I have a newly set up 30 gal that started with 4 Damsels (one domino and 3 smaller ones that were white with black spines). Our Domino was pretty aggressive and at first was fine with the other three but after a day or so started harassing them. I noticed that one of the little damsels had a bulging eye but no visible injury( thought he may have sustained it while fleeing the Domino). We have a second tank that is larger with aggressive fish, we I thought may be a better environment for the Domino. We tried that and decided it was not a good fit. We pulled the Domino and put it back. Gave it a day or so then noticed that one of the little damsels had what looked like little bubbles on it which made me think it maybe ICK. I went to the pet store and was advised that they have no chemical treatment for ICK...... Uh okay. They did recommend Artemiss Microbe-Lift Natural Expellant for Bacterial Diseases. Treated for two days only to discover that all of the fish in the tank had the same small bubble like things on them and were "blushing" my Domino which was normally jet black was so pale I mistook him for one of the little damsels which was white, the little damsels did display color changes but so mild they were still almost the same color (but it looked like they had bruising on their sides). They would all go back to their original colors. I also purchased a cleaner shrimp to deal with the ICK (which my Domino LOVED) but didn't acclimate properly and it died.... The Domino seemed to give up at that point (behavior totally changed, hid didn't eat, etc) the smaller damsels seemed lethargic at this point but were still eating. Did some more GOOGLING and decided it was tail and fin rot. We noticed that the small damsels fins looked frayed and Domino looked rough. So we went back to the pet store and was instructed to do the following. DRAIN THE TANK, 50% Water change, scrub the tank decorations filters and heaters, change the interior filter panels, allow the live rock to dry for 24 HR, bump up the heat, thoroughly sift and rinse the substrate and freshwater dip each fish. We did this all and continued to treat the tank. All 4 fish were dead by the end of the next day.......
A week went by and we continued to treat the tank. We went back to the pet store to discuss the result and asked if it was safe to add more fish now that the tank had gone a week with no sick fish (although we did not re-clean...). They advised that yes it would be.... So we got a Sail-fin Tang and moved over our Niger Trigger (I KNOW THIS TANK IS WAY TO SMALL FOR THESE FISH BUT ITS WHAT WE HAVE FOR NOW WE PLAN TO UPGRADE SOON). The Sail-fin is now showing the same signs of sickness but the Niger is not.... Blushing and bubbles on her but no fraying of the fins or tail although I noticed this morning that the top of her sail is torn... not sure what happened there. We decided to move the Niger because our Wrass (in the other tank) had started to become more aggressive to him and he wasn't eating or swimming about as he normally had. He is now living on the floor of the smaller tank, when we first put him in the Sail-fin was excited she dropped her sail and was swimming around with him. He swam around for about an hour before he picked a spot on the bottom and that's where he has stayed, on the bottom he moves around and his fins are still fluttering as normal but he still isn't eating.......
I would add that the small tank has 5 or 6 Scarlet Hermits and 4 Narcissus and 2 Turbos. Also a Sally Light Foot and a Cleaner or Skunk Shrimp which all survived the first round of sickness.
WHAT HAVE I DONE TO MY POOR FISH AND HOW DO I FIX IT???????????????
I have attached photos of the Sail-fin looking pale or what I have referred to as "blushing" and when she looks darker. But the black spots are new. Please note she has significant scarring around her right eye and down her right side. She also has some around her left eye but not as noticeable. This was how we purchased her, we named her Scarlet or Scar for short.
A week went by and we continued to treat the tank. We went back to the pet store to discuss the result and asked if it was safe to add more fish now that the tank had gone a week with no sick fish (although we did not re-clean...). They advised that yes it would be.... So we got a Sail-fin Tang and moved over our Niger Trigger (I KNOW THIS TANK IS WAY TO SMALL FOR THESE FISH BUT ITS WHAT WE HAVE FOR NOW WE PLAN TO UPGRADE SOON). The Sail-fin is now showing the same signs of sickness but the Niger is not.... Blushing and bubbles on her but no fraying of the fins or tail although I noticed this morning that the top of her sail is torn... not sure what happened there. We decided to move the Niger because our Wrass (in the other tank) had started to become more aggressive to him and he wasn't eating or swimming about as he normally had. He is now living on the floor of the smaller tank, when we first put him in the Sail-fin was excited she dropped her sail and was swimming around with him. He swam around for about an hour before he picked a spot on the bottom and that's where he has stayed, on the bottom he moves around and his fins are still fluttering as normal but he still isn't eating.......
I would add that the small tank has 5 or 6 Scarlet Hermits and 4 Narcissus and 2 Turbos. Also a Sally Light Foot and a Cleaner or Skunk Shrimp which all survived the first round of sickness.
WHAT HAVE I DONE TO MY POOR FISH AND HOW DO I FIX IT???????????????
I have attached photos of the Sail-fin looking pale or what I have referred to as "blushing" and when she looks darker. But the black spots are new. Please note she has significant scarring around her right eye and down her right side. She also has some around her left eye but not as noticeable. This was how we purchased her, we named her Scarlet or Scar for short.