Tank of Doom?

[QuiGonJay]

Do I Have a Tank of Doom?
I'm wondering if I have a mystery tank of doom or just bad luck. 28gallon tank a year old. Inhabitants were yellow watchman goby, striped blenny and baby whitespotted filefish. Things went well up until a month ago - the goby looked to have some sort of small wound on his jaw. Was still eating normally and it cleared up. But after it cleared up he stopped eating and eventually died. My assumption was maybe infection from the wound - not sure. The Blenny had been getting progressively skinnier and, despite eating well and acting normally, he is very, very thin. Maybe a parasite - trying to catch him and treat with Pazipro - not successful yet.

Then, two days ago, the filefish started acting odd - listless. By the next morning I could easily net him (bad sign) and now he's in a QT lying on the bottom - I don't expect he'll make it.

What the heck happened? Salinity is 1.025, nitrates a bit over zero - all very consistent for the tank. No new adds to the tank recently. Soft corals and some caribbean rose corals all doing well. Other inhabitants are some limpets, rock urchin, brittle stars (all hitchhikers from the original live rock) and snails and 2 red legged hermits.

If I can't save the blenny I'm considering just letting the tank go fishless for 10 weeks to try and 'reset' whatever is going on. I feel terrible about the sudden issues and not being able to help the fish and don't want to harm any others, but the rest of the tank seems very healthy. Very weird. Any ideas/suggestions appreciated.

J.

 

[DrewHaus]

Could it be an ich outbreak? If your water parameters are in check (nitrites/ammonia/pH?), I'd suspect some kind of disease.

 

[scooter31707]

Possibly could be a internal parasite.

 

[QuiGonJay]

I've not seem any signs of ich. Kind of leaning towards the parasite theory. Very frustrating/scary to have things go to hell with little indication as to why.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

If you can't catch your fish PraziPro is reef safe, treat your tank. It will probably kill any other worms in your tank but corals will be safe. It also won't hurt your bio filter. Just follow the directions to the T

I answered you on your other thread

Treat and control unwanted parasites like flukes, tapeworms, flatworms and turbellarians in your reef tank.
Safe and effective
Liquid concentrate praziquantel treatment
Won't negatively impact biological filtration
Use a treatment or to prevent infection
Non-toxic to common aquarium inhabitants and plants
For use in freshwater or marine aquariums

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/prazipro-praziquantel-treatment-hikari.html#tab-full-details

 

[BrianKC]

If you can't catch your fish PraziPro is reef safe, treat your tank. It will probably kill any other worms in your tank but corals will be safe. It also won't hurt your bio filter. Just follow the directions to the T

I answered you on your other thread

Treat and control unwanted parasites like flukes, tapeworms, flatworms and turbellarians in your reef tank.
Safe and effective
Liquid concentrate praziquantel treatment
Won't negatively impact biological filtration
Use a treatment or to prevent infection
Non-toxic to common aquarium inhabitants and plants
For use in freshwater or marine aquariums

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/prazipro-praziquantel-treatment-hikari.html#tab-full-details

Because it's relevant to the statement that it won't hurt your bio filtration; what if one has a tank with a LOT of small feather dusters, bristles, etc...would you be concerned about a lot of die-off and resulting yucks?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Then that person would have to make a decision on whether to do it or not. It's usually best to have factual information and not opinionated information. The fact remains that it is reef safe.

 

[CStrickland]

Because it's relevant to the statement that it won't hurt your bio filtration; what if one has a tank with a LOT of small feather dusters, bristles, etc...would you be concerned about a lot of die-off and resulting yucks?

When I dosed prazi in my DT it didn't hurt my feather duster (a big 6"er, not the little cluster kind), or have any noticeable effect on my bristleworm population. I also kept a close eye on ammonia in case smaller worms were dying in the rocks and sand, never saw any (seachem badge, so pretty sensitive).

I don't have that much worms to begin with cause of my wrasse, but there's a few spots they hide out in and they didn't miss a beat. I was very careful with the prazi dosage and all. I only did it twice, so take that for what it's worth. I think it's much harder on some worms than others.

 

[BrianKC]

Then that person would have to make a decision on whether to do it or not. It's usually best to have factual information and not opinionated information. The fact remains that it is reef safe.

I feel you may have mistook the intent of my question. I don't have a "fish got sick" contingency plan and was legitimately asking whether or not you (or anyone with experience) would advise this medication in that situation, and trying to add to the future value of this thread (as well as for OP if they also have a big population of worms).

 

[BrianKC]

When I dosed prazi in my DT it didn't hurt my feather duster (a big 6"er, not the little cluster kind), or have any noticeable effect on my bristleworm population. I also kept a close eye on ammonia in case smaller worms were dying in the rocks and sand, never saw any (seachem badge, so pretty sensitive).

I don't have that much worms to begin with cause of my wrasse, but there's a few spots they hide out in and they didn't miss a beat. I was very careful with the prazi dosage and all. I only did it twice, so take that for what it's worth. I think it's much harder on some worms than others.

Good info!

 

[QuiGonJay]

Well, the doom is complete. Came home from work to find the blenny dead as well as the filefish in qt. Going to do research. May leave the tank fish less for ten plus weeks to get rid of any fish parasites (if research proves it would work.)

 

[CStrickland]

Aww, I'm sorry

It's totally worth spending some time in the disease forum stickies. Fish can get all diff cooties so if you have a basic idea of what to look for its a lot less stressful when they come down with something. Good luck with the next batch!

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I feel you may have mistook the intent of my question. I don't have a "fish got sick" contingency plan and was legitimately asking whether or not you (or anyone with experience) would advise this medication in that situation, and trying to add to the future value of this thread (as well as for OP if they also have a big population of worms).

Personally I would use Prazipro if I had the need to. I was just saying that there can be collateral damage with anything. I think it's best for someone to have an informed decision that's all. But yes, I would use it if the need arises.

 

[BrianKC]

Gotcha. Thanks. When you made the facts/opinions point I thought you were implying that I was expressing an opinion and wanted to make sure you knew it was really a question.

 

[Cliving1]

Sorry to hear that! I hope you find out what caused the issues to your fish. Do you have any corals? If so, how are they doing? I wonder if it was some odd stroke of parasite or disease that occurred. Based on your post not much has changed in the tank, sometimes these things happen. Stay positive!

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Gotcha. Thanks. When you made the facts/opinions point I thought you were implying that I was expressing an opinion and wanted to make sure you knew it was really a question.

LOL Brian, that is what sucks about typing and not talking :lolspin:

 

[QuiGonJay]

Bunch of soft corals, two Caribbean rose and assorted limpets, brittle stars, snails, chitons and some zoas. Other than the fish all is good. Think I may leave it fish less for 10 weeks or so and try to starve out whatever fish parasite may have been there (that's my best guess as to cause)