Unknown fish deaths, can anyone help??

[CurtnStac]

I have an 80g all in one tank that has been setup for a few years. Fish stock was 2 clowns, kole tang, Springer damsel, and 2 small mandarins.
The mandarins were recently added but were biota tank bred so I did not qt.
I also recently changed my sandbed, taking the old out of the course of a week. The old sandbed was very shallow and only a few months old cuz I redid my tank back in dec. I finished up on Saturday adding new caribsea sand and a bottle of Biospira to replenish some lost bacteria.
Saturday night all fish were fine and eating....
Sunday morning kole tang swimming erratic, dead in a few hours. Sunday night all the rest of the fish fine and eating.
Monday morning female mandarin listless, died in about an hour of lights on. Male mandarin and rest of fish fine and eating by lights out.
Now here Tuesday morning male mandarin listless and about to die.
what the heck??? Can anyone give me any ideas of what's going on?
No ammonia or nitrites. Ph only drops a little at night. All corals, anemones, and cleaner shrimp are perfectly fine.

 

[Sharir]

Are you sure it is not velvet. The reason I am asking is because generally the signs of velvet is the fish swims "erratically". Did your kole tang try to swim directly into the flow of your powerhead(s). It must be respiratory related because respiratory illness kills very fast. Remember that if you don't see it doesn't mean it isn't there. I hope you solve this issue. I give you the best of luck

 

[CurtnStac]

Are you sure it is not velvet. The reason I am asking is because generally the signs of velvet is the fish swims "erratically". Did your kole tang try to swim directly into the flow of your powerhead(s). It must be respiratory related because respiratory illness kills very fast. Remember that if you don't see it doesn't mean it isn't there. I hope you solve this issue. I give you the best of luck

I'm not sure it's velvet. Could a biota captive bred mandarin be a carrier? Cuz they are they only ones added in the last few weeks. But they were so tiny I would think they would have succumbed to it quicker if they were the carrier. Other then the tang swimming a little erratic there hasn't been any other symptoms of parasites. No white spots, scratching, swimming in flow, etc.
They eat fine one day and the next morning when the lights come on they try to swim but then kinda go sideways, then die within a few hours.

 

[Sharir]

You can rule out velvet (thankfully). I will do some research on this and see if I can find a solution for you.

 

[CurtnStac]

You can rule out velvet (thankfully). I will do some research on this and see if I can find a solution for you.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. I've been doing alot of reading but haven't found any answers.

 

[Sharir]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. I've been doing alot of reading but haven't found any answers.

Do not worry this is what reef2reef is for! Consider me a reefing buddy

 

[Fishbird]

Why can the OP rule out velvet?

OP, were the mandarins shipped directly from Biota’s facility to you? A local Petco gets in Biota and ORA fish but they keep both captive bred and wild caught fish in a system that shares water and often in the same tanks. I agree that if the fish were sent from Biota to you directly it’s much less likely that they had velvet but I’m still not sure it could be totally ruled out?

 

[CurtnStac]

Why can the OP rule out velvet?

OP, were the mandarins shipped directly from Biota’s facility to you? A local Petco gets in Biota and ORA fish but they keep both captive bred and wild caught fish in a system that shares water and often in the same tanks. I agree that if the fish were sent from Biota to you directly it’s much less likely that they had velvet but I’m still not sure it could be totally ruled out?

I purchased them from a VERY trusted lfs.
I guess I'll see if the next few days to come if it's velvet for sure. I still have a firefish, Springer damsel, and 2 clowns left. If it's really velvet the damsel and firefish should be next. I've heard of clowns surviving.
Can't be chemical cuz I'm sure that would affect corals and my cleaner shrimp, has to be a parasite or fish disease right??

 

[Sharir]

Why can the OP rule out velvet?

OP, were the mandarins shipped directly from Biota’s facility to you? A local Petco gets in Biota and ORA fish but they keep both captive bred and wild caught fish in a system that shares water and often in the same tanks. I agree that if the fish were sent from Biota to you directly it’s much less likely that they had velvet but I’m still not sure it could be totally ruled out?

I understand what you mean (you rather be safe than sorry) but since velvet infects the gills
(respiratory system) it generally kills the fish pritty swiftly

For more information about velvet look up the velvet article written by @Humblefish .

 

[Sharir]

I purchased them from a VERY trusted lfs.
I guess I'll see if the next few days to come if it's velvet for sure. I still have a firefish, Springer damsel, and 2 clowns left. If it's really velvet the damsel and firefish should be next. I've heard of clowns surviving.
Can't be chemical cuz I'm sure that would affect corals and my cleaner shrimp, has to be a parasite or fish disease right??

True, it has to be a parasite or desease

 

[Sharir]

I did alot of digging and found out that "what if it is gill flukes" ; I also want to know have you noticed your fish breathing heavily (increased gill movement) if so then gill flukes is your culprit. I hope this helps good luck @CurtnStac

 

[Tamberav]

I purchased them from a VERY trusted lfs.
I guess I'll see if the next few days to come if it's velvet for sure. I still have a firefish, Springer damsel, and 2 clowns left. If it's really velvet the damsel and firefish should be next. I've heard of clowns surviving.
Can't be chemical cuz I'm sure that would affect corals and my cleaner shrimp, has to be a parasite or fish disease right??

Well the LFS would have to keep them in a seperate tank (no shared water)... not too near other tanks and they would need seperate nets and everything...not mix water when feeding...not dunk hands in and so on....every employee would need to do this 100 percent of the time.

That seems like a lot to ask for a LFS and I would only trust venders who specialize in fully quarantined fish to accomplish such a task.

I would not rule out disease.

 

[Sharir]

True @Tamberav a lfs simply has too many fish going through it's systems to remain that sterile. That is why I try to quarantine as far as possible.

 

[CurtnStac]

I did alot of digging and found out that "what if it is gill flukes" ; I also want to know have you noticed your fish breathing heavily (increased gill movement) if so then gill flukes is your culprit. I hope this helps good luck @CurtnStac

So come to find out it's velvet Both my poor clownfish have the spots. My female the worst. I gave her a freshwater dip last night to help relieve her and have meds on the way. Hopefully they get here fast enough!
Whats crazy is I still have a little damsel and firefish with no symptoms

 

[Jimmyneptune]

I have an 80g all in one tank that has been setup for a few years. Fish stock was 2 clowns, kole tang, Springer damsel, and 2 small mandarins.
The mandarins were recently added but were biota tank bred so I did not qt.
I also recently changed my sandbed, taking the old out of the course of a week. The old sandbed was very shallow and only a few months old cuz I redid my tank back in dec. I finished up on Saturday adding new caribsea sand and a bottle of Biospira to replenish some lost bacteria.
Saturday night all fish were fine and eating....
Sunday morning kole tang swimming erratic, dead in a few hours. Sunday night all the rest of the fish fine and eating.
Monday morning female mandarin listless, died in about an hour of lights on. Male mandarin and rest of fish fine and eating by lights out.
Now here Tuesday morning male mandarin listless and about to die.
what the heck??? Can anyone give me any ideas of what's going on?
No ammonia or nitrites. Ph only drops a little at night. All corals, anemones, and cleaner shrimp are perfectly fine.

Could velvet in the Caribbean sand or Biospria?

 

[CurtnStac]

Could velvet in the Caribbean sand or Biospria?

I can almost say with positivity no. Since velvet will die without a fish host in 6 weeks and it takes way longer than that for the product to even get on a shelf. It most likely came in my tank with one of the mandarins

 

[Sharir]

I can almost say with positivity no. Since velvet will die without a fish host in 6 weeks and it takes way longer than that for the product to even get on a shelf. It most likely came in my tank with one of the mandarins

True however, it can stay dormant for months in anaerobic areas in your tank(low oxygen areas) suct as the bottom of the sand bed.