Bad 6 Weeks

[sparkchaser]

Holy Crap I've had a bad 6 weeks with my tank. First I had a P. clownfish jump out of the back of the tank to his death, through the small opening from the canopy. So I bought a Dragon Goby to replace it with. The Goby looked fine, and I added him without quarantine. About 2 weeks later I noticed that my Regal tang was showing signs of ich. I found a 15 gal tank for Q-tine, and put the tang in it so I can treat with Cupramine. About a week later I found the Goby dead in the tank. (he never did show any signs of an illness)
So tonight I came home and I could not find my Royal Grama, After a long search, I could see his head through a hole in a rock, He is dead, and I can't get him out. Also I can see ich, on my salfin tang and remaining P clown, I added them to the Q-tank. What is next? :x

 

[Leahdanilalton]

Your P. clown jumping out of the tank should have been your first sign to you that you had some problem. They don't tend to do that too often from what I understand. I have read though that fish under ich will jump from the tank. You need to QT all of your fish and treat them all together and leave your tank fishless for at least 4-6 weeks to let the ich parasite go though its life cycle and die off. If you don't do this you can count on many many more bouts of ich in the future.

 

[Atari]

And from now on QT ALL new fish no matter how well they look!

Sorry to hear about your losses :|

 

[Guest]

Get a bigger tank so your tangs aren't crammed up.

 

[Atari]

Get a bigger tank so your tangs aren't crammed up.

Really? Don't you think he could put at least 4 or 5 in there?

 

[Brisc0]

Really? Don't you think he could put at least 4 or 5 in there?

8O

 

[Atari]

Sorry, I haven't had my coffee yet and couldn't resist.

 

[Brisc0]

LoL, I know that feeling all too well.

 

[Guest]

I wouldn't recommend 4 or 5 unless it was a 30 gal high.

 

[Brisc0]

I wouldn't recommend 4 or 5 unless it was a 30 gal high.

No way dude, I keep that in my JBJ cube 30G is overkill IMO

BTW, sparkchaser, not flaming you at all, just having some fun. I don't think your tank is overstocked as long as those fish are small, however your on the edge and as they grow you will have problems. As far as QT goes, if it needs air and doesn't have a shell or exoskeleton, always QT it. Take care and good luck.

 

[sparkchaser]

Not to worry about to many tangs overcrowding , the Salifin didn't like the QT tank, we was fine this morning, but I just found him dead. Only 3 fish remaining.
One note about the salfin though, in my main tank, with 260watt PC's, I hardly noticed any spots on it. When I moved it into the QT tank, under a NO bulb, I could see that we was literally covered with spots, he looked terrible. But never did I see him rubbing or itching. Strange.

 

[steve-s]

When I moved it into the QT tank, under a NO bulb, I could see that we was literally covered with spots, he looked terrible.

Sounds like it might be velvet. What are you treating the fish in the QT with?

Cheers
Steve

 

[sparkchaser]

Seachem's Cupramine, The Regal tang has been in the QT tank for 10 days now, and it appears to be alot better, no spots, but on one of its sides, the skin has whitened, maybe about the size of 1/2 a dime.
I'm also soaking all food in Garlic Guard.

 

[Brisc0]

I know steve-s and I have gone round on this before, but for a sick tang I simply leave the infection to the scarlet cleaner shrimp. My purple tang has looked like an albino before he was so infested with ich, and a team of three scarlets had him "visibly cured" (not fully Steve hehe, im sure its still somewhere in the water column) in about a week. I have since had no other outbreaks, and all my fish are healthy as little wet oxes. Thats going on about 5-6 weeks ago. Medications work, and sometimes everyone has to come out to kill of the parasite, but occasionally natural cures can be just as effective. However I will agree with steve-s that it really is a roll of the dice and in some cases could be considered neglegent to not use a proven method of curing the illness rather than "hope" that everything will be alright and that nature will take its couse. Good luck.

 

[sparkchaser]

I do have a cleaner shrimp in the main tank, but he usually doesn't do much. Before I moved the fish into the QT tank, the shrimp was just starting to pick at them, but the fish had no time for the shrimp, and would swim away.

As for now, I'm going to leave the remaining fish in QT for 4 weeks, and leave the main tank empty for that long. Hopefully whatever is causing the problem will be gone.
9 months and I never lost a fish until this all started.

 

[steve-s]

but on one of its sides, the skin has whitened, maybe about the size of 1/2 a dime.
I'm also soaking all food in Garlic Guard.

I would also suggest Selcon or Zoecon. The garlic will help boost the immune system but the other two I mentioned will help the tang heal much faster. If you can find it, Beta Glucan would be a good candidate also.

Cheers
Steve

 

[steve-s]

However I will agree with steve-s that it really is a roll of the dice and in some cases could be considered neglegent to not use a proven method of curing the illness rather than "hope" that everything will be alright and that nature will take its couse. Good luck.

Cheers
Steve

 

[sparkchaser]

I never heard of Beta Glucan before, but I found this link with some info about it.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2003/feature.htm
I think that I might try to find some.

Thanks Steve and Brisco