Yellow_donkey
New member
I am exhausted, I have read all day today for more than 16 hours and watched my fish. I have a female clown fish that was in AOK perfect health before this morning at 8AM. To complete the questions:
In order for us to provide the best possible help, please provide the following information. It will really help us and it will be information we need.
1. How old is this aquarium?
4 months old.
2. If less than six months old, what is ammonia level?
0, well cycled now, cheato is helping get to 0 Nitrates too. I did my full weekly test too which is Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, CA, Mag, Alk, High sensitivity Phosphate, Iron, Iodine, Strontium, Silicate, Potassium, salinity, TDS, O2, temp and I am sure something else I cant think of. Everything is right in line with best parameters for a reef tank after parasitic dosing 5 items, aside for Iron which I can never get to the Red Sea recommended 0.15 but everyone else is saying .06. With dosing I can typically only get it to about .02 or so. I just cant imagine having to pump 100 ML of something into a 30-gallon tank. Afraid to dose required I guess. Anyways, ALL parameters within reason are perfect.
3. What is SG of this aquarium? How measured?
1.025 on the button with help from ATO. Did 25% water change today and it remains at 1.025. measured first with vinegar cleaned swing arm and then back-ed up fractormeter, I like using both. Refractometer re-calibrated this morning too, was about 0.0005 off, 1/2 a tick and I adjusted that.
4. When was the last fish added to this aquarium?
10 days ago, Solon Wrasse.
5. Was it quarantined? If so, how? And how long? Was it prophylactically treated? How?
No, I have just setup my quarantine tank today, read everything I could find and it is almost ready. I only dosed ammonia to 0.25 and with seeded media should be down to 0.00 in 24 hours. Water for 8.5-gallon QT is the change water from the DT today, which is 30 gallons plus sump.
6. If you are using a copper based medication, which one? How often do you measure level? When?
I have not used any medications yet. Plan on shopping first thing tomorrow morning. Getting copper, and the 3 or 4 others comonly used, to have all on hand. I have not made my list yet.
7. If you are using hyposalinity, how did you calibrate your refractometer?
No yet, reading alot on freshwater dips for Flukes.
8. Please describe in detail, the appearance of the fish? If there is one or more pimples, are they lumpy? What color?
Onyx Clownfish. Female not large but she is not a little girl. She has always had a "whitish" chin from what I can remember. But today I will say that color loss or white has spread further around her fin/whiter. Also, using flash light and comparing to male I can tell she has significant overall orange loss. Her Color is way down and it is not looking good, I just don't know which way to proceed.
9. Please describe the behavior of the fish as best you can. Is it acting reclusive? Is it always up towards the top of the aquarium? Is it avoiding light? How active is the fish?
First evidence of condition change was rapid breathing this morning. She has always had a shut mouth stern jaw look at you. Today she has floated around under the Tonga Plateau, in the shade and swam in place with rapid breathing. Next, she did not eat breakfast and then did not eat dinner. She is always the first eater from the baster. About 6 hours ago I noticed tail fin fray which was only a very slight tail fin tear earlier today. And now tonight under the flashlight it is all out tail fin going away fast. Very frayed and tips missing, all in a matter of hours. And the color just looks like a sick fish/clown. What is most surprising is this is a 24 hour or less drastic change. I am not saying she has not had this ailment longer, but signs of her discomfort/injury have not shown at all until today.
10. Is the fish eating? What?
Stopped as of this morning. Ate huge amounts of brine coasted with Spirluna (spelling) and then mixed in PEC mysis.
Also, I don't know if it is related but the little male who came after her but has been in tank about 5 or 6 weeks, his mouth breathing has been elevated for some time bow and watching it daily that is the only sign I have worry with him about. BUT today, watching closely this breathing appeared much subdued.
I am ready to treat just about anything but after so much ready I dont know if I should dip to check for flukes (freshwater cant be good for a sick fish, no mater what i read!), put into QT and treat with meds, treat brook, what, which and why.
As for skin, no heavy mucus, no spots around mouth, gills, fins, body that I can see. Looking at all angles becasue it is hard with a 1/2 white fish. using flashlight looking at eyes and skin at sheer angels shows nothing. The only physical items are the whiter chin, overall color fade (could account for lighter chin) and now frayed tail fin.
I am leaning to the freshwater dip, 3 to 5 minutes to see if it flukes. The Solon Wrasee being the newest resident I suspect he/she has brought the culprit into the system I would suspect. I have looked him over close too but I am just not seeing anything.
Please help if anyone can with idea on next step. I am ready to go starting early morning/LFS open Sunday morning. 11am. Thank you.
I also fired up my hugely supersized UV tube. With the flow/unit size, this will kill anything in the water column. I had it off as I did not want to impact my pod production. My cheateo is under a grow light in the overflow and it is actually doing great. On a base weight of 30 grams of Cheato I am getting about 10grams a week growth. All I have to do is pick cheato up and swish it in the main water column every so often and I have so many pods now you can see them easily all over during full light without even trying. But I am hoping this huge UV may help save other fish if not too late from same condition. Again, more debate on this idea, /shrug, going to bed, huge headache, too much reading, too sad to keep going Hopefully, she is still ok in the morning. Otherwise I will be preping for triage for the other fish...thank you.
In order for us to provide the best possible help, please provide the following information. It will really help us and it will be information we need.
1. How old is this aquarium?
4 months old.
2. If less than six months old, what is ammonia level?
0, well cycled now, cheato is helping get to 0 Nitrates too. I did my full weekly test too which is Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, CA, Mag, Alk, High sensitivity Phosphate, Iron, Iodine, Strontium, Silicate, Potassium, salinity, TDS, O2, temp and I am sure something else I cant think of. Everything is right in line with best parameters for a reef tank after parasitic dosing 5 items, aside for Iron which I can never get to the Red Sea recommended 0.15 but everyone else is saying .06. With dosing I can typically only get it to about .02 or so. I just cant imagine having to pump 100 ML of something into a 30-gallon tank. Afraid to dose required I guess. Anyways, ALL parameters within reason are perfect.
3. What is SG of this aquarium? How measured?
1.025 on the button with help from ATO. Did 25% water change today and it remains at 1.025. measured first with vinegar cleaned swing arm and then back-ed up fractormeter, I like using both. Refractometer re-calibrated this morning too, was about 0.0005 off, 1/2 a tick and I adjusted that.
4. When was the last fish added to this aquarium?
10 days ago, Solon Wrasse.
5. Was it quarantined? If so, how? And how long? Was it prophylactically treated? How?
No, I have just setup my quarantine tank today, read everything I could find and it is almost ready. I only dosed ammonia to 0.25 and with seeded media should be down to 0.00 in 24 hours. Water for 8.5-gallon QT is the change water from the DT today, which is 30 gallons plus sump.
6. If you are using a copper based medication, which one? How often do you measure level? When?
I have not used any medications yet. Plan on shopping first thing tomorrow morning. Getting copper, and the 3 or 4 others comonly used, to have all on hand. I have not made my list yet.
7. If you are using hyposalinity, how did you calibrate your refractometer?
No yet, reading alot on freshwater dips for Flukes.
8. Please describe in detail, the appearance of the fish? If there is one or more pimples, are they lumpy? What color?
Onyx Clownfish. Female not large but she is not a little girl. She has always had a "whitish" chin from what I can remember. But today I will say that color loss or white has spread further around her fin/whiter. Also, using flash light and comparing to male I can tell she has significant overall orange loss. Her Color is way down and it is not looking good, I just don't know which way to proceed.
9. Please describe the behavior of the fish as best you can. Is it acting reclusive? Is it always up towards the top of the aquarium? Is it avoiding light? How active is the fish?
First evidence of condition change was rapid breathing this morning. She has always had a shut mouth stern jaw look at you. Today she has floated around under the Tonga Plateau, in the shade and swam in place with rapid breathing. Next, she did not eat breakfast and then did not eat dinner. She is always the first eater from the baster. About 6 hours ago I noticed tail fin fray which was only a very slight tail fin tear earlier today. And now tonight under the flashlight it is all out tail fin going away fast. Very frayed and tips missing, all in a matter of hours. And the color just looks like a sick fish/clown. What is most surprising is this is a 24 hour or less drastic change. I am not saying she has not had this ailment longer, but signs of her discomfort/injury have not shown at all until today.
10. Is the fish eating? What?
Stopped as of this morning. Ate huge amounts of brine coasted with Spirluna (spelling) and then mixed in PEC mysis.
Also, I don't know if it is related but the little male who came after her but has been in tank about 5 or 6 weeks, his mouth breathing has been elevated for some time bow and watching it daily that is the only sign I have worry with him about. BUT today, watching closely this breathing appeared much subdued.
I am ready to treat just about anything but after so much ready I dont know if I should dip to check for flukes (freshwater cant be good for a sick fish, no mater what i read!), put into QT and treat with meds, treat brook, what, which and why.
As for skin, no heavy mucus, no spots around mouth, gills, fins, body that I can see. Looking at all angles becasue it is hard with a 1/2 white fish. using flashlight looking at eyes and skin at sheer angels shows nothing. The only physical items are the whiter chin, overall color fade (could account for lighter chin) and now frayed tail fin.
I am leaning to the freshwater dip, 3 to 5 minutes to see if it flukes. The Solon Wrasee being the newest resident I suspect he/she has brought the culprit into the system I would suspect. I have looked him over close too but I am just not seeing anything.
Please help if anyone can with idea on next step. I am ready to go starting early morning/LFS open Sunday morning. 11am. Thank you.
I also fired up my hugely supersized UV tube. With the flow/unit size, this will kill anything in the water column. I had it off as I did not want to impact my pod production. My cheateo is under a grow light in the overflow and it is actually doing great. On a base weight of 30 grams of Cheato I am getting about 10grams a week growth. All I have to do is pick cheato up and swish it in the main water column every so often and I have so many pods now you can see them easily all over during full light without even trying. But I am hoping this huge UV may help save other fish if not too late from same condition. Again, more debate on this idea, /shrug, going to bed, huge headache, too much reading, too sad to keep going Hopefully, she is still ok in the morning. Otherwise I will be preping for triage for the other fish...thank you.
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