Help. Fish dying one by one

[awwinterfall]

Also, none of the butterflies had sores

 

[awwinterfall]

So if its either one, should I treat again with acriflavine or metro?

A resistant strain is always possible. However, a ciliate that copper does not fully treat (e.g. Brook, Uronema, Trichodina) is more probable. (This is assuming flukes are not the cause.) I've seen both Uronema and Trichodina cause the symptoms you are describing. With uronema, the red sores typically only show up on chromis, anthias, angels and butterflies. More resistant fish have heavy breathing, lack of appetite, etc. because the parasites primarily attack the gills (of these fish).

About a year ago I got in a batch of chromis w/uronema that NOTHING slowed down. I tried metro, formalin, Chloroquine, acriflavine, FW dips. I euthanized the remaining chromis and bleached all my QTs after that. I'll never order from that particular wholesaler ever again lol

 

[Humblefish]

So should I start over and just keep these fish separate from other fish for life?

I would run hypo for a full week, and then slowly raise salinity back up. Drop freshwater black mollies in with the fish. At 1.009 SG, you can just drop them right in. Observe your fish and black mollies to see if symptoms return. Hopefully this was just flukes. I used to encounter prazi resistant flukes all the time, but Fenbendazole took care of that problem for me. Thanks @Dr. Reef for doing all the in-tank testing using fenbendazole.

 

[awwinterfall]

Also, do you think the cause is frozen food or improper quarantine of the older fish?

 

[Humblefish]

Also, do you think the cause is frozen food or improper quarantine of the older fish?

I use LRS myself, so I think that would only make them sick if you gotten a bad batch, or it had spoilt and was refrozen. You'd have to cut the fish open and see if there was any damage to the GI tract.

I don't see how flukes could linger this long without causing prior symptoms. I'm leaning more towards Uronema and/or Trichodina because both a) Can linger in a tank for a long while without affecting any fish b) Have no fallow period because they can subsist off of detritus.

The last part is key. If a tank is kept really clean, you can have low levels of either pathogen... but their numbers aren't strong enough to afflict most fish. The parasites are in the substrate or down in the sump searching for detritus to sustain themselves. But get a little lax with maintenance, allow nitrates to climb or detritus to accumulate... The little jerks now have the fuel needed to propagate themselves and travel to other regions of the aquarium where contact with fish becomes more likely.

 

[awwinterfall]

So best to raise salinity and use metro/copper?

Can the hypo not kill tricho or uronema.
It surprises me how hypo worked so well to stop the symptoms.

I use LRS myself, so I think that would only make them sick if you gotten a bad batch, or it had spoilt and was refrozen. You'd have to cut the fish open and see if there was any damage to the GI tract.

I don't see how flukes could linger this long without causing prior symptoms. I'm leaning more towards Uronema and/or Trichodina because both a) Can linger in a tank for a long while without affecting any fish b) Have no fallow period because they can subsist off of detritus.

The last part is key. If a tank is kept really clean, you can have low levels of either pathogen... but their numbers aren't strong enough to afflict most fish. The parasites are in the substrate or down in the sump searching for detritus to sustain themselves. But get a little lax with maintenance, allow nitrates to climb or detritus to accumulate... The little ******** now have the fuel needed to propagate themselves and travel to other regions of the aquarium where contact with fish becomes more likely.

 

[Humblefish]

So best to raise salinity and use metro/copper?

Can the hypo not kill tricho or uronema.
It surprises me how hypo worked so well to stop the symptoms.

Hypo might suppress either ciliate (which is why they are feeling better & eating again), but copper + metro would be needed for complete eradication. However, I wouldn't dose copper + metro until you hit at least 1.017-18 SG. Both are more toxic in lower salinity. Actually, I think it's the lower pH normally associated with hyposalinity that's the real problem with copper toxicity.

 

[4FordFamily]

I didn't test but used cupramine as directed on the bottle.
I just bought copper powder and the hanna test kit on amazon.

Was there rock, sand, or filter media in the tank?

 

[awwinterfall]

Just great.
I have a possible power outage tonight! not sure if my area is affected.

How do I operate a generator? I'm thinking about going to get one tonight.

 

[awwinterfall]

Which generator brand model is easy to use and efficient?

Never bought or used one before.

Ordering one now for overnight from amazon.

 

[Thaxxx]

Pretty easy.
Most are just gas and oil them up.
Plug and play.
Read ALL the safety instructions.
DO NOT RUN IN UNVENTALATED AREA.
Buy at least one long heavy duty extension cord and a few smaller cords.
Generac, Honda are good brands.
After you pick the model, go online and read the owners manual before you get it. That way your all ready to go.

 

[awwinterfall]

Good choice?? No outage yet. fingers crossed.

Will be run outside on porch with chain lock.


Honda EU2200i 2200-Watt 120-Volt Super Quiet Portable Inverter Generator

Edit: Never mind, product recalled

 

[awwinterfall]

So It seems like you use oil to run this thing outside the house and you use an extension cord to plug your heaters and filters etc.

 

[awwinterfall]

Bare bottom quarantine

Was there rock, sand, or filter media in the tank?

 

[Thaxxx]

Yes.
Just plug in to unit.
Run cord to the house.
Plug electrical items to cord. Done

 

[awwinterfall]

looks like outage not happening but I will invest in a generator for the future.

Fish are still doing well in hypo.

I think I will hypo for 30 days, then slowly raise salinity to add copper/metro for 14 days. then add black molly.

 

[awwinterfall]

Have an update. All fish have perished. After the salinity was raised, the disease returned. Copper didn't work.
I am restarting a new tank.

 

[Nano man]

What? That is sad to hear......