Lost most of my fish... question on next steps

[TheLost]

First.. I know its 100% my fault. I played 'Russian Roulette' with my new tank and lost.

I set up my Reefer 350 4 1/2 months ago. When I started putting my fish in (6 weeks ago) I didn't QT. Over the past two days, 4 fish have died and I was able to get the last two into QT.... My Yellow Tang and Niger/Redtooth Trigger.

I don't think it was Ick. (No white spots on any of the fish)

I don't think it was Velvet (No visible signs)

My best guess is Flukes... The Yellow Tang has white around his eyes. The Trigger wouldn't come out of his cave (normally active swimmer) and is very lethargic. Both have one cloudy eye.

I was able to move both into QT after a Freshwater dip. The tang doesn't look great (I'll post pictures when I get home from work) and is at the top of the tank 'gulping'. The trigger is back in a PVC pipe hiding but is at least still eating.

They have been in QT for 24 hours and I'm treating with Prazi.

Question... without knowing exactly what killed the fish, How long should I let my display tank go before I re-introduce fish again? I want to make sure everything has died off.

 

[rkpetersen]

Sorry to hear it.
The longest fallow duration is for ich/crypto, at 76 days.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fallow-periods-going-fishless.190324/

 

[TheLost]

The longest fallow duration is for ich/crypto, at 76 days.

Everybody I've asked says 'Flukes'... The 'smart' part of me says wait the 76 days. The 'i just spent $$$ on a snail tank' wants to wait 6 weeks.

Here is the latest casualty (and the first fish I put in the tank 6 weeks ago). Like the other fish, he never showed any visible signs of ick. Am i wrong in thinking those red spots around the gills & fins are from flukes?


I'll grab better pictures of the last surviving fish (my trigger) and post them also.

 

[rkpetersen]

Did you find any flukes in the freshwater after the dip?
If a fish is that sick and it's due to flukes, there will typically be lots of them on the bottom of the container.
And you can even see the flukes falling off.

Reddish sores are considered to be a hallmark of uronema, unfortunately.
Did you have any chromis or damsels? They come in with uronema pretty commonly these days.
If uronema, then no fallow period will be effective, as it can survive indefinitely without a fish host.

Severe bacterial sepsis could also possibly cause hemorrhagic lesions.

 

[bluprntguy]

I'd just add kanaplex to the QT now. IME, flukes cause bacterial infections enough that I'd treat before symptoms appear.

 

[TheLost]

Did you find any flukes in the freshwater after the dip?
If a fish is that sick and it's due to flukes, there will typically be lots of them on the bottom of the container.
And you can even see the flukes falling off.

Reddish sores are considered to be a hallmark of uronema, unfortunately.
Did you have any chromis or damsels? They come in with uronema pretty commonly these days.
If uronema, then no fallow period will be effective, as it can survive indefinitely without a fish host.

Severe bacterial sepsis could also possibly cause hemorrhagic lesions.

The only bucket i had handy was white when i did the freshwater dip. I couldn't see anything after.. but I was also in a hurry to get new water ready for the triggers dip.

No chromis or damsels...

The fish I had (in the order I added them to the tank)
Yellow Tang
Twin Spot Tang
Flame Angel (died first.. 4 days after it was introduced)
RedTooth Trigger (added a few days after the Flame Angle died)
Lyretail Anthias (two)

The Twin Spot died second.. then the Anthias.. then the trigger stopped swimming around and would just hide in his cave.

I did all the water tests... then had the LFS test. Once i knew it wasn't the water i quickly pulled the yellow tang and trigger out and put them in QT. That was sunday (2 days ago), the yellow tang died today.

The trigger is eating but still hides. I'll try to get a picture of him and his cloudy eye.