Uronema becoming big problem these days? (Aside from chromis)

[4FordFamily]

[emoji3525][emoji3525][emoji3525]

I offered my local petco $20 for a YT with HLLE. It looked really bad, abd wasn’t eating. They refused, sticking with the $60 tag, because “that’s the sku, and it’ll perk up in a bigger tank” Three days later, they offered it fir $30, but it was motionless in the tank when we went to bag it. Didn’t even move when the guy picked it up. I’m pretty sure they just tossed it in the trash. Disgusting.

Is $180 typical for that size purple? I have a 3” reserved for $85

The PT was probably 3.5”. IMO it was overpriced even if healthy.

That’s sad on the YT.

 

[lagatbezan]

so what is the best course of prevention action to take in qt? I know Metroplex is one treatment, but is it 100% effective against it? how long should the treatment be with it if treating prophylactically? Formalin doesn't kill it either right?
This is one disease that scares me the most in this hobby lately!

 

[cancun]

The short answer is that they keep the fish in low level medications to keep it at bay. In this case it could be metroplex. I know they do this with copper. Then they send the fish in med-free water and the ailments worsen quickly.

It could also be that the fish move in and out so quickly that the week it can take for it to “take over” is almost up by the time the bags arrive.

Also according to my LFS they’ve been losing fish at a much higher rate recently. Another LFS told me that fish are arriving very unhealthy about 50% more than over the past several years. He’s the manager of our biggest LFS in Indianapolis (The Reef). They’ve started quarantine because they said they really had no choice. I asked about his procedures the only that concerns me is it’s primarily observation for wrasse. But it’s a move in the right direction.

That is crazy.....and so scary at the same time! It has to be about as frustrating for the LFS as it is for us. Plus if you don't QT and it gets in your DT game over right?! No fallow period would work! You would have to do a complete tank breakdown...and toss everything....LR...sand...etc. I think I would be so paranoid I would even get rid the whole tank and start with a brand new one just in case.

I am just curious what changed in the last several years that this disease has become more widespread? More fish entering the supply chain? More people in the hobby than ever before?

 

[ca1ore]

M. marinum infections (marine tuberculosis) can mimic uronema. If I see symptoms in QT I generally treat with CP and antibiotics.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

The short answer is that they keep the fish in low level medications to keep it at bay. In this case it could be metroplex. I know they do this with copper. Then they send the fish in med-free water and the ailments worsen quickly.

It could also be that the fish move in and out so quickly that the week it can take for it to “take over” is almost up by the time the bags arrive.

Also according to my LFS they’ve been losing fish at a much higher rate recently. Another LFS told me that fish are arriving very unhealthy about 50% more than over the past several years. He’s the manager of our biggest LFS in Indianapolis (The Reef). They’ve started quarantine because they said they really had no choice. I asked about his procedures the only that concerns me is it’s primarily observation for wrasse. But it’s a move in the right direction.

Just had a discussion with the owner of my lfs yesterday. His comment was about the same as what you mentioned. He said it's bad, loosing allot and DOA's seems to be increasing. He said he lost everyone of his anthias from last week's shipment to Uronema. Zero made it over night in his Qt

 

[4FordFamily]

so what is the best course of prevention action to take in qt? I know Metroplex is one treatment, but is it 100% effective against it? how long should the treatment be with it if treating prophylactically? Formalin doesn't kill it either right?
This is one disease that scares me the most in this hobby lately!

Metroplex takes care of it, CP does too externally but in both cases you want to feed metroplex and focus soaked foods because it can spread and live internally per @Humblefish. This is definitely scary!

That is crazy.....and so scary at the same time! It has to be about as frustrating for the LFS as it is for us. Plus if you don't QT and it gets in your DT game over right?! No fallow period would work! You would have to do a complete tank breakdown...and toss everything....LR...sand...etc. I think I would be so paranoid I would even get rid the whole tank and start with a brand new one just in case.

I am just curious what changed in the last several years that this disease has become more widespread? More fish entering the supply chain? More people in the hobby than ever before?

I think the distribution system in the US is getting sloppy and it’s more about moving fish to the end destination before it dies than it is the quality of fish. I am having trouble finding a way to defend them. It seems that the distribution system is horrific across the board, I cannot be sure if it is limited to one or two.

All we can do at this point is learn how to treat fish upon arrival and give them a fighting chance. I’d say to stop buying from places like this but it’s bad from other sources as well. 90% of my experience is from QM but I hear the other big wholesalers are having bad issues as well. I think we as hobbyists just have to step our game up with treatment and quarantine. I know we have had to here.

If anyone finds sources that don’t have these issues this large-scale (I’m not talking a purchase of a few fish I mean a dozen or even dozens of fish at a time large scale like @HotRocks and I do). I’m open of course to any experience but people that do a lot of this will have a larger sample size, obviously.

Just had a discussion with the owner of my lfs yesterday. His comment was about the same as what you mentioned. He said it's bad, loosing allot and DOA's seems to be increasing. He said he lost everyone of his anthias from last week's shipment to Uronema. Zero made it over night in his Qt

That’s sad, my two LFS I use locally here share with me their woes, and they’re in the same boat.

As I think about this more, I also suspect the root issue may NOT be QM or any other wholesaler. I highly suspect that the suppliers of the wholesalers are cutting corners and expenses because they're unsure if they will be around/able to collect and sell tomorrow. All of this talk about banning shipments of coral and fish around the world -- it's no surprise. It's tough to justify the capital investment if you don't know if your business will be around next week, it changes everything to a short-term focus.

 

[Humblefish]

Just had a discussion with the owner of my lfs yesterday. His comment was about the same as what you mentioned. He said it's bad, loosing allot and DOA's seems to be increasing. He said he lost everyone of his anthias from last week's shipment to Uronema. Zero made it over night in his Qt

Its crazy, isn't it?! These wholesalers are so obsessed with short-term profits that they fail to take the long-term sustainability of their livelihood into consideration. I've got wholesalers calling me left & right right now; just 6 months ago I couldn't get even one to return a phone call. So, that tells me sales must be down and they are hurting.

 

[4FordFamily]

Its crazy, isn't it?! These wholesalers are so obsessed with short-term profits that they fail to take the long-term sustainability of their livelihood into consideration. I've got wholesalers calling me left & right right now; just 6 months ago I couldn't get even one to return a phone call. So, that tells me sales must be down and they are hurting.

Let them hurt, maybe they’ll change. Increase my prices a bit if it means my fish can last more than 24-48 hours

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

I got 3 resplendent anthias from LA last week that seemed healthy upon arrival but all died within 2 days. I have 3 more coming from divers den on Thursday. Was hoping to have better luck with DD over LA. Should I be concerned and start treating with metro immediately just in case? I plan on doing TTM.

 

[Humblefish]

I got 3 resplendent anthias from LA last week that seemed healthy upon arrival but all died within 2 days. I have 3 more coming from divers den on Thursday. Was hoping to have better luck with DD over LA. Should I be concerned and start treating with metro immediately just in case? I plan on doing TTM.

DD specimens should be in better health than LA specimens which ship direct from QM. I think ich is your primary concern, and you are doing TTM to address that.

 

[cancun]

Let them hurt, maybe they’ll change. Increase my prices a bit if it means my fish can last more than 24-48 hours

Yea I totally agree!!! I would gladly pay more for healthy fish.

 

[cancun]

Its crazy, isn't it?! These wholesalers are so obsessed with short-term profits that they fail to take the long-term sustainability of their livelihood into consideration. I've got wholesalers calling me left & right right now; just 6 months ago I couldn't get even one to return a phone call. So, that tells me sales must be down and they are hurting.

Out of curiosity..... imo doesn't it seem a bit shady to medicate fish at the wholesaler with just enough meds to suppress the disease long enough for the LFS to receive the specimen? Than the LFS is stuck with a dead fish with no refund, or us the consumer.......imo I always was leary of buying fish from a LFS that ran low level copper in their tanks to mask diseases.... that's why all you guys say never trust a LFS to do the QT for you.....[emoji6]

 

[4FordFamily]

Out of curiosity..... imo doesn't it seem a bit shady to medicate fish at the wholesaler with just enough meds to suppress the disease long enough for the LFS to receive the specimen? Than the LFS is stuck with a dead fish with no refund, or us the consumer.......imo I always was leary of buying fish from a LFS that ran low level copper in their tanks to mask diseases.... that's why all you guys say never trust a LFS to do the QT for you.....[emoji6]

Shady? Well maybe— if they didn’t they probably would kill a LOT more fish so one could make the case that they’re “trying”. The motivation behind “trying” I am beginning to question as @Humblefish is. Either way, the more we know the more we research the better off we will all be.

 

[Maritimer]

I keep hoping that the weak links in the supply chain start to get some pushback from the LFS and other sales outlets.

Refunding for dead fish has gotta be cutting into the online retailers' profit margins, and scooping corpses out of LFS tanks won't endear the wholesalers . . .

~Bruce

 

[cancun]

Shady? Well maybe— if they didn’t they probably would kill a LOT more fish so one could make the case that they’re “trying”. The motivation behind “trying” I am beginning to question as @Humblefish is. Either way, the more we know the more we research the better off we will all be.

Yea that is so true!!!! Glad you guys are trying to figure this out and sharing the information with us!

 

[4FordFamily]

I keep hoping that the weak links in the supply chain start to get some pushback from the LFS and other sales outlets.

Refunding for dead fish has gotta be cutting into the online retailers' profit margins, and scooping corpses out of LFS tanks won't endear the wholesalers . . .

~Bruce

Some of those vendors are just removing the guarantees altogether, or altering them significantly. Most wholesalers only ensure they aren’t DOA to the LFS— anything after that is on the LFS. So I hope you’re right that LFS and retailers get to a point that they’ve had enough!

 

[cancun]

I keep hoping that the weak links in the supply chain start to get some pushback from the LFS and other sales outlets.

Refunding for dead fish has gotta be cutting into the online retailers' profit margins, and scooping corpses out of LFS tanks won't endear the wholesalers . . .

~Bruce

That's a good point.....but if the consumer buys from a LFS they get no refund....so that's tough too.....

 

[4FordFamily]

Yea that is so true!!!! Glad you guys are trying to figure this out and sharing the information with us!

If we are struggling this bad I cannot imagine how it is for some other hobbyists. Smaller scale orders are probably not as bad, but it’s definitely worsening. I think I speak for all of us in saying that we hope these fish deaths stop and we will stop at nothing to figure out how to help all hobbyists and fish alike.

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

DD specimens should be in better health than LA specimens which ship direct from QM. I think ich is your primary concern, and you are doing TTM to address that.

Out of curiosity, these are the pics of the 3 that died last week. Do you see anything pointing to Uronema? I’m not sure what to look for.

 

[brwaldbaum]

Why doesn't @Paul B have any of these problems?