jaihutcherson
Active Member
Hey All,
if you have read any of my posts over the past year….. it’s been a hard uphill battle to save a few fish and my eels from a horrible outbreak in my predator FOWLR tank. I thought I was through it, but it’s not looking so great.
First the numbers:
400 gallon system 330display/70sump
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78
Ph 8.0-8.15
Nitrate 35
Phosphate .2
Ammonia 0
It’s a FOWLR; I don’t test for all/cal/mag
Fish/eels: (what’s left of them)
Black edge eel
Banded eel
Snowflake eel
Yellow Belly Dogface puffer
Porcupine puffer
Picasso Trigger
Sailfin Tang
Melanurus Wrasse
Tank:
330 vertical
Sump running auquamaxx recirculating and Bubble Magus Curve 7 skimmers (it’s a lot of waste with 3 eels and 2 puffers.
(2) UV Sterilizers - one set high flow other at low flow
(2) reactors - carbon and GFO (changed monthly)
I use filter socks - 50 micron that get changed daily
Dual return pumps each rated at 2250gph for a total 4300gph (before head loss) into display
6 Powerheads rated 3600 gph each set on lowest setting so guessing 1500gph each
(4) 60” T5 lights above tank - I believe it’s 2 ATI blue plus, 1 ATI Purple Plus, and 1 ATI Atinic
Apex - for automation
Back Story:
About a year ago this system was in a 230g display and 70g sump. Everything was good. I had about 12 more fish than now at that time. One day my wrasse died. Within a week I had serious issues with flukes, ick, and velvet on different fish. Issue was, nothing was introduced to this tank for more than 18 months prior. It was stable, clean, maintained and no issues.
I immediately, per some great suggestions and guidance here, freshwater dipped and separated all my livestock into 3 Hospitol tanks by eels (125g), puffers and lions (75g), and then the rest of the fish (150g). This allowed me to treat in a way that worked for each group. (I seal tanks and build custom systems so I have way too many tanks around the house according to my wife)
puffers got copper but watched, cared for, and treated extremely close and under the direction of a few here that know way more than I do about treating these animals. Levels never reached above recommended therapeutic levels as per Hanna checker 4 times a day. Once time was up, puffers moved to a second Hospitol tank and Rally Reef administered as per directions. At no time during treatment did puffers ever show symptoms of too much copper, not enough oxygen, or any outward signs and they were watched closely. After two weeks puffers went back in freshwater dip on way to their new home the 330g vertical tank I built specifically for them and the lions. All parameters equal all tanks as original and Hospitol.
over next cpl days all fiah and eels introduced to new tank. Other than a short 3 day period where every fish in the tank joined as one and tried to oust the eels from any cave they went to, the tank was happy, pest free, and looking good. Until it didn’t.
about a month into the new tank I started to develope a weird white bacteria that was clogging everything, sticking to sump walls and generally making the tank hell. When I went to feed mode and turned pumps off then back on my return lines would spit out a baseball size chunk (out of each) of white stringy looking bacteria. I would get up on my ladder and net as much as I could and we did that for a long while as I search everywhere for an answer. I never really got one. Everyone who had same issue as this eventually nuked their tank and bleached it away to start again. I still don’t know what it is. However, I have found if I only run my carbon every other day and I have two uv filters I can keep it at bay and I do not see any when in feed mode. Point to all this…..
One by one my triggers started getting serious bug eye. Porcupine Puffer eye went white then solid black then the other and was blind. Safrin tang started acting like a crack head bouncing off walls and eels went on hunger strike. Again, through great advise and closely following specific directions I was told serious bacteria infection and I needed to do an in display triple super antibiotic treatment (kana, metro, fura). When I say that turned my display green, it was green green. I did the full treatment, doing the water changes as directed every 48hrs, and then doing a 50% water change and running a crap load carbon to immediately remove all from display and sumps as fast as I could followed by all of it over again 3 days later.
bacteria went away. Unfortunately so did a cpl more fish. (Clown Trigger went full blind but Popeye was gone then died) Picasso Trigger popeye gone but blind as could be but healthy and strong bumping into everyone and everything. Porcupine eyes cleared up and could see was happy as could be, then one eye clouded over and all he did was swim in one corner up and down up and down and yes more up and down.
wow, that’s a lot. But we are finally at the reason I’m reaching out today.
porcupine and banded eel stopped eating a week and half ago. Not too concerned about the eel. He randomly goes on hunger strikes. But worth mentioning in case you see it tied to something else I might say. Porcupine didn’t eat a full 10 days, skinny as can be (realize he used to be my piggest pig eating all he could before others, first to the food, and always on the hunt.) two days ago I finally got him to eat a single cube of frozen food hi loves. He perked up a bit and got off the bottom of tank. Ohhhhh, he has been on bottom of tank for 7 days. Never have I ever seen this fish not moving until now. So he got of the bottom but does not have the strength to swim up to top of tank. That lasted 2 days sorta swimming in bottom in place. He has not eaten since. 2 more days. He looks so skinny and it almost appears like he is sweeting. He is not obviously but his markings on his body are like when we sweet. They are darker in color than normal. Since I’ve had this puffer his mouth has always appeared as if smiling. Now it’s off. Like he is making a crooked “O” with his mouth. And his eyes are almost looking he is always startled.
conclusion:
Listen, I’ve worked my but off on this whole predator tank. Lots and lots of money and even more time. I love it. I really do. But I’m at my end here. My 2 reef tanks are doing great and I’m learning more every day. I wish I could say I’m an expert. I’m not. I’m a beginner in the grand scheme of it all. I want this tank to do well and I want to give these fish what they need to be happy and healthy. If anyone has any idea of what I am doing wrong or what I need to do to stop the losses please let me know. The puffer is the wife’s favorite and I’m already hanging on my strings keeping her involved and supporting all these fish. Lol seriously.
what do I need to do to keep the puffer alive? Is it just a combination of copper, antibiotics, etc that has really just left him week and short on life?
oh, sorry, something I think is important….. the safrin tang every once in a while breaks out in what looks like ick for the whole swimming in the wavemakers rubbing rocks etc but then suddenly it’s gone. Streets? I’ve been told he is just stressed from new tank and it’s not ick or velvet….again. The dogface puffer absolutely no sign of stress, sickness, or loss of eating. He eats a lot. Trigger other than blind is normal and no spots. Just fyi in case it’s needed.
if you read this long l, wow, you really are dedicated and thank you. This was the short version. Please help if you can. Or, if you know anyone who can point them to this post or me. I need help and am not shy to say so. Thanks for your time and effort
Jai
if you have read any of my posts over the past year….. it’s been a hard uphill battle to save a few fish and my eels from a horrible outbreak in my predator FOWLR tank. I thought I was through it, but it’s not looking so great.
First the numbers:
400 gallon system 330display/70sump
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78
Ph 8.0-8.15
Nitrate 35
Phosphate .2
Ammonia 0
It’s a FOWLR; I don’t test for all/cal/mag
Fish/eels: (what’s left of them)
Black edge eel
Banded eel
Snowflake eel
Yellow Belly Dogface puffer
Porcupine puffer
Picasso Trigger
Sailfin Tang
Melanurus Wrasse
Tank:
330 vertical
Sump running auquamaxx recirculating and Bubble Magus Curve 7 skimmers (it’s a lot of waste with 3 eels and 2 puffers.
(2) UV Sterilizers - one set high flow other at low flow
(2) reactors - carbon and GFO (changed monthly)
I use filter socks - 50 micron that get changed daily
Dual return pumps each rated at 2250gph for a total 4300gph (before head loss) into display
6 Powerheads rated 3600 gph each set on lowest setting so guessing 1500gph each
(4) 60” T5 lights above tank - I believe it’s 2 ATI blue plus, 1 ATI Purple Plus, and 1 ATI Atinic
Apex - for automation
Back Story:
About a year ago this system was in a 230g display and 70g sump. Everything was good. I had about 12 more fish than now at that time. One day my wrasse died. Within a week I had serious issues with flukes, ick, and velvet on different fish. Issue was, nothing was introduced to this tank for more than 18 months prior. It was stable, clean, maintained and no issues.
I immediately, per some great suggestions and guidance here, freshwater dipped and separated all my livestock into 3 Hospitol tanks by eels (125g), puffers and lions (75g), and then the rest of the fish (150g). This allowed me to treat in a way that worked for each group. (I seal tanks and build custom systems so I have way too many tanks around the house according to my wife)
puffers got copper but watched, cared for, and treated extremely close and under the direction of a few here that know way more than I do about treating these animals. Levels never reached above recommended therapeutic levels as per Hanna checker 4 times a day. Once time was up, puffers moved to a second Hospitol tank and Rally Reef administered as per directions. At no time during treatment did puffers ever show symptoms of too much copper, not enough oxygen, or any outward signs and they were watched closely. After two weeks puffers went back in freshwater dip on way to their new home the 330g vertical tank I built specifically for them and the lions. All parameters equal all tanks as original and Hospitol.
over next cpl days all fiah and eels introduced to new tank. Other than a short 3 day period where every fish in the tank joined as one and tried to oust the eels from any cave they went to, the tank was happy, pest free, and looking good. Until it didn’t.
about a month into the new tank I started to develope a weird white bacteria that was clogging everything, sticking to sump walls and generally making the tank hell. When I went to feed mode and turned pumps off then back on my return lines would spit out a baseball size chunk (out of each) of white stringy looking bacteria. I would get up on my ladder and net as much as I could and we did that for a long while as I search everywhere for an answer. I never really got one. Everyone who had same issue as this eventually nuked their tank and bleached it away to start again. I still don’t know what it is. However, I have found if I only run my carbon every other day and I have two uv filters I can keep it at bay and I do not see any when in feed mode. Point to all this…..
One by one my triggers started getting serious bug eye. Porcupine Puffer eye went white then solid black then the other and was blind. Safrin tang started acting like a crack head bouncing off walls and eels went on hunger strike. Again, through great advise and closely following specific directions I was told serious bacteria infection and I needed to do an in display triple super antibiotic treatment (kana, metro, fura). When I say that turned my display green, it was green green. I did the full treatment, doing the water changes as directed every 48hrs, and then doing a 50% water change and running a crap load carbon to immediately remove all from display and sumps as fast as I could followed by all of it over again 3 days later.
bacteria went away. Unfortunately so did a cpl more fish. (Clown Trigger went full blind but Popeye was gone then died) Picasso Trigger popeye gone but blind as could be but healthy and strong bumping into everyone and everything. Porcupine eyes cleared up and could see was happy as could be, then one eye clouded over and all he did was swim in one corner up and down up and down and yes more up and down.
wow, that’s a lot. But we are finally at the reason I’m reaching out today.
porcupine and banded eel stopped eating a week and half ago. Not too concerned about the eel. He randomly goes on hunger strikes. But worth mentioning in case you see it tied to something else I might say. Porcupine didn’t eat a full 10 days, skinny as can be (realize he used to be my piggest pig eating all he could before others, first to the food, and always on the hunt.) two days ago I finally got him to eat a single cube of frozen food hi loves. He perked up a bit and got off the bottom of tank. Ohhhhh, he has been on bottom of tank for 7 days. Never have I ever seen this fish not moving until now. So he got of the bottom but does not have the strength to swim up to top of tank. That lasted 2 days sorta swimming in bottom in place. He has not eaten since. 2 more days. He looks so skinny and it almost appears like he is sweeting. He is not obviously but his markings on his body are like when we sweet. They are darker in color than normal. Since I’ve had this puffer his mouth has always appeared as if smiling. Now it’s off. Like he is making a crooked “O” with his mouth. And his eyes are almost looking he is always startled.
conclusion:
Listen, I’ve worked my but off on this whole predator tank. Lots and lots of money and even more time. I love it. I really do. But I’m at my end here. My 2 reef tanks are doing great and I’m learning more every day. I wish I could say I’m an expert. I’m not. I’m a beginner in the grand scheme of it all. I want this tank to do well and I want to give these fish what they need to be happy and healthy. If anyone has any idea of what I am doing wrong or what I need to do to stop the losses please let me know. The puffer is the wife’s favorite and I’m already hanging on my strings keeping her involved and supporting all these fish. Lol seriously.
what do I need to do to keep the puffer alive? Is it just a combination of copper, antibiotics, etc that has really just left him week and short on life?
oh, sorry, something I think is important….. the safrin tang every once in a while breaks out in what looks like ick for the whole swimming in the wavemakers rubbing rocks etc but then suddenly it’s gone. Streets? I’ve been told he is just stressed from new tank and it’s not ick or velvet….again. The dogface puffer absolutely no sign of stress, sickness, or loss of eating. He eats a lot. Trigger other than blind is normal and no spots. Just fyi in case it’s needed.
if you read this long l, wow, you really are dedicated and thank you. This was the short version. Please help if you can. Or, if you know anyone who can point them to this post or me. I need help and am not shy to say so. Thanks for your time and effort
Jai
