Absolute Minimal Salt Water Aquarium

[gzeiger]

Most medications, even if safe for invertebrates, are harmful to bacteria. That is after all what they're designed for. They tend to damage the biofilter, so even if a formulation is safe for macroinvertebrates it may still damage your live rock.

[mrg02d]

Ahhh...Good point!

Hmm...What are the chances that this is a "fungus" and not something more horrible? Will this go away? Could it spread to anything else?

Would it be worthwhile to assume it to be fungus and put the fish in a tub for a week with some meds?

How might this have happened? Could it be from all the debris in the water? (I stirred it up so my new filter would suck some out).

Thanks! I have ordered some snails now to help with the mess of stuff...
MAtt

[Kurt_Nelson]

No one will be able to say anything with certainty as to what it is, or might be, with just a quick description. Best bet is to take a picture and post it in the "sick fish" section of the forum, and see if anyone has seen anything like it before.

What caused it? Probably the same thing that causes human infections - it was just exposed to something. My guess is that your tank had nothing to do with it. Fish are exposed to a lot of stuff at the LFS and often come to us with "issues". (Starting to see the benefit of a quarantine tank yet?)

From your description though, it doesn't really sound fungal if it's below the surface of the skin.

[mrg02d]

Hello,
I will try to get a picture of him tonight. I have a camera with an aquarium setting that I have been dying to try out.

The clown doesnt seem too concerned about the stuff. Still swimming around the tank. Still pooping his strange poo. (A little less stringy now).

It could be two different issues. One is small raised bumps that take on the color of the skin. The other is clearly some kind of fuzzy white lump on the surface (his forehead). All of this is on his face, no where else on the body.

Yes, a QT is in order.
Im thinking a 10 gallon glass if I can find one, an Aqua Clear 20 power pump, and a small heater.
Matt

[Kurt_Nelson]

Originally Posted by mrg02d

...
Im thinking a 10 gallon glass if I can find one, an Aqua Clear 20 power pump, and a small heater. ...

Oh... and a couple pieces of PVC pipe elbows from your local hardware store for the fish to hide behind/in when they want to retreat somewhere.

[Boulder]

I hope your fish makes it thru this! I've enjoyed following this thread and learned a lot from the advice you have been given by the forum salties.

[thincat]

It seems to me that you're feeding this fish to much and that is one reason for all the "rotting food". Stop feeding for a few days and let your tank catch up.

[gzeiger]

I wouldn't expect a fish to eat frozen or especially flake food while live food is readily available. Once the amphipod population dies down a bit he'll eat whatever food he can find.

[mrg02d]

Hello,
So both my clowns have died...Truly sad about that, but I tried.

I want new fish, but I am worried about my tank's condition. Not sure if something nasty is hiding in the tank or not. Should I wait a month or so before a new fish?

Another issue is that the inverts I have will likely need some feeding since I wont have a fish in there anymore. (No more waste food).

I have 10 cerinth snails, 10 nessarius snails, 6 hermits, and emerald crab (never see him) a coral banded shrimp (he never comes out of a cave he found) and some new coral polyps. (Neon zoanthids).

I see the cerinth snails constantly eating on stuff around the diatoms. ( I guess they are eating diatoms). The nessarius snails hide in the sand until I put something in. (Frozen mysis shrimp make them go CRAZZZYYY!). The hermits pick at stuff all day, but I dont see much algea left for them. A few have molted already. (Had them for 2 weeks now). The emerald crab usually picks at the LR when visible. Now he is in hiding. Never have seen the coral banded shrimp eat. (He is new, along with the emerald crab, snails and coral).

Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:10-20ppm
pH:8.2
Temp: 77F

So what should I be doing now? Ive done a few PWC since adding creatures...
Matt

[thincat]

Now that you don't have any fish in your tank do a good size water change 20% twice and let the tank go for at least 3 weeks and try again. Don't worry about the hermits, they eat whatever they can find in the tank, not just algae.