Tongue, Hammer, and Plate bleaching(dying)

[doughboydj]

Hello everyone,

I have a problem. My system is a 110gal, with 2x 150 MH, 2x 96 PC, 3x rio powerheads and a 29 gal fuge. Parameters are dKh 9.6, Ca 400, PH 8.4, AM 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0, SG 1.023. For supplements I use B-ionic, reef solution, Tech-I, cheme pure and Purple up. I noticed my Tongue, Hammer, and plate have begun to bleach. I have had them for about 3 months and they were doing fine. The only thing that I have done differently is I added some phosphate remover bags to the system and added some metronidazole for my powder blue tang ich problem. Since I noticed the bleaching problem I removed the phosphate bags and did a 10% water change. My leather corals are drooping down and my lobo has its mouth opened. ANY IDEAS would be great! Thank you, Steve

 

[steve-s]

Remove the PO4 bags and do a large water change with well aged/aerated SW. Your corals are exibiting the symptoms of aluminum poisoning. Unless your PO4 product is ferric oxide based then it could be a different issue.

Metronidazole will not harm corals as a rule but being an antibiotic, it really shouldn't be added to the main system. It does work on a great many types of Protozoa but C. irritans will be hit and miss at best. Your better off QTing all the fish and treating with hyposalinity or Cupramine if available.

Cheers
Steve

 

[doughboydj]

Not sure though if it was the PO4 bags the store told me it had no aluminum in it and that it was reef safe. What are some other posibilites to bleaching? Overdose of iodine, maybe stronium? Do you know? I think that the tongue, hammer and plate are just unsavable. It took me a few days to notice the bleaching before I decided to remove and do the water change. What is C. irritans? Is that ich or some form of ich? My powder blue has white pimples on him. As far as a qt tank I don't have the space for one plus its not possible to catch a fish in my tank I would have to move all the rocks and corals. Thanks

 

[phishead]

Yes, you will have to move all the rocks and corals. Or, you can keep medicating and stress the corals. Or, you can stop and kill the fish. You pick!

white pimples on him

May not be Ich though? either way imo, QT!

Not sure though if it was the PO4 bags the store told me it had no aluminum in it and that it was reef safe.

What kind are they?

 

[steve-s]

Not sure though if it was the PO4 bags the store told me it had no aluminum in it and that it was reef safe.

What kind are they?

Good question... who's the manufacturer/brand name?

Cheers
Steve

 

[doughboydj]

-Steve
Here is the name of the product Phos Zorb. I found a website http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/rev-pzrb.htm it doesn't say its reefsafe like the store told me. Being that its "Phos-Zorb, from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc. (API) is an aluminium oxide resin designed to remove phosphates and silicates from aquarium water" is that the aluminium poisoning you were talking about? Should I be going over to my LFS and strangling someone?
-Phis
As far as the ich it comes and goes on the powder blue and he's been eating and doing fine plus no other fish seem to have ich. Its been like this for about 3wks.

 

[melosu58]

The powder blue may look fine now but if you dont treat he will not last long. Listen to Steve. He is the Man with the plan. Have a good day

 

[steve-s]

Being that its "Phos-Zorb, from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc. (API) is an aluminium oxide resin designed to remove phosphates and silicates from aquarium water" is that the aluminium poisoning you were talking about?

Yup. Aluminum oxide causes bleaching in most corals. SPS are usually affected fastest but it will also affect LPS, softies and anemones.

Should I be going over to my LFS and strangling someone?

As long as you don't break any laws

-Phis
As far as the ich it comes and goes on the powder blue and he's been eating and doing fine plus no other fish seem to have ich. Its been like this for about 3wks.

The parasite coming and going is typical of it's life cycle. It needs to leave the fish in order to multiply. Once the reproductive cyst (tomont) breaks, the free swimming theront goes looking for a new host. Only by interupting that life cycle will you be permanently rid of the parasite. Why the other fish remain unaffected I couldn't tell you without more detail on the fish and tank. Most likely the metronidazole may have something to do with it. The fact that the spots keep coming back though is proof it's not working, just prolonging it.

BTW, C. irritans = Cryptocaryon irritans = Marine ick

Cheers
Steve