Sick Lionfish Puffer and Tang

[falesdk]

My fathers Dog face puffer Yellow Tang and Lionfish have all been living together peacefully for six months with no new additions.

Suddenly last night the Yellow tangs fins are looking cloudy and odd but otherwise he seems fine.

The lionfish has lost a lot of his color.

The Dog Face Puffer is worst of the bunch with a lot of color loss, heavy breathing, and basically having a hard time moving.

They are all now in my quarantine tank but I don't know which medication to use, as I can't figure out whats wrong with them?

Any help would be great!

Dianne

 

[sir_dudeguy]

well what are your water params? Cant really help out w/out knowing whats wrong.

If this is your 70, then personally i think it may be an issue of waay overcrowding and too heavy of a bioload. And its just finally starting to show.

 

[falesdk]

No this was in his 90 g w/ a 40g sump.

He has his water parameters checked by the fish store bi-weekly and between the store and the home tests hes had no ammonia or nitrite and less than 10 ppm of nitrate for 3 months. I dont know about anything else, as their now in my quarantine and acting the same I don't expect the water has a whole lot to do with it ( steadily 0 ammonia or nitrite and less than 5ppm nitrate ).

 

[casingbill]

its tempting to try and add medicine, but if you don't know what you're treating, they'res prolly not point

 

[alexb518]

since you don't have your other params, what's your SG? temp? sounds like they're in shock from something. are you dosing supplements? help us out

 

[falesdk]

Well, exactly. I don't want to medicate for something that isn't happening. I don't see how it could possibly be the water, but like I said he hasnt added or removed anything for 6 months, so it would have to have been a disease thats been in there for a long time and just hasnt been showing itself.

Which is why I brought it here to all of you helpful folk.

I'm considering taking the salinity down to 1.020 from 1.023 to see if that helps any...I'm going to wait overnight at least and see how they do.

 

[falesdk]

like I said 1.023 in both his tank and the quarantine. No dosing of absolutely anything. He uses Instant ocean salt. I believe he keeps his temp at 79 degrees. He did a water change about a week ago but I think he only does 15% at a time.

 

[mgtesting]

cleaning

cleaning

Did you happen to clean the outside of the tank at all with any spray cleaners like windex, or clean around the house where some of the spray or dust could have gotten in? If so some of it might have made it into the tank and poisoned the fish.

 

[falesdk]

I'm not sure, I dont live with my father. His tank has a full hood and he knows better than to clean the glass with windex, but it may be possible something got in that way.

 

[pony_killer]

well if its the water then do some serious water changes.

 

[alexb518]

another Q. what do you feed? how often? it may just be malnutrition. reason i'm asking is b/c i can't think if any diseases that i've exprienced that has caused loss of color.

 

[falesdk]

I made a fish food with liquid vitamins shrimp crab mussels squid flake food nori and garlic juice (frozen) and he feeds that daily. The lionfish eats krill and the tang gets a bit of nori soaked in the liquid vitamins daily. Occasionally I believe he gives them a bit of mysis shrimp as a treat. If theres anything else they need please! let me know.

 

[alexb518]

do you give them any fruits for carbs/sugars? fish cannot make that on their own. but, i don't know why that would happen over night to all 3, unless you made a fresh batch yesterday that had too much/little of something. i will try and think for a bit and see what else i can come up with.

 

[fancyfish]

what is the ph? You say it is not the water but it may be. find out for us. Your dad does not dose anything so the alk and ca might be off. I would look at the ph for starters. I also would increase the spec. gravity to 1.025

 

[falesdk]

No I dont give them any fruit, I wasn't aware they needed them,nor do I know what form it should be given in, this info would be great to have.

I suppose ph could be the problem in his tank but so quick when he has no coral? But 'll have him run a test tomarrow.

I don't think I'm going to mess with the salinity except to lower it to see if that helps. Many people use a range of salinities between 1.018 and 1.025 depending on the tanks needs, and since I have started this hobby I've always used 1.023 and never had a problem.

 

[falesdk]

Wow!

Do you all think its possible the lionfish has gone weird?

I turned off the lights and was just on my way to bed when I heard a clicking from the quarantine tank and the puffer was swimming away from the lionfish. Is it possible the lionfish is stinging the other fish?

Could/would that be the problem?