Multicolor rubbing on rock, no other signs of illness

[Stingray992]

Hi, in march I set up my first tank after reading the marine aquarium handbook
30 gallon power head compact filter, deep blue t-5 he lighting, 65g protein skimmer, 15# live rock, and live sand
First inhabitants:
Hermits and snails
Purple sea urchin
Serpent star
2 clowns, one has since been stressed to death ( unfortunate consequence of inexperience)
1 lawnmower blenny
Yellow tail damsel ( removed and returned due to aggression)
Pajama cardinal
Have since added
more live rock for a total of 30-40#
Zoanthids and paly colony,
Purple mushrooms,
Plate coral
Sand sifter star
Fighting conch

This brings me to my newest problem: I had been told by the LFS that if I added two dwarf angels at the same time I shouldn't have any issues, long story short my second 30 g tank now houses a multicolor angel.

2nd tank set up with live sand, rock from original tank, water from small change of current tank and fresh saltwater penguin 55 filter , mark eland double bright LED, and a power head.
Added three chromis to test aggression with the multi color
One died in a couple days, had a chunk taken out of him then this happens:

Multicolor angel started to rub on rocks and filter. Only on one side and only on gil area. Took to LFS for quarantine and medication as the thought was marine ich or other parasite.

Second chromis dies, had no signs of illness, was smaller than other chromis

Added sea chem bacteria colony

Everything else had been fine, added more live rock to total approx 30-40# now.
Picked up multicolor as he was doing fine.
At that time I figured I should finish the tank with a few more fish as the territory of the multicolor had now been removed.
Added:
Yellow striped maroon clown
Red scooter blenny
Brittle star with small live rock
Snails
Phytoplankton

Added all to the tank after couple hour acclimation: put in a tub slowly added water from tank couple cups at a time, didn't have tubing for drip acclimate. Netted and added to tank.

They have all been in the tank for a week and now the multicolor began rubbing again... All else seems fine

Feeding: spectrum marine pellets, Marine supreme frozen, brine and mysis shrimp frozen with focus and a correlating medication (name is slipping my mind right now)

No other signs of parasite or infection

No idea what to do, any advice appreciated, am very much new to aquarium hobby

 

[Albino]

What are you water parameters? It's strange and I'm fairly new myself but to me it sounds like the rank may have ammonia in your tank. It's can slow breathing and burn gills so that would explain the rubbing on the gills. Do u have a test kit? Did u make sure there was no cycle on the 2nd tank?

 

[Jeremy S.]

How long did the tanks cycle?

 

[Stingray992]

First tank is doing fine and cycled for about a month, second tank (problem tank) has been up and running for two months.
Water parameters last time checked:
Ammo: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10- 20 (coloration was between the two)
PH: 7.8
Last checked was a couple days ago, am currently at work will check again when home.

Test kit is API saltwater master test kit
It may be possible that the Ammo spiked due to increased bio load after addition of two more fish

 

[Albino]

Yes it most def is possible to have ammo spike when u add fish. What did u use to cycle? I'd be doing some 20 - 30% pwc to get the Ammonia and Nitrite down and test ASAP. Make sure u are keeping them as close to 0 is possible and u may even want to remove a fish and put it in the other tank so the ammo doesn't get to high. Make sure u test ASAP

 

[Stingray992]

Just retested,

Temp at 76
Ph: 8.0
Ammo: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20

Multicolor is eating well, am feeding mysis shrimp with focus and metronidazole as that was suggested from LFS when illness seems present, also feeding spectrum pellets and marine supreme frozen blend for variety, all are eating well. Doing water change and will lessen amount of food durin feeding to lower nitrates but all else seems normal to me

 

[Stingray992]

When I cycled I used 50% water from first tank plus sea chem brand bacterial colony suggested from LFS in fresh salt water for the rest... Added angel just a couple days later as I do not have a QT setup and needed to remove one from original tank. So cycle was rushed but ammo has been fairly stable never going over .25, weekly 10% water changes.

 

[Stingray992]

Over the last few days I had a 15g qt setup and the multicolor developed fin rot and a cloudy eye, treated with furan 2 as suggested from LFS. As of this morning he died in qt. Still no idea what caused the scratching but my assumption is that the bacterial infection was caused by the scratching... Am open to other thoughts... Would like to avoid this in the future.... RIP Rogue