List of possible diseases killing fish rapidly

[MisterMonopoly]

Good evening all,

A marine fish with rapid breathing who has lost his appetite and has great water conditions, maximum oxygenation, no exterior problems at all, and no aggression toward him that dies after a week can be caused by what diseases.
The fish rapidly breathes, lost weight fast, and dies with a pinched stomach. I see no dots whatsoever on the body and no red blotches. From the outside the fish looks perfect. The fish does not swim near the surface and does not lie on the ground. Fins are perfect and no eye problems and no cuts. The fish typically dies quickly within a week or week and half. I’ve had this happen to a trigger that just died and i believe the same thing caused a tang of mine to die a few weeks back. I need to know what it is.

I know velvet is a popular response but I need other possible causes. You can respond if you think it is velvet.
Appreciate any help. Please.

 

[HotRocks]

Velvet can be present without any external visual symptoms so it’s a possibility.

There are also viruses that can cause this type of thing as well. Sorry to hear about your trouble I wish I had more to add.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Could be internal parasites, gill flukes, ammonia (rapid breathing)
Of course velvet is always suspect as it can have no external symptoms (not common though)

 

[MisterMonopoly]

So for internal parasites and gill flukes, praziquantel is the best thing to use?
If he had gill flukes, wouldn’t a freshwater bath have helped him?
And copper at 1.5-2ppm is good to kill velvet?
The ammonia is 0.01

 

[Crabs McJones]

So for internal parasites and gill flukes, praziquantel is the best thing to use?
If he had gill flukes, wouldn’t a freshwater bath have helped him?
And copper at 1.5-2ppm is good to kill velvet?
The ammonia is 0.01

Internal parasites food soaked in general cure with seachem focus to bind it to the food is best. Yes to copper for velvet. And prazi and freshwater dip will help with external flukes

 

[MisterMonopoly]

Can i use copper and prazipro combo in the main tank together?
Im pretty sure the metronidazole in general cure will destroy my system.
I have a fish only tank.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Can i use copper and prazipro combo in the main tank together?
Im pretty sure the metronidazole in general cure will destroy my system.
I have a fish only tank.

You don't want to combine them. Both deplete o2 levels, and both suppress immune and appetite. So in combo it would be worse. I recommend 30 days of copper then water change to bring levels down then 1 dose of prazi, wait a a week, 25% water change and then second dose of prazi for another week, then done

 

[MisterMonopoly]

Thank you so much.
If i see a specific fish displaying the breathing problem, should i take him out and dose him with prazipro, then return him to the main tank of just copper?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Can i use copper and prazipro combo in the main tank together?
Im pretty sure the metronidazole in general cure will destroy my system.
I have a fish only tank.

Removing copper from a display tank once treatment is done can be quite problematic, as well as maintaining propper copper levels as will bind to rock quite readily.

If removing to a qt tank an option could be.
Bucket and air stone with prazi for an hour or 2(prazis effect is mostly in the first few hours of dosinf) then move to the qt and slowly ramp up the copper. Then in 30 days do a full metro/prazi cycle if flukes are still an option.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Thank you so much.
If i see a specific fish displaying the breathing problem, should i take him out and dose him with prazipro, then return him to the main tank of just copper?

I would freshwater dip for flukes, its the easiest way to rule it out. Now keep in mind that any ammonia tests are going to read incorrect in copper. The only one known to be correct is the ammonia alert badge.

 

[Big G]

If he had gill flukes, wouldn’t a freshwater bath have helped him

Freshwater baths are so brief that they work the best on flukes attached to the surface of the fish. Flukes deep within the gills (and eyes) are somewhat protected by the mucous coating of the gills and can be difficult to remove. This is also seen with meds like prazipro. That's one of the reasons with Prazipro, for example, that you need the second dose 5-7 days later to get the next generation that has hatched.

 

[MisterMonopoly]

About to lose another fish to this mysterious disease. I have copper between 1.5 and 2ppm. My 6inch Sailfin Tang was eating well and healthy. Then Rapid breathing kicked in with very rapid weight loss. You can see his bones now like he’s been vaccum from the inside.

 

[MisterMonopoly]

I’ve had 2 triggers and 2 tangs (almost 3 now) die in the same way. Rapid breathing and very fast weight loss then death.