Sick fish, trying to save?

[TheClemsonKid20]

Long story short, my one dottyback and cleaner shrimp started acting sluggish. I checked the chemistry and found out my nitrates and ammonia were *way* high. I’ve since done a water change a day of about 15% for a week. I also added a HOB filter to the side of my tank to go with the main filter. The nitrates and ammonia are coming down and staying down. That’s the good news.

the bad news is that my dottyback has now developed Popeye in both eyes. My shrimp also seems to be hiding more so than usual. My Darwin clowns and linear Blenny are still acting normal. I’m going to assume the nitrate/ammonia issues are what caused the popeye and my cleaner to be hiding...

with that being said, is there any chance of recovery with the dottyback? Like, is it suffering with that condition? Can I do anything to help it? The shrimp I’m guessing was just not good with all the crap in the water. And I’m hoping he comes out of it.

I know I sound like the worst fish owner in the world, but I’m trying to make things right. Any help is certainly appreciated.

 

[brandon429]

Hey can you post a full tank picture it helps us tremendously in diagnostics


regarding fish disease it works this way: in today’s market any reef tank not running fallow and qt preps (qt meds are delivered based on likelihood of certain diseases for fish types) can be expected to endure massive disease challenges on or before month eight. Some a bit later, majority much sooner.

current fish disease forum trends show you should re fallow the tank and prep existing fish.


we will know your ammonia levels once the tank pic is posted. Not by the test kit reading, ammonia is a tricky one, its not necessarily what your test kit says it is. Nitrate has no factor in any of the issues here it’s a neutral param in your challenge, if the level was 100 it still would not factor
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[brandon429]

Can we see tank pics

 

[TheClemsonKid20]

 

[brandon429]

That is 100% not an ammonia issue, per your pics it’s cycled, has tons of sand and rock surface area, low bioload, clear water no smell no cloud


eliminating all cycling distractions will now help you aim for true disease control. The test kits you’re using are known to over report slight and safe variances in ammonia all tanks endure, there’s no ammonia issue yours is one of pure fish disease and need for fallow and qt. At no point will that reef fail to control ammonia correctly do a water change to reset clean variables, and begin selecting a pure disease fix approach from the disease forum they’ll have you fallow the tank to get started most likely.

 

[fachatga]

I did a lot of research on popeye when I thought my fish had it. This stuff is supposed to be good for it. Maracyn 1. Erythomycin. But make sure that’s what it is. My fish just had an injury that caused bubbles over the eyes and it cleared up in a few days. ANd you’re not a bad fish owner thousands of people here had things get out of whack we’re all human it happens