ItalianFella
New member
Hi there,
Extremely sad to say I just lost a beautiful Watanabei male to unknown causes and I am hoping someone with good fish knowledge can help shed some light on this.
I saw a pair of Watanabei at the lfs, after long inspection and seeing them feeding I decide to pay a deposit but to leave them at the store for 2 weeks.
There was also a female bellus and I also added her to my purchase.
I returned a few times and never seen clear signs of diseases or stress.
I took them home and acclimatised them slowly; the lfs salinity is 1.023 and I keep mine at 1.026
After half hour I saw the male making a leap for freedom out of the bag and into the tank. The other two fish were in the bags for 45 mins before releasing them.
For the first week all was fine; all fish was swimming actively, feeding like there was no tomorrow and no squabbles with the old habitants.
Actually, some minor threats from my yellow tang but could not say it was that agressive.
Week 2: the female watanabei started developing a long pale patch (almost like a scratch on the side of the body and the same on the forehead.
This got worse and opened badly within days; please see link http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/genicanthus/faqs.htm
and scroll down to "Watanabe Angelfish Emergency - Diagnosis Please! 4/1/13"
Mine had exactly the same issue but remained active and fed well.
At the same time the male watanabei started looking a little more quiet and not as sociable, preferring the corner of the tank to the open water. No sign of illness and feeding well.
Week 3: the female Watanabei started showed signs of recovering and despite of the big gush/ulcer was still feeding and swimming with the other fish.
The male instead suddenly became lethargic, hiding all the time and not coming out at feeding time. No marks, flukes or signs of parassites.
Also, at the same time this happened, the flame angel also went on to hiding and only saw him a couple of times while inspecting behind the rockwork.
He also didn't seem to have any marks or signs or infections.
Week 4: I find the flame angel belly up on the sand, (note the flame angel was in the tank for 2 years and never skipped a meal or hid for a single day), two days later the watanabei male is also belly up on the sand !
The watanebei female wound has began to heal and I feel optimistic the worse is gone.
The bellus female, oblivious to all this, has always been fine and swimming up and down the tank.
The tank is a 4x2x2 with 65kgs of rocks, a couple of leather corals, some chalices, a large anemone, a send anemone, zoas, and some sps.
Fish: 6 anthias, 1 clownfish, 1 New guinea wrasse, 1 fairy wrasse, 1 yellow tang, 1 flame angel (now dead), 1 yellow goby and 1 dottyback
Parameters jon the 15/03/15:
Salinity 1.026 , temp. 24-25C, PH 7.9, Ca 370, Mg 1125, KH6.8, PO4 0.1, NO3 1 , ammonia 0 (test kit expired)
I am still puzzled, upset and really angry of my inability to prevent and forsee the illness and dead of the flame angel and the watanabei male;
so I decided to do an authopsy on the fish and to discover what kill both fish.
Initially I thought that ammonia might be the culprit since I introduced 3 fish (one of which large) at the same time, but if this was the case my corals would have melted.. right?
I guess it was something that was introduced by one or more of the new fish, but what?
Apologies for the crude photos I have attached here.
I hope you can help me to diagnose the illness and to find the culprit because I cannot have it happening again.
Very many thanks to anyone that replies.
Claudio
Extremely sad to say I just lost a beautiful Watanabei male to unknown causes and I am hoping someone with good fish knowledge can help shed some light on this.
I saw a pair of Watanabei at the lfs, after long inspection and seeing them feeding I decide to pay a deposit but to leave them at the store for 2 weeks.
There was also a female bellus and I also added her to my purchase.
I returned a few times and never seen clear signs of diseases or stress.
I took them home and acclimatised them slowly; the lfs salinity is 1.023 and I keep mine at 1.026
After half hour I saw the male making a leap for freedom out of the bag and into the tank. The other two fish were in the bags for 45 mins before releasing them.
For the first week all was fine; all fish was swimming actively, feeding like there was no tomorrow and no squabbles with the old habitants.
Actually, some minor threats from my yellow tang but could not say it was that agressive.
Week 2: the female watanabei started developing a long pale patch (almost like a scratch on the side of the body and the same on the forehead.
This got worse and opened badly within days; please see link http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/genicanthus/faqs.htm
and scroll down to "Watanabe Angelfish Emergency - Diagnosis Please! 4/1/13"
Mine had exactly the same issue but remained active and fed well.
At the same time the male watanabei started looking a little more quiet and not as sociable, preferring the corner of the tank to the open water. No sign of illness and feeding well.
Week 3: the female Watanabei started showed signs of recovering and despite of the big gush/ulcer was still feeding and swimming with the other fish.
The male instead suddenly became lethargic, hiding all the time and not coming out at feeding time. No marks, flukes or signs of parassites.
Also, at the same time this happened, the flame angel also went on to hiding and only saw him a couple of times while inspecting behind the rockwork.
He also didn't seem to have any marks or signs or infections.
Week 4: I find the flame angel belly up on the sand, (note the flame angel was in the tank for 2 years and never skipped a meal or hid for a single day), two days later the watanabei male is also belly up on the sand !
The watanebei female wound has began to heal and I feel optimistic the worse is gone.
The bellus female, oblivious to all this, has always been fine and swimming up and down the tank.
The tank is a 4x2x2 with 65kgs of rocks, a couple of leather corals, some chalices, a large anemone, a send anemone, zoas, and some sps.
Fish: 6 anthias, 1 clownfish, 1 New guinea wrasse, 1 fairy wrasse, 1 yellow tang, 1 flame angel (now dead), 1 yellow goby and 1 dottyback
Parameters jon the 15/03/15:
Salinity 1.026 , temp. 24-25C, PH 7.9, Ca 370, Mg 1125, KH6.8, PO4 0.1, NO3 1 , ammonia 0 (test kit expired)
I am still puzzled, upset and really angry of my inability to prevent and forsee the illness and dead of the flame angel and the watanabei male;
so I decided to do an authopsy on the fish and to discover what kill both fish.
Initially I thought that ammonia might be the culprit since I introduced 3 fish (one of which large) at the same time, but if this was the case my corals would have melted.. right?
I guess it was something that was introduced by one or more of the new fish, but what?
Apologies for the crude photos I have attached here.
I hope you can help me to diagnose the illness and to find the culprit because I cannot have it happening again.
Very many thanks to anyone that replies.
Claudio
