I am really looking for some advice on my next step. On 11/17/12, I purchased a pair of blackfoot clownfish from a very reputable LFS that were not quarantined but added directly to the tank. Honestly, I have a qt tank but I think I was just not worried they had anything because they were mature, eating like pigs, and just looked outstanding. So, on 1/12/13 within 18-24 hours, the entire tank was gone. It appeared to have started with signs from the clownfish, but it killed my bicolor blenny, both clownfish, and my five chromis. The only fish that survived was my Mckoskers Flasher Wrasse. They clowns became covered in mucus with cloudy eyes and tattered fins. All fish experienced a much more rapid breathing rate with some pale discoloration of the face. I have had all of those fish (excluding clowns) for almost a year and it was certainly one of the most disheartening experiences I have had yet. My guess was brook, however the chromis showed no apparent signs of illness, they simply died within a few hours one by one. Sooooo, my question is what now??? I have one wrasse left who looks fantastic but is EXTREMELY skittish on his BEST day. I would literally have to tear down my tank to get him and I would prefer not to because I have a large BTA and many established SPS that are doing great. What the heck should I do to have fish in my tank again??
Okay...Time to Come Clean
- Thread starter blackgate
- Start date
Mrscribbled
Team RC
Most likely brook. You need to have dt fishless for twelve weeks. Always always quarantine.
From what I see almost 2 months passed since the last fish was introduced to the tank. With that in mind I hardly doubt it was brook. Usually once a sick fish is introduced, infection spread within hours/couple of days... not 2 months. Also if it was brook, that wrasse would not make it without any kind of medication. Have you introduced anything else in the tank after the last fish? Even few drops of water from an infected tank could bring in a deadly disease.
As for the wrasse - do not feed him for couple of days or more. Buy a fish trap or make a DIY one (from a plastic bottle). I managed to catch my diamond gobby with my DIY trap and trust me they can be very tricky little buggers.
As for the wrasse - do not feed him for couple of days or more. Buy a fish trap or make a DIY one (from a plastic bottle). I managed to catch my diamond gobby with my DIY trap and trust me they can be very tricky little buggers.
I didn't add anything that's what's so crazy. Almost 2 months since the last thing I added and BAM there all gone almost overnight. But if it wasn't brook, what else could have killed my fish so fast?? All corals, inverts, clams, and nems are fine. As far as qt is concerned, I will NEVER add another fish without it again.
MrTuskfish
Team RC
Sounds like brook to me too. Some fish can mysteriously avoid it. If the fish had peeling/sloughing skin, that's the big indicator of brook.
Going back to the OP: Obviously learned the hard way, but ANY dealer can stock fish that carry diseases and/or parasites. Even DD, perhaps the best fish source on the planet, strongly suggests you quarantine all of their fish. like so many of us; I had a tank wipe-out caused by velvet many years ago. Since then (25+ yrs) I have constantly kept about 1000 gals of DT space and never seen a protozoan parasite. I have quarantined and prophylacticly treated all fish during this time too . What a coincidence!
Going back to the OP: Obviously learned the hard way, but ANY dealer can stock fish that carry diseases and/or parasites. Even DD, perhaps the best fish source on the planet, strongly suggests you quarantine all of their fish. like so many of us; I had a tank wipe-out caused by velvet many years ago. Since then (25+ yrs) I have constantly kept about 1000 gals of DT space and never seen a protozoan parasite. I have quarantined and prophylacticly treated all fish during this time too . What a coincidence!
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