Another 'newb' who didn't quarantine...

[Cubanpete]

So. I've been running a mostly coral tank, with a few PJ cardinal, banggai cardinal, flasher wrasse, Christmas wrasse, chromis, engineer gobi and Pygmy angel.
I purchased a couple new fish...lyre tail anthias, flavo anthias and ruby red dragonette. Well, at least one of the former three, I'm thinking, had something. Because now, all three are dead, as well as my eng goby, clown, banggai, and Christmas wrasse. This has all happened over the last 2-3 weeks. My son has cancer, and we have been in and out of the hospital since New Years, so I really haven't been able to notice anything terribly wrong.
No spots, all of the original fish have been eating. Params, at least for coral, have all been great. Nitrates went up to around 10 for a week or so, but I've been doing a few water changes trying to get it back to 5.
I'm not asking for a diagnosis, because I really can't tell you any symptoms (other than death...), but if I catch the fish and put them in a 12 gallon tank, is there anything I can dose to prevent 'sickness'? I don't see any spots on anything, so I don't think its ich. And they are all eating....

 

[ca1ore]

There are many folks who don't QT, including some experienced reefers. I didn't for a long time. What I have found, though, is that it is far more difficult (and expensive) to build up a decent population of fish if you don't QT. It's a bit like playing just one more hand in Vegas - you might win, but you might also lose all your cash :lol: Hard to say what your issue is/was. Best bet would be to move all remaining fish to a QT and treat with something like nitrofuracin green powder or cupramine.

Positive thoughts from CT for your son!

 

[dominic]

I just had a fish I was about to loose no whit spots ,but he was on the way out no color and very rapid breathing , he is in a 30 gal qt thank god not the display . I did the cupramine and it is like a new fish with in 24 hrs. has been fine now over a week .
also prayers for your son.

 

[HumbleFish]

Based on how fast all the fish died, I would suspect Velvet. Flukes or an aggressive gram negative bacterial infection are other possibilities.

Cupramine treats Velvet - Prazipro treats flukes - A broad spectrum antibiotic such as Furan-2 or Nitrofuracin Green Powder treats infections.

Prayers for you and your son!!!

 

[Cubanpete]

Thanks for the prayers. He's a beast and is responding well to treatment. Also, thanks for the suggestions. I'll be goin' fishin' as soon as I get home. Regardless of the outcome/QT, do I need to worry about anything 'lingering' in the water after the end is near?

 

[HumbleFish]

Thanks for the prayers. He's a beast and is responding well to treatment. Also, thanks for the suggestions. I'll be goin' fishin' as soon as I get home. Regardless of the outcome/QT, do I need to worry about anything 'lingering' in the water after the end is near?

Unfortunately yes. Ich, for example, can survive in the water even without a fish host for up to 72 days. So, until you know for sure what wiped out your fish - I would plan on going fallow for 72 days. Corals/inverts are fine and can remain in the tank during the fallow period.

 

[smb2415]

fyi cupramine will likely wipe out your inverts and you'll need to use cuprasorb afterwards to absorb the copper. I'd recommend removing any inverts you value during the fallow period. put them in a separate QT tank. treat the fish in their own QT. treat and run the DT fallow for 8-9wks.