Just looking for a shoulder to cry on -- Velvet....

[NancyT3]

So I haven't bought any new fish in a while - at least 8 weeks. And then once again, one at a time fish are dying off in the past week. One a day, then two a day. Water parameters all look great. I can't see anything on anyone. I changed water Wednesday- but I used the same siphon for both the DT and QT tank. Now I lost both my clowns in my QT tank one Thurs and one today.- my big beautiful one last night and I am heartsick over it. And I lost my last royal gramma today in my DT and my healthy pyramid is looking all stressed out and is down near the sand quivering and has his stress coloring. I called the LFS for emergency service as I said I cannot figure this out. Maybe the ROTI water was bad etc... All my water parameters look good though. Their technician came out and after a while looking and videoing with his shop owner, they diagnosed it as velvet. Hard to see any spots as it is now on my butterfly and only can see it around his eyes potentially when he swims in the light just so. No spots on any other fish in the tank. Wish me luck. I dosed Metroplex and focus in the food and everyone is eating vigorously. We are buying a UV sterilizer and installing that tomorrow. But I feel like it is in the Fish God's hands at this point. I will read up more on it but right now, I am sitting down and just feeling sad.

 

[griss]

So sorry to hear about the losses. I hope you can get things figured out.

Maybe @Dr. Reef and @leebca can provide some guidance on how to move forward.

 

[MNtadpole]

Sorry to hear about your issue. Any updates?

 

[monkeysee1]

Hi-
Cholroquine Phosphate and/or Copper Sulfate can effectively eliminate velvet in quarantined fish in its EARLY stages. Unfortunately, it sounds like in your case it's past that point. Moving forward, I would tear down your quarantine tank, clean it out and disinfect it and reassemble it, and let your main DT run fallow for EIGHT WEEKS (while you're resetting up your QT). Remember to do weekly or biweekly water changes in your DT. You should have these treatments ready to go on stand by in case anything of this sort happens again, so you can act IMMEDATELY to save your fish.
It happens. It's awful but this CAN be an opportunity for you to start over from scratch and you'll no doubt move forward more carefully this time around. Don't be discoraged!!

 

[NancyT3]

Hello everyone - I have an update.... So I have not added any new fish since the death toll in September. I did clear out my QT tank and shut it down. The fish I have in my DT are all stable. My water parameters are all still testing well. My butterfly that remains in the DT l that ooked a little rough in September , did rebound. We treated him with Metroplex in the food in the DT for a few weeks. But ultimately, after installing UV, I sent in samples to Aquabiomics to test for microbiome and for DNA. I have Marine Ich in my DT and I have Uronemia in the tank. I have dinoflagellates and diatoms in the tank. My tank shows it is mature in bacteria but not diverse as it needs to be. I have now, the remaining fish - a longnose hawkish, a diamond goby, a pyramid butterfly, two clowns, and a flame angel. Many CUC invertibrates including conch, tuxedo urchin, cleaner shrimp and for fun a decorator crab. And now I have added corals - I have about 6 frags in place as of this past month. I have five anemones as well and they are thriving. Two of them are about to divide. The fish are all doing well - but you can see (or I should say - the LFS guys who maintain the tank - can see) spots on the fish. I really cannot see anything on them. With all the theories, we did the test to get specific results. Now that we know what we have -- what would be your advice on whether to treat and or how to treat it. I know the Ich will be there in cycles. and I guess i was thinking I would just focus on corals now for a while and see what happens with my remaining fish and not add any new guys. If they all die off then I would wait a fallow period to try to starve the ich. Right now they all seem to be surviving and thriving. What would you advise? Thanks Nancy

 

[monkeysee1]

Hi again!
I'm confused - your DT DID show up positive for ICH and you have had the fish in it all this time??? Your LFS maintenance crew can see spots on your fish when you can't???
I would leave the fish alone at this point if they seem to be doing well.
If that is your case, then I would set your QT tank up again, just for an "in case of emergency break glass" option for your fish. Put the fish in there if you see any signs of Ich.