Clowns dying in QT

[Raoul5Duke]

I have recently lost two pairs of clownfish in my QT tank back to back while a One Spot Foxface in the same QT tank seems fine? I purchased a pair of tank raised gladiator clowns at my lfs, who I know uses copper in his tanks. I brought the pair home put them in the QT and they seemed to be doing fine for 2 weeks, eating, active, etc. Then I lost them one right after the other on back to back days. They were fine at night then first thing in the morning I found each one dead. I picked up another set of tank raised clowns and had the same thing happen. They were fine for the first week, eating, active, no issues with the Foxface and then I find them Friday morning dead.

I typically QT for at least 4 weeks. I have not been doing any prophylactic treatment on any of the fish in QT. I know the arguments on this, but for now I have been taking the approach that if they are tank raised and doing fine no need for additional stress. I have had multiple fish (10+) go through the same QT tank with no issues.

Anyone, have any suggestions on what might be happening? Something specific to clowns that wouldn't affect the Foxface? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Timeline is consistent with either brook or velvet. I do not prophylactically treat for either of those diseases during quarantine. But since your foxface has been exposed to a disease he will need to be treated. The foxface may not show signs of anything but he can be a carrier/host and infect another fish. Also the QT needs to be sterilized. The problem is which disease do you treat for since both treatment regimens are different. Given they were clowns I would lean towards brook. Contrary to popular belief tank raised clowns do get brook.
Did any of them have mucus trailing off them? Or did they have a velvety sheen to them? I know it'll be hard to diagnose post mortum.

 

[Raoul5Duke]

I didn't notice anything, but I have to admit I don't have the best lighting over the tank since its a QT. I'm guessing I should treat with Copper and Paraguard to ensure both are accounted for. Any suggestions on which to do first?

 

[Raoul5Duke]

Did some more research and I think I will follow this plan. I treated the QT (40 breeder) with PraziPro last night, if the Foxface continues to look ok I will wait a few days and then begin to add Cupramine to the appropriate dose, I will then redose Prazipro. Probably keep the fish in Cupramine for 2-3 weeks and then do water changes and carbon to eliminate the Cupramine before switching the fish to the DT. Once out of the QT I will empty the tank and disinfect everything before my next fish goes in QT. Thoughts?

I am still curious as the first set of clowns that were treated at the LFS with copper were first in the tank and then the Foxface before the other pair of clowns were added, so is the culprit the Foxface or could the first set of clowns had velvet and the copper masked the symptoms?

 

[ThRoewer]

4 weeks is not enough time for QT. I had 3 grammas and 2 blue stripe pipefish in QT for almost 50 days before they showed the first signs of ich.

Also it is a bad idea to put new fish into a likely infected QT, especially if fish died there of unknown causes. Like stated above, it needs to be sterilized.

As for the foxface, he might be resistant/immune but the carrier of this disease. Clownfish that come with a brook or velvet infection usually show it within days if not hours. The two weeks delay could mean that they were clean and got infected in your QT.

 

[snorvich]

I am still curious as the first set of clowns that were treated at the LFS with copper were first in the tank and then the Foxface before the other pair of clowns were added, so is the culprit the Foxface or could the first set of clowns had velvet and the copper masked the symptoms?

Having copper in the LFS system is not the same as treating them with copper. A low level, non-therapeutic dose, will mask various parasites.