What to do with surviving fish

SueAndHerZoo · Aug 24, 2023

Similar experience to person who posted in June, but slightly different. I was traveling for six days and my husband was caring for all pets. One tank did fine but there were many fish deaths in the other. Still don't know what killed the fish - probably never will. All inverts survived, as well as a wrasse, a firefish, and a cowfish. I thought for sure the cowfish would be a goner but he's still there, two weeks later. BUT, he is covered with ick.

Can I assume all the others died from ich even though none of them had a single spot on them? The wrasse and firefish look fine, but the cowfish is just barely hanging in. So what to do? Do I attempt to treat the cow in a QT? Do I remove all 3 fish and let the tank sit fallow? I can't start counting the days in that tank with a ich-laden fish in there.

I guess my other question is could it have been something other than ick that killed the others? I know cowfish are usually ick magnets so don't know if I should assume that's what killed the others OR did something else kill the others but the cowfish is showing it's stress by maybe previously dormant ick becoming active? This hobby can be so rewarding, but so frustrating and painful.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts. I have another tank (all healthy) running but it would be foolish to put the two apparently healthy fish in there in case they are carrying something that is lying dormant, right?
Sue

Jay Hemdal · Aug 24, 2023

SueAndHerZoo said:
Similar experience to person who posted in June, but slightly different. I was traveling for six days and my husband was caring for all pets. One tank did fine but there were many fish deaths in the other. Still don't know what killed the fish - probably never will. All inverts survived, as well as a wrasse, a firefish, and a cowfish. I thought for sure the cowfish would be a goner but he's still there, two weeks later. BUT, he is covered with ick.

Can I assume all the others died from ich even though none of them had a single spot on them? The wrasse and firefish look fine, but the cowfish is just barely hanging in. So what to do? Do I attempt to treat the cow in a QT? Do I remove all 3 fish and let the tank sit fallow? I can't start counting the days in that tank with a ich-laden fish in there.

I guess my other question is could it have been something other than ick that killed the others? I know cowfish are usually ick magnets so don't know if I should assume that's what killed the others OR did something else kill the others but the cowfish is showing it's stress by maybe previously dormant ick becoming active? This hobby can be so rewarding, but so frustrating and painful.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts. I have another tank (all healthy) running but it would be foolish to put the two apparently healthy fish in there in case they are carrying something that is lying dormant, right?
Sue

Can you post a picture of the cowfish?

Fish won't die from ich without being pretty severely infested with trophonts - some people might miss that symptom, but really, it is pretty obvious. Fish without spots must have died from something else.

If it is indeed ich, yes, you would have to move all fish out of the tank and let it go fallow for about 60 days, and then treat those fish with coppersafe for 30 days during that time.

Jay

Debramb · Aug 24, 2023

Oh Sue, I’m so sorry this is happening, no advice, just good luck
Debra

SueAndHerZoo · Aug 24, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Can you post a picture of the cowfish?

Fish won't die from ich without being pretty severely infested with trophonts - some people might miss that symptom, but really, it is pretty obvious. Fish without spots must have died from something else.

If it is indeed ich, yes, you would have to move all fish out of the tank and let it go fallow for about 60 days, and then treat those fish with coppersafe for 30 days during that time.

Jay

vetteguy53081 · Aug 24, 2023

SueAndHerZoo said:
Similar experience to person who posted in June, but slightly different. I was traveling for six days and my husband was caring for all pets. One tank did fine but there were many fish deaths in the other. Still don't know what killed the fish - probably never will. All inverts survived, as well as a wrasse, a firefish, and a cowfish. I thought for sure the cowfish would be a goner but he's still there, two weeks later. BUT, he is covered with ick.

Can I assume all the others died from ich even though none of them had a single spot on them? The wrasse and firefish look fine, but the cowfish is just barely hanging in. So what to do? Do I attempt to treat the cow in a QT? Do I remove all 3 fish and let the tank sit fallow? I can't start counting the days in that tank with a ich-laden fish in there.

I guess my other question is could it have been something other than ick that killed the others? I know cowfish are usually ick magnets so don't know if I should assume that's what killed the others OR did something else kill the others but the cowfish is showing it's stress by maybe previously dormant ick becoming active? This hobby can be so rewarding, but so frustrating and painful.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts. I have another tank (all healthy) running but it would be foolish to put the two apparently healthy fish in there in case they are carrying something that is lying dormant, right?
Sue

Its hard to say once fish have died and you have no signs and identifiable issues
Pics would be helpful as it can be flukes-ich-velvet and more.
Anything unusual you saw such as loss of appetite, heavy breathing, gasping at surface, etc?

vetteguy53081 · Aug 24, 2023

Just saw pics- Ich is the likely one here with the mucus and dots on eyes and when stressed, the honeycomb scales become expanded as in your pics

SueAndHerZoo · Aug 24, 2023

Can't say if there were any signs before dying as I was on the opposite coast. Hubby works 12-hour days but was definitely keeping up with topping off tanks, feeding livestock, and even hand-feeding the shark I had in there. All I can think of is he had something on his hands before feeding the shark? He swears he always washed first, but . . . (shrug).

Clown trigger had no signs, blue hippo had no signs, shark had no signs. A few fish have never been found, and the trigger and hippo were found the day I returned, and the shark died the next day.

Shouldn't the surviving wrasse and firefish be showing something by now?
Sue

vetteguy53081 · Aug 24, 2023

SueAndHerZoo said:
Can't say if there were any signs before dying as I was on the opposite coast. Hubby works 12-hour days but was definitely keeping up with topping off tanks, feeding livestock, and even hand-feeding the shark I had in there. All I can think of is he had something on his hands before feeding the shark? He swears he always washed first, but . . . (shrug).

Clown trigger had no signs, blue hippo had no signs, shark had no signs. A few fish have never been found, and the trigger and hippo were found the day I returned, and the shark died the next day.

Shouldn't the surviving wrasse and firefish be showing something by now?
Sue

Firefish spend a lot of time hiding and some wrasses have heavier slime coat making them somewhat resistant- Not immune to penetrate the thicker mucus