I had this basslet for 2 weeks. He was very healthy when added to the tank, then was fiercely picked on by a 6-line wrasse, just fin damage. The wrasse was removed, the basslet had been healing great although it looked like he may have had a couple spots of ich perhaps due to the stress, although they only lasted for about 2 days and none reappeared (may not have been ich after all). The basslet has always been an active eater all the time (with and without garlic extreme added to a variety of frozen foods) until yesterday when it wouldn't eat at all, just stayed in its normal hangout in the rock, although he looked fine, nothing showing externally.
This morning, the basslet moved to a very small, protected cave in the rock and was breathing heavily. He had some white/grey lesions behind his gills and next to his fins, plus some spotting along its back (which could be some ich, but looks more like debris clinging to the fish from being in close proximity to the rocks). He was breathing heavily all morning and was dead by early afternoon.
I lost a new fairy wrasse to some sort of fin rot last week (also harassed by the six-line, finally died in a qt tank while getting treated), but the blackcap has looked great until today. I'm not sure if this is related or not.
My water parameters are fine - 0 ammonia/nitrite/nitrate, ph was low this morning 7.8 but usually rises to 8.1 or 8.2 by late afternoon. Other fish in the tank appear fine - false perc., small foxface, very small watchman goby (haven't seen him in a while), and a very small mandarin. I have soft corals, snails, scarlet crabs, etc. that all seem to be okay.
Any ideas on what went wrong, so quickly? What do I do from here? How long should I wait before trying another fish?
This morning, the basslet moved to a very small, protected cave in the rock and was breathing heavily. He had some white/grey lesions behind his gills and next to his fins, plus some spotting along its back (which could be some ich, but looks more like debris clinging to the fish from being in close proximity to the rocks). He was breathing heavily all morning and was dead by early afternoon.
I lost a new fairy wrasse to some sort of fin rot last week (also harassed by the six-line, finally died in a qt tank while getting treated), but the blackcap has looked great until today. I'm not sure if this is related or not.
My water parameters are fine - 0 ammonia/nitrite/nitrate, ph was low this morning 7.8 but usually rises to 8.1 or 8.2 by late afternoon. Other fish in the tank appear fine - false perc., small foxface, very small watchman goby (haven't seen him in a while), and a very small mandarin. I have soft corals, snails, scarlet crabs, etc. that all seem to be okay.
Any ideas on what went wrong, so quickly? What do I do from here? How long should I wait before trying another fish?
