Tank transfer death....calling snorvich and other experts...

[kelrn98]

A little background...got a regal tang months ago, when he first arrived he showed some ich. treated with strict hyposalinity 1.009 for 6 weeks, he did well and transferred to the 300g DT. Looked great for several months then showed mild ich again. This is the first time I have ever seen ich in my DT. This and my other tang were the only fish to show any ich. All of the fish, including the tangs have been healthy, eating well, no darting, no distress. I made the decision to remove all fish from DT and use tank transfer method, as I know ignoring ich and hoping it will just disappear will likely end tragically. I have caught several of my fish, all by using a fish trap.

Because I didn't catch them all in one day (actually still have about 7 more fish to catch) I am running two tank transfer systems (4 rubbermaids, 2 in use at a time). Each one has a heater, airstone/airpump, thermometer, and pieces of PVC. All fish are eating and active.

I did a transfer at 0800 11/20/13 and all fish seemed to be doing well. I left home for some errands and then off to work, last saw the fish (doing well) at 1300. I just got home from work at 0200 and my coral beauty (which I have had since 2007) is DEAD!! I am so devastated. I never thought I would cry over a fish, but I certainly feel like it. He has been healthy as an ox since day 1, never misses a meal. He was fat. I checked the ammonia level and it is <0.15 using sailfert (new kit), which leads me to believe he died in the last few hours. All other fish look good, as a matter of fact I just fed them and they are eating. Temp is 77 degrees. Salinity is 1.026. I am at a loss, and totally freaked out about the possibility of loosing any more of my beloved fish. I did add some prime (1/2 cap full) to the water they were in yesterday, but did not add anything to the water they were transferred into today. I did however add prime tonight in panic mode about possible ammonia spike from the dead fish.

Below are some pics and video, which will likely not help. If you have any constructive criticism, words of advice, or simply encouragement I am all ears. It really sucks when you try to do things right and things like this happen. In my other Rubbermaid bucket I have a powder blue tang, copperbanded butterfly, firefish, diamond goby, and PJ cardinal. In the DT I still have the source of the ich (regal tang), rusty/flame hybrid, 2 chromis, 1 PJ cardinal, orange spotted blenny, and a mandarin.

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[ricwilli]

Wow, sorry for your loss. Looks like you did everything right for the TTM. I have not had any problems doing the TTM and I've done it more than 6 times already.
Two things I did different though. 1) I used water from the display tank when I first took all the fish out and into the container. The first transfer was into new water. 2) I use prime but let the water circulate for a couple of hours. I know that it states that you can add it with fish in the tank, but it also states that it is "BETTER" to add it to new water first.
Also, my air pump is pumping in air from the outside of the house into the transfer containers.

 

[snorvich]

Wow, sorry for your loss. Looks like you did everything right for the TTM. I have not had any problems doing the TTM and I've done it more than 6 times already.
Two things I did different though. 1) I used water from the display tank when I first took all the fish out and into the container. The first transfer was into new water. 2) I use prime but let the water circulate for a couple of hours. I know that it states that you can add it with fish in the tank, but it also states that it is "BETTER" to add it to new water first.
Also, my air pump is pumping in air from the outside of the house into the transfer containers.

Agreed. Since there is no medication Prime saves a lot of grief.

 

[GroktheCube]

I'm sorry for your loss. I know from experience that losing a fish that you've had for a long time is painful. When I was about 11 I got some Freshwater Angelfish (my second fish ever), and when the first one died 10 years later, I was heartbroken.

As for advice or insight on your current situation, I don't have anything to offer. In the event of poisoning or hypoxia, I would expect the other fish to be affected as well.

 

[kelrn98]

I appreciate the insight and condolences. All other are still doing well. Hopefully this is an isolated event.

 

[ricwilli]

Do you have a holding tank to host all your fish after the TTM while your dt stays fallow for 9-10 weeks? Just asking as I don't remember reading about it in you post.

 

[kelrn98]

Do you have a holding tank to host all your fish after the TTM while your dt stays fallow for 9-10 weeks? Just asking as I don't remember reading about it in you post.

Yes I am cycling a 40B and a 20g now.

 

[jamesbaur13]

IMO I wouldn't treat a fish for ich if it was in good health.

I'm on 3yrs with ich in my tank.

I too tried the tank transfer method, but I did it to an extreme. I did tank transfer for the entire duration... 3 tanks. That equates to 1 tank transfer every day for 70 days. I went as far as adding Formalin to the water which would inevitably be transferred along with the fish just to reassure myself that ich couldn't spread during the process of transferring the fish.

Guess what? After all that I still had ich in my display. Within 3 days of reintroduction I began to see white spots.

If I wasn't so discouraged I probably would have tried it again. Instead I've dealt with it.

My fish have been fine. They will on occasion develop a couple white spots which quickly fade. They are very active and eat well.

I know, I too have heard the "ich manager speech". There's horror stories about heaters/pumps failing and ich re-emerging and wiping out an entire tank. Realize, that's what you can see. You can see ich, but there's an awful lot you can not see. Here's a neat fact, ich is too small to be visible to the naked eye. So what are all those white spots? ...secondary infections.

You deal with the same thing any time you get a cut on your hand. If you are in good health then it is unlikely you will get an infection. Most of the time you are alright. However, if you are in poor health and your immune system is compromised you will have a higher risk of infection.

IME I don't see ich treatments as an immediate relief to a fish in distress which is "suffering from ich". For immediate relief antibiotics are more suitable.