Bottom feeders keep dying!!

TMORGAN1980 · May 26, 2023

30 gallon reef tank, corals and free swimming fish all healthy. I’ve had issues with bottom feeders dying. All invertebrates are fine. Lost a sand sifter goby, a starry blenny and now I’ve got another blenny with a sunken stomach. All the fish always have a great appetite and eat every time I put food in the tank. They never seem to get a full belly though and then wake up dead. I’ve treated with Prazipro twice but it doesn’t seem to make any difference. What kind of parasite could only be in the sand only affecting bottom dwellers? Thanks

AC1211 · May 26, 2023

TMORGAN1980 said:
30 gallon reef tank, corals and free swimming fish all healthy. I’ve had issues with bottom feeders dying. All invertebrates are fine. Lost a sand sifter goby, a starry blenny and now I’ve got another blenny with a sunken stomach. All the fish always have a great appetite and eat every time I put food in the tank. They never seem to get a full belly though and then wake up dead. I’ve treated with Prazipro twice but it doesn’t seem to make any difference. What kind of parasite could only be in the sand only affecting bottom dwellers? Thanks

When I had a diamond watchman goby I had to feed a lot to get it eating. I fed a mix of hikari pellets and mysis shrimp. Twice a day. Made sure the goby ate just as much as the other fish. Now the blennies are a different issue. Maybe try getting them some mysis or brine shrimp to the bottom consistently or use a pipette to target feed.