Fish are rapidly dying... please help

[gideon2086]

A few days ago I noticed that my Kole Tang and Royal Gramma seemed to be losing color.. they were fading, literally. I did a full spectrum test and there was nothing concerning. The tang was eating, the gramma was not. Two days later they were dead. The following day my clown vanished. A follow-up test shows a rise in nitrates and nothing else. A water change brought the nitrates back down.

now one of my chromis is showing discoloration in spots. I’ve not seen this before and am at a loss..

 

[Radman73]

A few days ago I noticed that my Kole Tang and Royal Gramma seemed to be losing color.. they were fading, literally. I did a full spectrum test and there was nothing concerning. The tang was eating, the gramma was not. Two days later they were dead. The following day my clown vanished. A follow-up test shows a rise in nitrates and nothing else. A water change brought the nitrates back down.

now one of my chromis is showing discoloration in spots. I’ve not seen this before and am at a loss..

#ReefSquad

Perhaps urenoma or bacterial? How long have you had the fish? Has anything been added recently?

 

[gideon2086]

The Gramma was in the tank for about six months. The tang for about two weeks.

 

[Radman73]

Did any of the fish that died die with their mouth's open?

 

[gideon2086]

Did any of the fish that died die with their mouth's open?

I’m actually not sure. The tang may have had his mouth open. I cannot recall with the Gramma. Certainly possible. I have a feeling the pictured Chromis may not have long.. I’ll be sure to pay attention.

 

[Radman73]

Do you have a QT tank or hospital tank? If so, please get it set up and running now. Fresh salt water salinity and temp matched to the DT. Depending on how many and what size fish, even a 5gal bucket can work or a plastic bin. A bacteria in a bottle product like biospira can help to keep the water clean along with regular water changes. A piece of filter floss to pour the bacteria onto helps.

Do you have any meds on hand? Metro, kanaplex, furan-2, general cure, a copper product?

 

[gideon2086]

Do you have a QT tank or hospital tank? If so, please get it set up and running now. Fresh salt water salinity and temp matched to the DT. Depending on how many and what size fish, even a 5gal bucket can work or a plastic bin. A bacteria in a bottle product like biospira can help to keep the water clean along with regular water changes. A piece of filter floss to pour the bacteria onto helps.

Do you have any meds on hand? Metro, kanaplex, furan-2, general cure, a copper product?

I do have a QT tank. Stopping at the LFS today to get the water for it.
I have metro kanaplex and furan. I do not have general cure or a copper.

 

[Radman73]

If they have general cure and copper, pick it up, as it should be cheap. If you don't have Focus, and they have it grab that as well. That's to bind meds to the food to treat for internal issues.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me steps in, but absent that, I'd move as many of your fish over as the QT will hold and dose it with general cure or metro. I'd also use focus and metro in the food you feed. Finally, I'd start ramping up the copper, in the QT, with the idea of getting it to therapeutic by tomorrow afternoon.

Did the tang have any reddish spots on it? I'm really not sure what the issue is yet.

What other fish do you have? Some do not respond well to copper.

 

[sharpimage]

Any other fish in the system?

 

[gideon2086]

Any other fish in the system?

Yes. Fire fish, one other Chromis, watchman goby, bunch of snails, shrimp, crabs.

 

[gideon2086]

If they have general cure and copper, pick it up, as it should be cheap. If you don't have Focus, and they have it grab that as well. That's to bind meds to the food to treat for internal issues.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me steps in, but absent that, I'd move as many of your fish over as the QT will hold and dose it with general cure or metro. I'd also use focus and metro in the food you feed. Finally, I'd start ramping up the copper, in the QT, with the idea of getting it to therapeutic by tomorrow afternoon.

Did the tang have any reddish spots on it? I'm really not sure what the issue is yet.

What other fish do you have? Some do not respond well to copper.

The tang did not have reddish spots that I noticed. Should I treat the water column with metro?

 

[Radman73]

The tang did not have reddish spots that I noticed. Should I treat the water column with metro?

QT water column, yes. DT, no.

 

[Ken Davison]

It is difficult to tell from your pic exactly how you are running your tank, is it fish only? full reef tank? does it have a sump or run on an external filter?

All these things have a bearing on what is happening in your tank and how to resolve it.

 

[gideon2086]

It is difficult to tell from your pic exactly how you are running your tank, is it fish only? full reef tank? does it have a sump or run on an external filter?

All these things have a bearing on what is happening in your tank and how to resolve it.

It’s a full reef tank. No sump, HOB filter and HOB skimmer.

 

[Ken Davison]

It’s a full reef tank. No sump, HOB filter and HOB skimmer.

How big is the tank and how long has it been set up

 

[gideon2086]

How big is the tank and how long has it been set up

40 gallons, 8 months or so.

 

[gideon2086]

Appears that only the one Chromis is left. Watchmen and fire fish are MIA. I did a 25% water change yesterday and a 50% change today. The nitrates are still maxing out on the API tester...

 

[Ken Davison]

Appears that only the one Chromis is left. Watchmen and fire fish are MIA. I did a 25% water change yesterday and a 50% change today. The nitrates are still maxing out on the API tester...

To me it would appear your HOB is not functioning correctly probably due to over feeding. One of the problems with HOB filters is media, is it cartridge media?

Are all your fish dead now?

I know your problem well; my daughter set up a HOB filter system and lost a lot of fish and she was heart broken. I told her to hang in there and we changed the mediocre media plus a 50% water change and slowly re-established the tank. It is now running correctly with 10% water changes once a month.

 

[gideon2086]

Three fish are left. I have high quality media in it and clean/change it often. It’s been running since the tank started, without issue.