Desjardini having problems-quick onset

[hikarishadow]

My desjardini tang has been lethargic and seems like he's just going to fade off by the end of the night. He was fine yesterday and this morning, he was leaning against the overflow box. I wondered if it was an oxygen thing so I turned on an extra pump, but he couldn't cope with the flow. I topped off to bring salinity down a bit since I know it was edging on high.

I know he's thin-it's something we're working on with him. Particles in the water are from feeding five minutes prior. All levels are ideal.

He had a bout with cryptocaryon irritans in late May, the result of my impatience to add a blue spot jawfish. Every fish in the reef then went into a hypo treatment for 8 weeks. We haven't had any issues since and even my clown has gotten twice as fat (we suspect now he had some kind of internal parasite). All new additions get QT, and there has only been a serpent star added since.

He isn't responding to anything I do and I don't want to lose him. I will do anything I must to save him. He is the sweetest, most attention-seeking little guy I've ever had, and the gem of my reef.

I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[b0bab0ey]

Just to be sure, did the DT remain completely fallow for 8 weeks while you were treating the fish w/hypo? If not, the Ich probably survived. Did you QT the Serpent Star before adding to the DT and if so, for how long? If not, the Star could have been carrying Ich (not hosting it) on his body and transferred to the DT. Just some possibilities to think about...

 

[hikarishadow]

The DT remained fish-free while the hypo treatment occurred. I was told that so long as there were no fish present for that whole period of the parasite's lifecycle, the ich would die out in the DT.

The serpent star came from a fellow reefer who had a stable tank (nothing new) for 3 years. Even so, it went to the QT tank for 4 weeks.

 

[b0bab0ey]

The DT remained fish-free while the hypo treatment occurred. I was told that so long as there were no fish present for that whole period of the parasite's lifecycle, the ich would die out in the DT.

The serpent star came from a fellow reefer who had a stable tank (nothing new) for 3 years. Even so, it went to the QT tank for 4 weeks.

OK, sounds like it's probably not Ich in the free swimming stage that's attacking your Tang then. How is the Tang doing today?

 

[hikarishadow]

We did a 30 gallon water change last night and added a bubbler to the return. He was looking better, but passed some time between 2am and 8am. I really appreciate your help though.

 

[b0bab0ey]

We did a 30 gallon water change last night and added a bubbler to the return. He was looking better, but passed some time between 2am and 8am. I really appreciate your help though.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful and I'm sorry for your loss. I have a PB Tang that I'm really fond of because of everything I had to go through with him while he was in QT: Ich, Flukes, some kind of bacterial infection. And to top it all off, he's got some kind of intestinal issues where if he eats too much Nori at one time he displays symptoms that resemble swim bladder. My wife would rub his tummy and we would feed him boiled peas to help things pass through his intestines. 6 months later and now he looks great. He just requires special care.

Again, sorry for your loss.