DT safe treatments

[Joecam]

Hello all,

I've recently lost 2 of my fish (silver belly wrasse, red scooter blenny)

They both suffered with loss of appetite, rapid "breathing" (more so the wrasse) very lethargic to no movement/swimming. Then death. No sign of black or white spots, fin rott, missing scales etc

My tank (red sea reefer 250) has been running for approximately 15 months. The wrasse has been in from the very beginning, scooter for the last 6 months.

Parameters are stable-ish
Currently running carbon, bag. Skimmer filter socks and live Rock being only other form of filtration. Dosing sugar when needed.

Other fish which have shown no signs of illness. Tang, algae blenny, royal gramma, common clown. Cuc- cerith snails, turbo snail, strawberry conch

I have a few softies all relatively small /frags (gsp, pulsing xenia, toadstool) and one lps favia.

I do not have a hospital/QT and I know my options are limited and here's the question/s:

1.What can I use to treat my DT tank? Without causing a crash/problems worse than tge original issue.

2.Would anyone care to guess what the illness/parasite/ problem is?

3.Would putting all remaining fish in qt be the best option

Thanks for all you help in advance

[TokiHacker]

Originally Posted by Joecam

Hello all,

I've recently lost 2 of my fish (silver belly wrasse, red scooter blenny)

They both suffered with loss of appetite, rapid "breathing" (more so the wrasse) very lethargic to no movement/swimming. Then death. No sign of black or white spots, fin rott, missing scales etc

My tank (red sea reefer 250) has been running for approximately 15 months. The wrasse has been in from the very beginning, scooter for the last 6 months.

Parameters are stable-ish
Currently running carbon, bag. Skimmer filter socks and live Rock being only other form of filtration. Dosing sugar when needed.

Other fish which have shown no signs of illness. Tang, algae blenny, royal gramma, common clown. Cuc- cerith snails, turbo snail, strawberry conch

I have a few softies all relatively small /frags (gsp, pulsing xenia, toadstool) and one lps favia.

I do not have a hospital/QT and I know my options are limited and here's the question/s:

1.What can I use to treat my DT tank? Without causing a crash/problems worse than tge original issue. Not really too many options. I would let it be for a while. Feed with selcon to help apetite.

2.Would anyone care to guess what the illness/parasite/ problem is? Not quite my area a expertise

3.Would putting all remaining fish in qt be the best option 100% best option

Thanks for all you help in advance

to continue on this, the scooter probably died from starvation since it the tank is not very seasoned. What is the eating habits of the silver belly? I am not overly familiar with them, but I don't see anything about them not eating well. Another concern would be what kind of tang? That is a mighty small tank (50 or so gallons if I remember right) for a tang and some can be quite territorial and harass others to death.

Actual parameters will greatly benefit this information.

[MondoBongo]

you can't treat unless you know what you're dealing with.

most effective treatments are not reef safe, but may be in tank safe depending on the treatment and what livestock you keep.

test the normal params to start trying to figure out where the problem is. salinity, temperature, ph, alkalinity, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, calcium, etc...

this will at least tell you something or nothing. if there's no physical signs of disease i would suspect water quality next, unless it is an infection in an area where you couldn't observe it e.g. internal/gills.

are the fish eating normally?

my first line of defense when something goes wrong and i don't immediately know what is to do a large water change. as large as i can. then run carbon and polyfilter. it's a shotgun approach, but until you can find the source of the issues, it's the best you're going to get.

do you not use a skimmer?

[Dmorty217]

Lethargic fish that don't eat typically have flukes IME

[nereefpat]

If you are dealing with worms/flukes, prazi can be treated in the display.

[Tripod1404]

Originally Posted by nereefpat

If you are dealing with worms/flukes, prazi can be treated in the display.

It is reef safe but imo, even that should be a last resort option (like if you cannot catch the fish or fish too big, etc). It would still greatly damage the worm micro and macrofauna that are essential for a healthy sandbed and live rock.

[Joecam]

Originally Posted by TokiHacker

to continue on this, the scooter probably died from starvation since it the tank is not very seasoned. What is the eating habits of the silver belly? I am not overly familiar with them, but I don't see anything about them not eating well. Another concern would be what kind of tang? That is a mighty small tank (50 or so gallons if I remember right) for a tang and some can be quite territorial and harass others to death.

Actual parameters will greatly benefit this information.

Thanks for the response

Silver belly wrasse was a good eater, constantly hunting.

Its a yellow Tang (smallest of them I believe), I've been told at full size I will need a bigger tank It was the last fish I added & intend to upscale but waiting on house move.

Parameters:
Temp: 25.5c
PH: 7.8
Salinity: 1.026sg
Alkalinity: 9.75
Calcium: 425
Magnesium:1305

[Joecam]

Originally Posted by Dmorty217

Lethargic fish that don't eat typically have flukes IME

After a bit of research flukes seemed to tick most boxes

Originally Posted by nereefpat

If you are dealing with worms/flukes, prazi can be treated in the display.

Prazi seem like the only treatment option assuming the diagnosis is right.

[Joecam]

Originally Posted by MondoBongo

you can't treat unless you know what you're dealing with.

most effective treatments are not reef safe, but may be in tank safe depending on the treatment and what livestock you keep.

test the normal params to start trying to figure out where the problem is. salinity, temperature, ph, alkalinity, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, calcium, etc...
All parameters fall exactly in the range I'd expect them to using the salifert test kits. nitrite, ammonia <0. (testing once per week currently)

I've been doing 5% water changes every week some weeks 10%

this will at least tell you something or nothing. if there's no physical signs of disease i would suspect water quality next, unless it is an infection in an area where you couldn't observe it e.g. internal/gills.

are the fish eating normally? The rest of the fish seem to be eating as normal

my first line of defense when something goes wrong and i don't immediately know what is to do a large water change. as large as i can. then run carbon and polyfilter. it's a shotgun approach, but until you can find the source of the issues, it's the best you're going to get.

do you not use a skimmer?

I have a skimmer although not the best (Skim pro 450) I feel like I need to overskim as I tend to be a bit heavy handed with feeding.



Thanks for your advice, may try the increase water change & filter method

[TokiHacker]

Originally Posted by Joecam

I have a skimmer although not the best (Skim pro 450) I feel like I need to overskim as I tend to be a bit heavy handed with feeding.



Thanks for your advice, may try the increase water change & filter method

I would highly suggest you treat them in a quarantine tank.

[Joecam]

In relation to the scooter, tank is full of pods both amphi' & cope'. I addition I got him...or her eating frozen. so was eating extremely well. would even compete for food with others(although way too slow to actually win).

[Joecam]

Originally Posted by TokiHacker

I would highly suggest you treat them in a quarantine tank.

I think its the only option realistically, just dreaming of an easier way I suppose. thanks for the help.