Why cant i keep them alive ?

[McLaughlin4]

I dont know if it is where they are coming from or what but I am getting tired of True percs dieing. I keep other so called more fragile fish without any problem, but for some reason True percs always die . I get a pair they host in my RBTA right away but slowly wither away. My last pair ate well at first bith then stop , then they start swimming erractically then die . I love true percs but I'm almost ready to give up. Just so you know these fish are going into a reef tank that is thriving everywhere else . I use RO/water all parameters are fine .. Any ideas. ?

 

[thetim6]

Have you bought them all from different sources? Try to find a new source and make sure they are captive bred/raised percs.

All the percs I see around here (VA) are extremely healthy, some of the best looking saltwater stock available.

If you have other fish thriving and your parameters are within spec it's quite possible you are just getting bad stock.

 

[inachu]

If you are adding them properly then perhaps you need to check the salinity of the bag water.


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One thing that might be a mistake if you are new to Perculas is do not put them in right away.
I did this and lost 3 perculas.
i put then right away in the tank BAD!


Entire process time to introduce that prevents mine from dying is
5 to 7 minutes

First tank water to drip into bad should be just a teaspoon while the bag floats in the tank.

The old way I did it was just get a clean bowl rise it out then dump the bag water along with fish in the bowl. Then get a clean cup that has been washed. If washed in dish water then rinse the cup 3 times. ever notice the first time you fill a clean cup from the dish water it bubbles when adding tap water? yep chemicals!!!
So after rinsing the cup slowy pour the tank water into the bowl then after 7 minutes you can dump him in the tank.

 

[WDLV]

You may have a source that's selling you sick fish or you may have brook or amyloodinium in your system that's only effecting clowns.
If you like, try my method.
I quarrantine them on arrival. I use a 10 gallon tank with a HOB filter (no carbon) and a heater. I set the specific gravity at 1.009 and add 1mL/gallon of Formalin III. I also use 0.5mL/Gallon Amquel. I use the same dosage when I do the daily or bi-daily water changes.
I do this for a week if I see no symptoms or a month after the last symptom is gone. I use nitrofurazone if there are skin lesions and use garlic laced spectrum pellets. Always feed sparingly during quarrantine and do not let muck accumulate on the bottom or in the filter. Ammonia is not your friend.

 

[McLaughlin4]

If I had to guess the percs that I am getting here IL is wild caught . I will try the Qt next time . In the mean time , I guess I sohuld just go out and get a couple of Rod's Onyx since its only 30 minutes away . I will keep everyone informed . Thanks for the help. My last pair almost started to act as though it was some kind of gill problem.

 

[WDLV]

Well if you're seeing them act like there's a gill problem, keep in mind that the first place that cryptocarion, brooklynella and amyloodenium attach is the gills. That's why once you realize there's a problem, it's often too late.
Good luck.

 

[McLaughlin4]

Anyone know a good online supplier of true percs? Anyone had good luck with a specific place ?

 

[mborkush]

Very interesting situation. I am on looking for a situation like mine.....Think I found one. I Have a pair for over a year--very healthy, good eaters, added a bubble tip--both hosted together for 2 weeks, now the larger one is breathing very heavy, lying on a patch of zoo's and will not eat. Tried feeding directly in front of him, even with a bit of garlic--no luck. The breathing heavy and lying around makes me nervous. Can someone elaborate on what cryptocarion, brooklynella and amyloodenium is? Sounds like water parameters...Yes? All my common levels are trace or zero. Very healthy tank and tank mates. Smaller clown eating and acting like a clown. Im puzzled.
--Matt

 

[WDLV]

Matt,
Cryptocarion Irritans (sp?) is Marine "Ick"
Brooklynella Hostilis is "Brook"
Amyloodinium is "Marine Velvet"

The latter two can kill clowns in a matter of days or even hours after being detected. Your BTA could very well have brought one of those pathogens into the tank with it.

 

[inachu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12244878#post12244878 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WDLV
Well if you're seeing them act like there's a gill problem, keep in mind that the first place that cryptocarion, brooklynella and amyloodenium attach is the gills. That's why once you realize there's a problem, it's often too late.
Good luck.

what medicine for gill infestation if we do treat it just in time?

 

[WDLV]

I use 1cc/gallon FormalinIII and hyposalinity (1.009) in a separate hospital tank. I dose Amquell at 0.5cc/gallon to keep any ammonia spikes in check. a 10 gallon tank, an air stone and a heater is all you really need to pull this off but I use a power filter without carbon instead of the air stone. Don't forget PVC elbows or something else for them to hide in.

Copper is more aggressive, but I never became comfortable using it.

 

[mborkush]

Did my homework on cryptocarion, brooklynella and amyloodenium. Not something I was hoping to have. My clown is now officialy a side swimmer. Not looking to good. I will start treatment tonight and hope for the best. My bigest concern right now is the other clown becoming infected as well. Should I treat the two or just the sick one? Thank you for the info.

 

[chrisstie]

Do you have other fish in the tank? The clownfish diseases don't often, but will show up on other fish so I'm surprised that if you were between clownfish the other fish weren't affected.

For mborkush did you see any black marks on your clowns form between introduction to the anemone and now? I have observed in one of my aquacultured clowns, his first experience with an anemone was a little labored. in the same tank I have a BTA and frogspawn. He very quickly got the idea of hosting down, but I could see sting marks where he was building his immunity- versus wc clowns who may already be used to this if they were harvested near a host.

Most clowns pull through- they are designed with instinct to- my little guy would host the frogspawn when he felt the anemone was too much but now that he's adjusted you can barely see him in the nem sometimes.

For the OP keep an eye on this too - healthy clowns really should make it fine but if there is something wrong with them (could also be internal parasites maybe?) and they start hosting their immune system may not be up to the task.

clowns dying so fast could also mean if they are wc they could have flukes. Have you seen any torn fins or opaque strange spots on them? Hopefully not but you can always try a FW dip if the LFS doesn't do it to their fish when they come in (no more than a min or 2 max) then a saltwater soak in some formalin and methyl blue could help. You could also consider prazi pro- its just best to first know if your clowns are aquacultured or not and go from there based on inspection and stress level for the clowns.

 

[WDLV]

Tonnight may be too late. Brook will rarely show up in other fish, though they may be carriers. Amyloodinium can also bypass other fish.

 

[mborkush]

This is tough, They both look beautiful! No sting marks, no white spots, no tares or other blemishes on there bodies. Both very nice fish. Just the large one with the heavy labored breathing. Aagin had them for over a year--the BTA must have brought something into the tank. Is it possible that he just reacted to the sting of the BTA? Had to build up his amunity? Maybe the smaller one can handle it where the larger can not?

Also if it is a parasite like marine velvet or a form of Ick, wouldnt the Anemone's sting make the parasite drop off or release from the fish? Dont the inverts eat/consume parasites or have I been miss led in the past?