One dead clown and another not looking good. New tank

[U_ser_ID]

Put two clowns in last night. Woke up to the smaller one dead and now this one has something growing on him/her. Parameters this morning: 1.025 at, 8.0 ph, .50 ammonia, .25 nitrite and 30 nitrate. All results using the API master test kit. Hopefully the pics are good enough... The fins and tail have the most "stringy" whatever it is. Please help. Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,
Anthony

 

[Webslinger]

looks like fin nips

 

[U_ser_ID]

Brooklynella

Brooklynella hostilis What You Need To Know: * This is most often seen in clownfish, but it can afflict any fish. The fish’s skin will appear to be peeling or sloughing off, oftentimes causing excessive white mucous to form around the affected area(s). * Treatment of choice is a 45 minute...

www.reef2reef.com

Found this just now. Working to get my qt quickly set up. I didn't expect this tonight, poor guy

 

[Scotty Buttons]

Ammonia at any level is toxic to fish. You are killing anything you put in a tank with ammonia in it. You need to properly cycle the tank before adding inhabitants

 

[U_ser_ID]

The tank has been cycling since 4 March. I guess I made a mistake? I used Dr Tim's bacteria and ammonia chloride to feed the bacteria. I was beginning to worry the bacteria was going to die.

 

[T-J]

The tank has been cycling since 4 March. I guess I made a mistake? I used Dr Tim's bacteria and ammonia chloride to feed the bacteria. I was beginning to worry the bacteria was going to die.

If you have detectable Nitrites and Ammonia, you are not done cycling.

 

[U_ser_ID]

So Dr Tim's isn't as effective as stated? After 5 weeks I guess it's still not done cycling... I now understand I made a mistake but here I am. I'm more disappointed about introducing brookylnella than I am that the tank isn't done cycling. Correct me if I'm wrong... An incomplete cycling of a tank will not cause this disease. ?

 

[U_ser_ID]

Clown died

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Please don't buy any more fish until your tank is cycled. There should be absolutely ZERO ammonia in your tank and no nitrite. Nitrate will be high initially.

Once your ammonia and nitrite are zero, dose dose some ammonia (I do 1ppm) and see if it goes to zero in 24 hrs. Also, nitrite might take longer to zero out than ammonia; that's fine, just don't overload ammonia as it will get processed but you will blow out your nitrites and it will take forever to drop.

Also, once you are cycled strongly consider setting up a quarantine (can be done for under $50 from petco)... Which should be cheaper than buying fish and see if they live.

Keep doing research and keep asking questions.

 

[U_ser_ID]

Ok..... I get it. Tank wasn't cycled completely. I will allow for it to get to zero ammonia and zero nitrite before trying to add anymore fish.

Can anyone answer this; will an incompletely cycled tank cause brooklynella? I can understand if the fish just died out of the blue but from searching my fish died of a disease not bad water.

 

[Reefer1978]

Ok..... I get it. Tank wasn't cycled completely. I will allow for it to get to zero ammonia and zero nitrite before trying to add anymore fish.

Can anyone answer this; will an incompletely cycled tank cause brooklynella? I can understand if the fish just died out of the blue but from searching my fish died of a disease not bad water.

No, most likely you brought in sick fish. Brooklynella, or any parasite for that matter, don't show up from thin air. You introduce it into the tank.

 

[Reefer1978]

Take a look here, as you now have it in your tank, and you may want to keep the tank fishless for a while to get rid of it: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fallow-periods-going-fishless.190324/

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

You have two options at this point.

Go fishless (fallow) for 76 days or break down the tank, sterilize everything and start over.

 

[JoshO]

Like previous posters have said the brook has likely come in with the fish, which is why it's so important to quarantine new arrivals, especially once you've got an established system worth thousands!
Don't be disheartened by it all, thankfully it's early stages for you so you can restart!
I'd get yourself a quarantine set up, cycle that for a few weeks, I used ATM colony for both my QT and display and both took 2 weeks. Then once you're fully satisfied go for another few fish. Leave your display set up and running for 76 days to be sure it's cycled and has cleared the brook!

 

[U_ser_ID]

Thanks to all for sharing your thoughts. I'm sad two fish died... Time to restart the clock. Do I need to "feed" my live sand? I will check out the link reefer1978 posted when I have time, I'm one of the lucky ones who is still working during the coronavirus craziness.

 

[Reefer1978]

Thanks to all for sharing your thoughts. I'm sad two fish died... Time to restart the clock. Do I need to "feed" my live sand? I will check out the link reefer1978 posted when I have time, I'm one of the lucky ones who is still working during the coronavirus craziness.

When your tank is fully cycled, you only need to feed a tiny bit to keep bacteria going. When you are out of 6-week fallow period, you can introduce fish, but go slow as your bacteria population will be small. Please don't worry too much about live sand.

As your first experience with purchasing fish was already a reefer's worst nightmare, make sure you setup a QT tank so you know all your new fish are going in clean. Don't forget that this tank also needs to go through a cycle.

 

[Reefer1978]

You have two options at this point.

Go fishless (fallow) for 76 days or break down the tank, sterilize everything and start over.

Brook is still 6 weeks I believe, Ich is 76 days, and even that has gone up to 92 days in some tests. When I had to do it a few years ago, I went through full 92 days. That SUCKED.

 

[U_ser_ID]

Just got back from my LFS and the owner believes it was ammonia poisoning. Picked up some Fritz 9 and going to add it. Not sure which side of the fence I'm on... I hate thinking I killed my fish but also want it to be something simple as I screwed up. Sorry little buddies.

 

[Reefer1978]

Just got back from my LFS and the owner believes it was ammonia poisoning. Picked up some Fritz 9 and going to add it. Not sure which side of the fence I'm on... I hate thinking I killed my fish but also want it to be something simple as I screwed up. Sorry little buddies.

In all seriousness, did you expect him to say "Yes, I sold you sick fish..."?

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Your original pictures, while not the best, look like Brook. That being said, 0.5ppm ammonia shown on your test kit didn't exactly help them either. They were probably going to die one way or the other.

Sucks, but it is what it is at this point and all you can do is learn from it. Do it right, take your time.