Brooklynella - Looking for more information

[j0tca]

Hi Everyone.

I unfortunately caught a batch of Brooklynella from what I guess was a few snail additions a couple of weeks ago. They were not in QT (because how do you QT snails?) and the results were devastating. A pair of mated perculas, a fox face, 3 firefish, 1 coral beauty, 1 flame angel and lawnmower blenny all dead within 3 days of first signs of the parasite. I was unable to catch the infected fish before it was too late. On a side note, holy **** did it all happen quickly and how the hell do you catch fish that hide in the rocks and won't eat?

Despite being in the hobby for about 15 years, this was the first time I have had to deal with Brooklynella and was perhaps not as aggressive as I should have been when I first noticed symptoms.

I currently have 3 Chromis, 3 surgeonfish (Yellow, Dagenais, hippo) a leopard Wrasse and a sixline left in the tank and none have any apparent symptoms. There is also a smattering of coral and a healthy and huge Magnifica.

I haven't been very successful in finding much good literature on what to do now and I was wondering if anyone here could suggest sources so I might learn what to do next. The main question I want to know is "Is there any way to ensure the parasite is dead before I add new fish?" I'm not interested in treatment or prevention information at this time and for that there is plenty available. My real concern is "what now?"

System:

220G + 90G sump
1 year running w/200 pounds LR
Mostly SPS with some small LPS and an anemone -home for the now dead clowns

 

[triggreef]

First there are ways you could have caught all the fish and cause minimal stress, i.e. traps, or drain it all into garbage barrels, net up fishies and pump the water back in. That said I'm unsure of the fallow period required for brook, if that indeed is what you had.

But the bigger question is how long has it already been between your other fish dying off and these not showing symptoms?

I swear by metro dips after having saved some almost dead fish, and have added that to my qt of all new arrivals with fins. I believe that metro is another effective method for brook, but don't quote me on it, I haven't done a ton of reading on brook.

 

[Deinonych]

Here's a fairly comprehensive article on brooklynella - one of the best I've seen online. Recommended treatments are formalin, acriflavin or metronidazole.

http://www.ultimatereef.com/articles/brooklynella/

Once you remove fish from the DT, leave it fallow for 10-12 weeks, similar to Cryptocaryon.

 

[j0tca]

Thank you both for the responses.

Triggreef: Unfortunately, the height of the corals in the tank prevents any attempt to drain in order to catch fish and moving the rock work would likely do even more damage to the system. I do not think potentially killing many corals to save a few fish is a good trade. I have had only moderate success with traps in the past and did not have the time to procure them for this event.

The first fish to die was about 19 days ago with the last fish dying 16 days ago. No fish currently in the tank exhibited any symptoms at any time so it has been 16 days since the last observation of the parasite.

Deinonych: Thanks for the article. It is one of the ones I had already read and, like all the others, doesn't go into any detail about removal of the parasite from a system and focuses on fish treatment. Where are you getting the 10-12 week number? I can't seem to figure out anywhere if the parasite needs to be visible on fish in the system in order to be present. If it is a persistent issue I will have to start making plans for a total system breakdown which is something I really want to avoid both due to the work involved and that I have never completed a breakdown or move without losing some animals. The purpose of my tank is the corals and I really want to avoid harming them.

 

[Deinonych]

I got the 10-12 week number from the article referenced (in the Treatments section under Freshwater dips).

Frankly, the life cycle of Brooklynella is not well known, so that is probably an educated guess on the part of the author. But, given that B. hostilis is an obligate parasite, that period seems reasonable since its life cycle is similar in some aspects to Cryptocaryon.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

I got the 10-12 week number from the article referenced (in the Treatments section under Freshwater dips).

Frankly, the life cycle of Brooklynella is not well known, so that is probably an educated guess on the part of the author. But, given that B. hostilis is an obligate parasite, that period seems reasonable since its life cycle is similar in some aspects to Cryptocaryon.

+1 I had a flame angel that contracted it from an unquarantined sea urchin. I left my main fallow for 8 weeks with no issues. However, longer is always better.
Oh, and EVERYTHING that is wet gets goes into a QT for at least 8 weeks. I have 10 cat's eye snails in the QT with live rock...they get stuff to eat and the rock provides the biological filter.

 

[j0tca]

Can anybody else confirm or deny the 8-12 weeks? I'd love to hear from more people that went through the same and didn't have a recurrence after no additions for 12 weeks.

 

[Spyderturbo007]

Brook from snails? That's scary because I was planning on picking up a few here this week.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Got it from a sea urchin....it does happen

 

[j0tca]

I'm 100% sure it was the snails; there had been no previous additions for about 2 months. Before this I had never quarantined coral or inverts before as I thought they were very low risk and the dangers of QT were too great. This event is obviously making me reevaluate my thinking.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

I'm 100% sure it was the snails; there had been no previous additions for about 2 months. Before this I had never quarantined coral or inverts before as I thought they were very low risk and the dangers of QT were too great. This event is obviously making me reevaluate my thinking.

So did the sea urchin. Now minimum of 8 weeks QT for everything! No exceptions