Sick Chromis

[Nat_a126]

Hi, recently I have noticed that my largest of my three blue/green chromis has not been acting normal. He swims at an angel with his nose facing downwards, he goes towards the food and grabs it, but he spits it out right away, and his poop yesterday was clear and stringy with white dots in it. He tends to hover in the middle of the tank and breathing is a tad fast. His appearance is otherwise normal and his color is not faded.

I'm wondering if this might be an internal parasite, and if so, how do I get rid of it?

My tank is 5 months old (I've had the chromis for 4 months) and is 65 gallon FOWLR.

Ph-8.1
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate-20ppm
Salinity- 1.025

Ps. I don't know if this makes a difference, but I had just finished treating my one spot foxface for flukes.

 

[jrcordero4]

You need to do a water change first to drop your nitrates. Then see if he is still acting weird

 

[Nat_a126]

You need to do a water change first to drop your nitrates. Then see if he is still acting weird

Okay, I thought that the nitrate levels were acceptable for a FOWLR?

 

[Nat_a126]

He died this morning

 

[jrcordero4]

Did you ever do the water change?

 

[Nat_a126]

No, when I read your comment it was already 9pm (the store was closed by then) and I was planning to buy the water after I had finished volunteering today.

 

[Nat_a126]

No, when I read your comment it was already 9pm (the store was closed by then) and I was planning to buy the water after I had finished volunteering today.

But he was dead by early this morning

 

[jrcordero4]

Well.... Down the porcelain throne he goes. I would still do that water change and either lower the amount of nutrients going into you tank or make the water changes more frequent.

 

[Nat_a126]

Well.... Down the porcelain throne he goes. I would still do that water change and either lower the amount of nutrients going into you tank or make the water changes more frequent.

Okay. I'm planning on getting a protein skimmer, any recommendations?

 

[jrcordero4]

I usually do only 10% water changes every week. Keeps my corals very happy.

 

[Nat_a126]

I usually do only 10% water changes every week. Keeps my corals very happy.

I do a 30% water change every two weeks.

 

[jrcordero4]

U didn't have a protein skimmer? Is this ur first setup? A good protein skimmer will cost u a good penny. Don't go cheap on it. I like the needle wheel protein skimmers. The more bubbles the better.

 

[jrcordero4]

Protein skimmers are designed to take out the organic waste from your tank. Without one nitrates seem to keep rising, and quickly.

 

[Nat_a126]

U didn't have a protein skimmer? Is this ur first setup? A good protein skimmer will cost u a good penny. Don't go cheap on it. I like the needle wheel protein skimmers. The more bubbles the better.

Yes first saltwater set up

 

[jrcordero4]

For first setup start off with 1lb of live rock per gallon of aquarium water, crushed coral or live sand 1.5 times the amount of aquarium size. For a FOWLR you can do a canister filter or sump. If you do a sump, get some macro algae to absorb the nitrates and phosphates( calurpa or chaeto).A good protein skimmer and good lighting( T5 fluorescent 1.5 times wattage of the aquarium size.

 

[jrcordero4]

So lighting should be 200 watts. This should cover if you want corals or anemones later. A quad T5 lighting with 54 watt bulbs, 2 10k bulbs and 2 actinic blue

 

[Nat_a126]

Hi, so sorry I haven't replied earlier. I did a 30% water change after my chromis died. As mentioned earlier, my one spot foxface recently had flukes, but he has gotten a ton better. I believe because of that, he has gotten fin rot. Do you know any good antibiotic foods available to treat this? I can't afford a quarantine tank and I don't want to treat the whole entire tank and harm my benefical bacteria.

 

[Nat_a126]

I've also looked into the Reef Octupus 110 protien skimmer

 

[jrcordero4]

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/disease.html


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[jrcordero4]

Reef octopus 110 is an in sump protein skimmer. You don't have a sump, do you?


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