How to make changes with minimal stress?

[2014]

Hi, I need help with what to do next. My foxface died today after suddenly seeming sick yesterday. He may have had some black flat dots on him. I am seeing some dots under my tangs fin now. Here is tank info.

Main tank:
Tank size: 75 gallon Megaflow
Occupants: 1 Scopas Tang, 1 Ocellaris clown, 1 Misbarred Saddleback Clown, 1 sixline wrasse, 1 algae Blenny, 1 Blue-green chromis, 3 hermit crabs, 3 turbo snails, 1 cleaner shrimp and 1 disappeared peppermint shrimp
Corals: 1 Very happy pulsing xenia that aspires to take over the tank, 1 pretty happy torch coral, 1 duncan, some star polyps, and a candy cane coral frag

Sump:
Tank size: 35 gallon
Filtration: Filter sock, 10 lbs. live rock, some Chaeto and Codium
1 hydor koralia nano for flow
Pump is a pond pump, a project easy jet 1200
Occupants: a snowflake moray eel and 2 three stripe damsels

SG on refractometer I just got: 1.030
Ammonia: 0-.25 (I have a hard time reading the colors)
Ph: 8.0
Nitrates: 0
Nitrites: 0
I am using API test kits

Not yet installed: Eshopps 100 skimmer and 2 power jets


The 75 gallon megaflow tank that has been up since July. It was upgraded from a 20 gallon that was up since February 2014. All of the old 20 gallon stuff except for the sand and some water went into the new tank.

I just started lowering the salinity after realizing that my hydrometer was not right. The salinity was really at 1.033 when I thought it was at 1.025. I don't know how long it's been off but I think it's been awhile. I've been trying to lower it slowly but am wondering if I should do it faster.

I want to add the skimmer and the power jets but got pneumonia and haven't had a chance. I am freaking out but still not fully recovered so I want to use my energy wisely and not stress the fish out by making too many changes. Part of why I didn't make changes before was because that our Foxface always seemed really easily stressed and I hated doing anything in the tank because it seemed to traumatize him. We had him for about 2.5 months along with the blenny.

Anyway, sorry to go on. There's so many details.

I am concerned there may be a disease in the tank and don't know what steps to take next in what order. I could really use some suggestions. Thank you.

 

[F4talreeefer]

I'd look into tang disease/black ich/black spot disease. See if it's similar to what you are experiencing.

 

[gone fishin]

If you suspect an illness then go to the fish disease forum. There is a sticky at the top of the forum for help in diagnosing an illness. good luck and hope you feel better.

 

[2014]

Thank you for your replies. I have looked at those forums and come to similar conclusions myself but not sure if I should medicate based on what I see so far. None of the other fish show any signs of trouble. It could be that the tang and foxface were just fighting. They always seemed to have a questionable relationship and who knows what goes on when the lights go out.

And if I do medicate, do I do the whole tank or quarantine? Is the med safe for the inverts?

But my real concern is that often diseases arise in a hypersalinity environment and I am not sure what steps to take in what order. No point in putting a protein skimmer on a tank I am about to medicate, right? Or is there?...

I will post a pic of the tang in a bit. I'm still fairly bedridden from pneumonia so this is proving quite taxing. I appreciate your thoughts.

 

[gone fishin]

whatever course of action that you take I would strongly advise not medicating fish in your DT. If they need medicating then a QT/HT to treat and most likely a fallow period for your DT. I would certainly bring your salinity down. I would not bring it down overnight but through the course of a week should be fine. Given your health and it sounds like you do not have much help with the tank, I would focus on getting the salinity down for now.

While I certainly try to give my salty critters the best home and health possible, I would not jeopardize my health or risk a serious setback.

 

[Sk8r]

Go to the fish disease forum and read stickies there.