every coral type is in there) with a sand bed, and the remaining fish are a pair of Banngai cardinals, one each Melanarus and Six Line wrasses, a small Blue Hippo, and a Scopus tang (along with a bunch of cleaner crew - Halloween hermit, Tiger conch, variety of snails). It sounds like PraziPro (can) be used on a display - is that the only option? Would you assume it's necessary? My corals are really starting to grow and be very happy, so I'm super hesitant to add things to the display. It's 105 gals (net water), with a sump that has pom pom algae and is running a small amount of GFO, along with a sock filter and protein skimmer.

Sorry for the long read, I'm trying to give you as much info as I have. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Just one observation: if you saw white stringy worms that were dead (and not poo) then they were likely expelled during the prazi treatment. If they were alive, they weren’t parasites, just normal critters that live in tanks. I’m still reading all the messages and trying to see what else I can find....
Jay