Help Help Help Please

[smalltownuser]

These fish are becoming Moribund and are rapidly declining. Was this tub rinsed/cleaned prior to use?
Other than airstone, i see no means of biological or mechanical filtration and am convinced on water being the issue-low oxygen- likely elevated ammonia- lack of water movement and surface air exchange and foaming at surface is noticeable

I agree with lack of oxygen. All signs point to it. No filtration(lack of water movement), fish circling or laying down, the picture of the tang's mouth open. Everything points to it. My only other idea beyond yours, would be how the water is made. Is it RODI? Do you use SAFE or Prime to neutralize chlorine? I have lost my tank to lack of oxygen and everything he is saying and in the pictures and video all are nearly identical to my disaster :/
It is super upsetting and saddening.
@NemoEnthusiast please dont let this discourage you. Its these hurtful, but memorable disasters that make us better in the hobby

 

[NemoEnthusiast]

I agree with lack of oxygen. All signs point to it. No filtration(lack of water movement), fish circling or laying down, the picture of the tang's mouth open. Everything points to it. My only other idea beyond yours, would be how the water is made. Is it RODI? Do you use SAFE or Prime to neutralize chlorine? I have lost my tank to lack of oxygen and everything he is saying and in the pictures and video all are nearly identical to my disaster :/
It is super upsetting and saddening.
@NemoEnthusiast please dont let this discourage you. Its these hurtful, but memorable disasters that make us better in the hobby

Thanks a lot for your kind words. Much needed.

I've been using tap water with Prime for last 5 years and it's always worked for me. Maybe the issue is in the oxygen levels. I have done a big water change. I hope things go well .

My other 3 FOWLR tanks are also running on the same water and everything is fine in them.

I hope I don't loose anything else

 

[smalltownuser]

Thanks a lot for your kind words. Much needed.

I've been using tap water with Prime for last 5 years and it's always worked for me. Maybe the issue is in the oxygen levels. I have done a big water change. I hope things go well .

My other 3 FOWLR tanks are also running on the same water and everything is fine in them.

I hope I don't loose anything else

I think just because its the QT its more strenuous on the fish. Theyre not in an established tank, more stressful going in to a small tank after shipping in a dark bag. The only other thing I can think of, is how did you acclimate them to the QT? I have best success with drip acclimating them for at least an hour and a half, removing water as you go to increase the QT tank water while decreasing their existing water, along with adding that remaining water back to the tank so they keep some of their existing water with them, and then leaving them alone for at least a day. No food, no water change, just let them acclimate to their new environment. I noticed in your picture that your QT appears to be on the ground? If that is the case, I would also bet that your water temp is uneven. The ground sucks heat out of anything(basic survival info). The ground absorbs heat at a pretty drastic rate, so if the tank is on the ground, maybe the bottom of the tank is significantly cooler than the rest of the tank, and that change in temp can shock the fish? I put my QT on an entertainment stand with a towel underneath it, to keep it away from the ground, but also to keep it higher in the air, meaning less debris falling in to it. I see it like this, when you walk around, you stir up dust and who knows what else just with the gust of wind from you moving around, so when that happens, the higher the tank is, the less random stuff gets in the tank. I also have a daughter and a cat, so need to keep it out of reach of anything except myself.
At the end of the day, they are animals and therefor each one is different just like us, and they react differently. I am currently having trouble with my pajama cardinals not eating in their QT. Its a live and learn hobby, and unfortunately this hobby is expensive, and involves the lives of animals. It can be stressful and saddening at times, but is also very peaceful and beautiful when things go right.

 

[NemoEnthusiast]

I think just because its the QT its more strenuous on the fish. Theyre not in an established tank, more stressful going in to a small tank after shipping in a dark bag. The only other thing I can think of, is how did you acclimate them to the QT? I have best success with drip acclimating them for at least an hour and a half, removing water as you go to increase the QT tank water while decreasing their existing water, along with adding that remaining water back to the tank so they keep some of their existing water with them, and then leaving them alone for at least a day. No food, no water change, just let them acclimate to their new environment. I noticed in your picture that your QT appears to be on the ground? If that is the case, I would also bet that your water temp is uneven. The ground sucks heat out of anything(basic survival info). The ground absorbs heat at a pretty drastic rate, so if the tank is on the ground, maybe the bottom of the tank is significantly cooler than the rest of the tank, and that change in temp can shock the fish? I put my QT on an entertainment stand with a towel underneath it, to keep it away from the ground, but also to keep it higher in the air, meaning less debris falling in to it. I see it like this, when you walk around, you stir up dust and who knows what else just with the gust of wind from you moving around, so when that happens, the higher the tank is, the less random stuff gets in the tank. I also have a daughter and a cat, so need to keep it out of reach of anything except myself.
At the end of the day, they are animals and therefor each one is different just like us, and they react differently. I am currently having trouble with my pajama cardinals not eating in their QT. Its a live and learn hobby, and unfortunately this hobby is expensive, and involves the lives of animals. It can be stressful and saddening at times, but is also very peaceful and beautiful when things go right.

So true !!! It's really difficult to see them die in front of your eyes and not being able to do anything.

The QT is on the table not on the ground. So I hope there won't be a temprature issue. As for the acclimation, I also drip acclimate but for no more than 30-40 minutes.

I lost the tang. It's already gone. I gave a FW dip to the Pajama Cardinal and it seems to be swimming well now. Fingers crossed.

 

[Seansea]

I know this doesnt help you now but for future reference here is how i do my qt

20g tNk i had layin around. 30$ fluvall hob filter. $15 amazon light. Pvc and old decor i had layin around. $15 heater. Airstone and some mollys for keeping it cylced. Algae grows so the tangs put in there have food meanwhile the mollys dont let it get of control. Veracious algae eaters. Water change everycouple weeks with cheap io salt. See some fish i like at my local lfs qt is ready. Its hidden in a place in the basement noone goes.

 

[Seansea]

Also side bonus when mollys have babies live food for tough eaters like hawk fish

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you so much everyone... I am taking all the measures as suggested... I hope the rest of them survive

I'm coming into this late, but the tang is breathing really fast. There is an issue with top down viewing in that it makes proper observation of the fish almost impossible - right at the time when they need to have the closest eyes on them.

From what I read, I would rule out severe water quality issues. I'm worried that it is velvet. Have you medicated the fish with anything yet?

Jay

 

[NemoEnthusiast]

I'm coming into this late, but the tang is breathing really fast. There is an issue with top down viewing in that it makes proper observation of the fish almost impossible - right at the time when they need to have the closest eyes on them.

From what I read, I would rule out severe water quality issues. I'm worried that it is velvet. Have you medicated the fish with anything yet?

Jay

Nope, no medication yet.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Nope, no medication yet.

So - no ammonia still? The two water quality issues that cause acute problems in fish most of the time are ammonia and low oxygen. The water motion in the video looks pretty good, is there anything breaking the surface and making bubbles? Is so, you can rule out water quality issues - for now.
I’m leaning towards velvet, Amyloodinium at this point. Fish in quarantine really should be treated for impending disease issues. Coppersafe at a full dose would be what I would do, but be forewarned that once fish loss has begun if it is velvet, copper doesn’t always work fast enough to save the remaining fish.

Jay