Tank (Almost) Wiped Out...now what

[ksigaekdb]

So last weekend I wake up on Saturday morning to find 3 of my fish dead on the sand, two swimming at the top of the water column, and one looking just fine. Three hours later the other two died, leaving my wrasse as the lone survivor and apparently none the worse for wear. Parameters checked out fine and due to the speed of the plague I am guessing it was either Velvet or Brook, but I did not see and lesions or signs of excess mucus. I find it odd that this happened so suddenly and widespread since it has been 4 weeks (and QT'ed) since I added the last fish and I thought these parasites were fairly fast acting. My question is this, what the heck do I do with my wrasse to get these potential parasites out of my DT? He does not seem to be affected, but wouldn't they just continue to host on him? My QT tank is actually a small tank with a couple of corals and inverts so medicating in it is not really an option. **** poor planning I know. Any ideas that hopefully does not have me setting up a third tank? Thanks!

 

[tdp22]

Just observe him and see if he starts showing signs of stress or illness. Maybe try to determine what exactly killed the others. Sorry to here about the loss.

 

[reefstew]

If it was ick then it would be best to remove the 1 fish & let the tank go fish less for 2 months. Hard to treat a tank if you don't know what the problem is.

 

[ksigaekdb]

I am fairly sure it was not Ich, I could not find a single spot on the dead fish and none of them were scraping that I saw. Isn't Ich typically slower moving that those kinds of symptoms would show on so many? I am worried that whatever it was, the wrasse has some sort of tolerance and will allow the parasite to continue in the tank without sign. I would hate to wait 10 weeks before adding a fish just to have it contract something.

 

[vincent92]

Does your DT have corals and inverts

 

[SKAREEF]

When you say parameters checked out, does this mean you checked ammonia as well or just the normal PO NO PH etc. just wondering. Also had someone stirred the sand bed recently. Does the wrasse bury?

 

[DgenR8]

My first thought from your description is that you have a high ammonia situation, or a low oxygen situation. What test kits are you using, what are your readings, what is your temperature and what are you using for circulation in your tank?

 

[ksigaekdb]

I did test for ammonia and it came out to zero. I also have one of those little stick on ammonia monitors in my sump and it has not registered anything. My wrasse does not bury, he is a McCosker's and sleeps in a cave.

 

[BobthePhotoGuy]

My tank was wiped out by Brook, but it took 5 days to do the deed. My yellow wrasse survived unharmed. If you can catch he wrasse, give him a 3 minute freshwater bath. Put him back in in some sort of isolation ( breeders netting) so you can catch him easily. repeat the freshwater dip about every 3 days. Leave the tank alone during this time (keep parameters good but don't add any fish) Give it a few weeks to settle before adding some dheap fish (Chromis). Then play it by ear. Also adding a sterilizer doesn't hurt..

 

[miatawnt2b]

I had the same thing happen in my first reef tank. Wiped out 4 fish in a matter of 30 minutes. Ammonia levels 0. It had to be o2 depletion. I was running without a skimmer and had a sand filter as the only flow in the tank.

-J