Uronema in new frag tank..

[JimCali75]

Hi all, So I’m pretty sure uronema has been introduced into a newly set up frag tank. Tank is a 40b that’s been cycled for over 2 months. Started to introduce some fish including a few chromis. One of which started showing visible signs of uronema. Others fish including a couple clowns and a royal gramma that have begun flashing. I had never even heard of uronema before this. Not sure if that’s was causing the others to flash or if it’s something else. Fish are being moved into a QT tank this weekend. Butt backwards I know Apparently running the tank fallow won’t rid the tank of uronema. I don’t have corals yet so sterilizing the tank/equipment isn’t too difficult. My concern is the canister filter with about 8lbs of media. Should I sterilize the media and start over? Anyway to do this without completely nuking the beneficial bacteria? Going to Reefapalooza in a few weeks ago. Would be a bummer to not be able to get a couple frags. But if that’s what it takes…

Thanks for any input!

 

[KrisReef]

Frags don't need a cycled tank.

 

[threebuoys]

This article by @Jay Hemdal should tell you everything you want to know.

Uronema / Red Band Disease - Hemdal

Red Band Syndrome in Marine Fishes: Potentially Caused by the Protozoan; Uronema sp. Jay Hemdal Introduction: This moderately common disease of certain species of marine fish is so often misdiagnosed that most aquarists apply incorrect treatment methods when attempting a cure. Symptoms...

www.reef2reef.com

First, let's confirm the illness you see is uronema.

Please post some photos / videos of the fish of concern. Usually, uronema is visibly identifiable.

Chromis are highly susceptible to uronema, however treatment is very difficult. Sterilization of a tank where uronema is present is equally difficult to administer.

The "good" news is that corals are not affected by uronema, and most species are not often if ever infected by uronema. A clean tank / water is the best preventative action you can take.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all, So I’m pretty sure uronema has been introduced into a newly set up frag tank. Tank is a 40b that’s been cycled for over 2 months. Started to introduce some fish including a few chromis. One of which started showing visible signs of uronema. Others fish including a couple clowns and a royal gramma that have begun flashing. I had never even heard of uronema before this. Not sure if that’s was causing the others to flash or if it’s something else. Fish are being moved into a QT tank this weekend. Butt backwards I know Apparently running the tank fallow won’t rid the tank of uronema. I don’t have corals yet so sterilizing the tank/equipment isn’t too difficult. My concern is the canister filter with about 8lbs of media. Should I sterilize the media and start over? Anyway to do this without completely nuking the beneficial bacteria? Going to Reefapalooza in a few weeks ago. Would be a bummer to not be able to get a couple frags. But if that’s what it takes…

Thanks for any input!

Uronema (please post pics under white lighting, no blue) often is triggered by low salinity levels as well as excess food waste on tank bottom which this protozoan can feed on as often prevention can be more valuable than cure for this.
Fish will have to be quarantined and treated with formalin based treatment which is harder to find, so next option is Ruby rally Pro. Chloroquine Phosphate will also work but must be used precisely. Uronema is not an obligate parasite, and can thrive on bacteria, uneaten food, and waste so besides treatment also maintain a clean tank removing waste daily.
To touch up more on this disease which is an oval ciliated motile protozoan that causes tissue necrosis

 

[JimCali75]

Uronema (please post pics under white lighting, no blue) often is triggered by low salinity levels as well as excess food waste on tank bottom which this protozoan can feed on as often prevention can be more valuable than cure for this.
Fish will have to be quarantined and treated with formalin based treatment which is harder to find, so next option is Ruby rally Pro. Chloroquine Phosphate will also work but must be used precisely. Uronema is not an obligate parasite, and can thrive on bacteria, uneaten food, and waste so besides treatment also maintain a clean tank removing waste daily.
To touch up more on this disease which is an oval ciliated motile protozoan that causes tissue necrosis

Thanks for your input. You replied to me in another thread regarding the chromis showing visible signs. That chromis has since died as well as another. One chromis, Royal Gramma and 2 Ocellaris Clowns remain. All are flashing but so far I’m not seeing any signs of uronema or anything else. Could be something else causing the flashing. I am currently treating the tank with Ruby Rally Pro. Today will be day 4 of treatment. All the fish started flashing soon after I started treatment. I can leave them in the tank and continue treating with RRP. I was planning to move them into a smaller tank where is have more treatment options. This will leave the frag tank empty so I had thought maybe best to try and sterilize everything but I’m not sure. I can try to get pics of the other fish if I transfer them but it’s pretty hard at the moment with the tank so green from the RRP. I tested the tank 2 days ago.. 0 ammonia, O nitrates and 10 nitrates. Going to test again today.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for your input. You replied to me in another thread regarding the chromis showing visible signs. That chromis has since died as well as another. One chromis, Royal Gramma and 2 Ocellaris Clowns remain. All are flashing but so far I’m not seeing any signs of uronema or anything else. Could be something else causing the flashing. I am currently treating the tank with Ruby Rally Pro. Today will be day 4 of treatment. All the fish started flashing soon after I started treatment. I can leave them in the tank and continue treating with RRP. I was planning to move them into a smaller tank where is have more treatment options. This will leave the frag tank empty so I had thought maybe best to try and sterilize everything but I’m not sure. I can try to get pics of the other fish if I transfer them but it’s pretty hard at the moment with the tank so green from the RRP. I tested the tank 2 days ago.. 0 ammonia, O nitrates and 10 nitrates. Going to test again today.

This seen is bacterial and it takes rally pro at least 2 days to start working and it treats a little slower than seachem neoplex as example but can be used without a separate tank

 

[JimCali75]

This seen is bacterial and it takes rally pro at least 2 days to start working and it treats a little slower than seachem neoplex as example but can be used without a separate tank

I’ll keep the fish in the frag tank for now. Just a little distressing when conditions seem to worsen after beginning treatment. How many days would you recommend using RRP before moving to a separate tank if things don’t start to improve. I’m going to purchase a QT tank today regardless.

Thx again!

 

[MnFish1]

Hi all, So I’m pretty sure uronema has been introduced into a newly set up frag tank. Tank is a 40b that’s been cycled for over 2 months. Started to introduce some fish including a few chromis. One of which started showing visible signs of uronema. Others fish including a couple clowns and a royal gramma that have begun flashing. I had never even heard of uronema before this. Not sure if that’s was causing the others to flash or if it’s something else. Fish are being moved into a QT tank this weekend. Butt backwards I know Apparently running the tank fallow won’t rid the tank of uronema. I don’t have corals yet so sterilizing the tank/equipment isn’t too difficult. My concern is the canister filter with about 8lbs of media. Should I sterilize the media and start over? Anyway to do this without completely nuking the beneficial bacteria? Going to Reefapalooza in a few weeks ago. Would be a bummer to not be able to get a couple frags. But if that’s what it takes…

Thanks for any input!

1. Uronema is not usually something that harms all fish - but once it's present (i.e. showing disease it is usually fatal)
2. Uronema does not need a fish host to survive - and it could be anywhere in your tank. There is no benefit to removing it , I would take the fish out and attempt treatment in another hospital tank. I would not put fish into that tank. Use scrupulous methods for removing detritus, etc - as a clean tank with frequent siphoning, not overfeeding, etc. is the way to potentially get rid of it
3. Metronidazole could be used to treat the fish in a separate hospital tank
4. The flashing is suggestive of another disease potentially flukes as uronema or a bacterial infection are not usually transmitted between fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This seen is bacterial and it takes rally pro at least 2 days to start working and it treats a little slower than seachem neoplex as example but can be used without a separate tank

Yes, allow it to work and metro will apply in a separate tank and I never recommend its use unless absolutely necessary and must be applied precisely by weight

 

[MnFish1]

Yes, allow it to work and metro will apply in a separate tank and I never recommend its use unless absolutely necessary and must be applied precisely by weight

FWIW - For the OP I meant treating the fish with a bath, not mixing it into food (i.e. dose it into the aquarium). The dosing inside food indeed can be and must be (as said above) very precisely measured. the problem is if the fish doesn't eat it its not going to work, and if they eat too much its toxic.

If you add it to a hospital tank you just need to follow the directions on whatever preparation you choose.

 

[JimCali75]

1. Uronema is not usually something that harms all fish - but once it's present (i.e. showing disease it is usually fatal)
2. Uronema does not need a fish host to survive - and it could be anywhere in your tank. There is no benefit to removing it , I would take the fish out and attempt treatment in another hospital tank. I would not put fish into that tank. Use scrupulous methods for removing detritus, etc - as a clean tank with frequent siphoning, not overfeeding, etc. is the way to potentially get rid of it
3. Metronidazole could be used to treat the fish in a separate hospital tank
4. The flashing is suggestive of another disease potentially flukes as uronema or a bacterial infection are not usually transmitted between fish.

Since the fish are flashing would you recommend a freshwater dip(s) in conjunction with the RRP treatment? Easy enough for me to catch them.

 

[MnFish1]

Since the fish are flashing would you recommend a freshwater dip(s) in conjunction with the RRP treatment? Easy enough for me to catch them.

No - I'm not a big believer - since nearly every fish illness can cause flashing. When I do recommend it its when the fish is really not doing well (but not dying) - and the fw dip can buy time until the medication starts working. Hope this helps.

 

[JimCali75]

No - I'm not a big believer - since nearly every fish illness can cause flashing. When I do recommend it its when the fish is really not doing well (but not dying) - and the fw dip can buy time until the medication starts working. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the input.. I’ve added RRP for 4 consecutive days now. Still seeing flashing… Not really sure how long I should keep this up before trying something else. I know RRP works slowly.

 

[JimCali75]

This seen is bacterial and it takes rally pro at least 2 days to start working and it treats a little slower than seachem neoplex as example but can be used without a separate tank

How long would you recommend staying with the RRP? Today will be 5 consecutive days of adding it to the tank. Still seeing flashing behavior.

I did purchase a 10 gallon so I can try other methods if necessary.

 

[vetteguy53081]

How long would you recommend staying with the RRP? Today will be 5 consecutive days of adding it to the tank. Still seeing flashing behavior.

I did purchase a 10 gallon so I can try other methods if necessary.

14 days

 

[JimCali75]

14 days

14 days adding RRP everyday?

 

[vetteguy53081]

14 days adding RRP everyday?

Glad you asked- every 3 days

 

[JimCali75]

Appreciate the help.. So just to be clear today is 5 consecutive days. Going forward every 3 days. So next dose this upcoming Wednesday.

Sry.. Also test results will be thrown off by the RRD correct? Makes me a little uneasy not testing for that long. I’m using API tests atm. Planning to upgrade to Hanna and Salifert.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Appreciate the help.. So just to be clear today is 5 consecutive days. Going forward every 3 days. So next dose this upcoming Wednesday.

Sry.. Also test results will be thrown off by the RRD correct? Makes me a little uneasy not testing for that long. I’m using API tests atm. Planning to upgrade to Hanna and Salifert.

Do ask. Yes as to your question. It takes a couple of days for RRR to kick in. You should have started to see improvements.

 

[JimCali75]

Latest is that the Royal Gramma and remaining chromis will actively chase food but don’t seem to eat much if any. Two clowns are eating. Gramma is flashing and hiding part of the time. Other three are out and about. I’m not seeing any physical signs besides the chromis being quite thin.