Fish dying need help please

[Lavey29]

I've lost several fish recently and suddenly. My bristletooth tang was healthy and eating well and fine last night. Woke up this morning and he is dead. Below is a picture of my clownfish which now has very faded color. He and the other clown have been in the tank 3 months and recently the other clown has bullied him somewhat but the tank is 65g with plenty of rock separation for them to have their own areas but they do sleep together at night. Kind of how my marriage works to. Why is his color fading? He eats and swims fine. I've tested the water and all parameters seem fine. Did 20% water change Friday with RoDi salt mix. I get my fish through a service that does 3 week qt process. Need help please...

 

[MnFish1]

@Jay Hemdal hopefully will come by - in the meantime -

1. Does the 3 week QT period include medication
2. Any new additions to the tank?
3. Have you checked ammonia? What other fish have died? Did they have any symptoms, rapid breathing, etc?

 

[Lavey29]

@Jay Hemdal hopefully will come by - in the meantime -

1. Does the 3 week QT period include medication
2. Any new additions to the tank?
3. Have you checked ammonia? What other fish have died? Did they have any symptoms, rapid breathing, etc?

Yes it is a complete medicated qt. I added 2 wrasses and a firefish recently. The firefish hid the first 2 days then was eating and swimming fine the third day. On day 4, dead suddenly, then the tang died suddenly the following day. Tank is only 3.5 months old but im very diligent about the upkeep and water quality. Only a handful of LPS corals in the tank. I feed frozen once a day and TDO pellets once a day.

 

[Lavey29]

Now my gramma is not eating and went into hiding. Ammonia is 0. Doesn't appear to be oxygen deficiency. Mild case of new tank diatoms.

 

[MnFish1]

#reefsquad

 

[Lavey29]

Looks like the gramma going downhill now. He never caves during the day and he didn't eat. Inverts seem fine. Water temp 77.9. Pumps and wave makers working fine. Salinity 1.025. Only fluctuations I've had is with phosphate trying to balance the Red Sea AB coral food dose to prevent phosphate spike.

 

[Lavey29]

I have noticed some white bleaching on my caribesea sea rock recently. Thought it might be algae bleaching. Is it possible it is the rock leaching something into the tank?

 

[MnFish1]

Looks like the gramma going downhill now. He never caves during the day and he didn't eat. Inverts seem fine. Water temp 77.9. Pumps and wave makers working fine. Salinity 1.025. Only fluctuations I've had is with phosphate trying to balance the Red Sea AB coral food dose to prevent phosphate spike.

It sounds like a disease. I tagged Jay Hemdal - and the reefsquad for advice - since I believe thats the way it works best. One of the best ways to approach it is - 'symptoms' - do the fish have any symptoms, flashing, breathing heavy, swimming into pumps (flow areas), spots, red spots, which spots?

"When a fish gets sick, it's very common for them to lose color. Common diseases include ich, tail and fin rot, swim bladder disease, velvet. All of these items will cause saltwater fish illness and color fading."

while waiting for help from the experts - I might set up a QT/Treatment tank. In case that is necessary. How many fish do you have? It seems like you've had a lot - for a short-lived tank?

 

[MnFish1]

It sounds like a disease. I tagged Jay Hemdal - and the reefsquad for advice - since I believe thats the way it works best. One of the best ways to approach it is - 'symptoms' - do the fish have any symptoms, flashing, breathing heavy, swimming into pumps (flow areas), spots, red spots, which spots?

"When a fish gets sick, it's very common for them to lose color. Common diseases include ich, tail and fin rot, swim bladder disease, velvet. All of these items will cause saltwater fish illness and color fading."

while waiting for help from the experts - I might set up a QT/Treatment tank. In case that is necessary. How many fish do you have? It seems like you've had a lot - for a short-lived tank?

PS - and also consider (if you dont have anything) - asking your LFS for potential treatments that you can buy (since its Sunday)

 

[Lavey29]

The gramma flashes regularly but only in front of his primary sleeping cave that he dug out in the sand. He did have a little bit of fin tear that I think maybe the tang caused due to tank territory. He has been very active and healthy until today. There was a total of 7 fish but they were added like 2 at a time a month apart. There are 5 fish currently in 65g DT with 15g sump running large skimmer. I have socks and media cup with Maxout and purigen.

 

[Lavey29]

PS - and also consider (if you dont have anything) - asking your LFS for potential treatments that you can buy (since its Sunday)

I have pazipro and my LFS is open.

 

[Uncle99]

I’d post a clear pic under white light only.
I see something but the blue is too dark.
Easier to treat when you can accurately diagnos.

 

[Lavey29]

I’d post a clear pic under white light only.
I see something but the blue is too dark.
Easier to treat when you can accurately diagnos.

Here is with flash and without

 

[Lavey29]

Some more

 

[Lavey29]

He is clouded faded color on top. First I thought he was just dusty from the sand but he is getting slightly bullied by the other clown now. There was no visible signs of infection, fungus or parasites on the dead tang. His color was good also.

 

[Lavey29]

More pics, gave him FW dip. Those spots are dried water spots on outside of the holding tank. Only to top half of the clown seems affected and breaking heavy through mouth now.

 

[MnFish1]

@ReefSquad @ReefSquadLeader

 

[jsker]

If I may ask, how long has the system been set up?

 

[Lavey29]

If I may ask, how long has the system been set up?

3.5 months with a lot of rock fast cycled with Dr. Tim's. Went lights out for several months and only started adding coral about a month ago. First 2 fish were clowns. I've had a lot of success with freshwater tanks and fish so I have decent knowledge of maintaining water quality. I'm going to have the LFS verify my test but I think this is a disease or bacteria that got into the tank. I paid premium for the fish because the vendor does extensive QT per order and I pick them up so not sure how this fish killer got into the tank.

 

[jsker]

3.5 months with a lot of rock fast cycled with Dr. Tim's. Went lights out for several months and only started adding coral about a month ago. First 2 fish were clowns. I've had a lot of success with freshwater tanks and fish so I have decent knowledge of maintaining water quality. I'm going to have the LFS verify my test but I think this is a disease or bacteria that got into the tank. I paid premium for the fish because the vendor does extensive QT per order and I pick them up so not sure how this fish killer got into the tank.

Your system being so new, my feeling would be that the system is still balancing out and the fish are stressed. I would suggest dosing seachem metroplex just incase of disease, vitamin C for the stress mixed with seachem focus with the frozen food for 14 days.

I had this happy when I first set up my current system. 4 fish just passed mysteriously without signs of ick or brook.