Need help identifying disease and treatment

[xionggotstyle]

Hey guys.

I'm a semi newbie reefer. This is the situation. I've got a 90 gallon reef tank. Just recently I just started losing my life stock. So far I have lost seven fish. It started first with my royal gramma and then I lost my pair of DaVinci clownfish and then I lost a pair of my green Mandarin fish and then I lost my yellow eye Kole. They did not all die at the same time. Now I do have other fish in a tank that are not exhibiting the same severe symptoms. My yellow tang looks like he's perfectly healthy but my purple tang has cloudy eye it looks like he's having some patches on this skin. My purple Firefish and then my yellow Watchman goby as well as the two pairs of blue green chromis fish are doing perfectly fine as well. My coral beauty fish does have cloudy eyes but he's eating and swimming. Now I do have to say that all the fish are more skittish and not as active as usual. I have no idea what's causing these fishes to die. It doesn't look like velvet or ich. I thought it was Brooklynella but it doesn't really look like a either because the fish are all dying by days apart and not all the fish are affected I'll post some pictures. Any ideas in identifying this disease and treatment will be greatly appreciated. Attached is pictures of the blue hippo and it looks like crap eyes are cloudy and looks like he's not patches on his skin he's not eating in the only reason I basically took them out was because he was hiding the whole time in the Robson I figured I got to put them in QT or he's going to end up dying.

 

[4FordFamily]

I don't see any photos, those will be helpful.

Are they swimming in to powerheads? Avoiding light a couple days before death or being more cryptic? Flashing? Scratching? Breathing heavily? Any spots?

 

[scardall]

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/index.php?threads/cloudy-eye-s.78353/

 

[xionggotstyle]

I had thought it was Flukes? But I'm not sure. You know how blue Hippos are. It was scratching but not any more. The weird thing is I think it could of been cross contamination. I forgot to mention that my Reefer 170 had a similar outbreak. I also lost my clowns, royal gramma, clown goby, green mandarin in that tank. But the blue green chromis pair x 2, purple firefish, and six line wrasse are in perfect condition.

 

[4FordFamily]

Oh wow those photos showed up now. That looks exactly like velvet to me. That's real, real bad... that poor fish is miserable. I would give it a freshwater dip as soon as possible (match temperature perfectly) for 5 minutes or more for immediate relief and then remove all fish and treat in a quarantine with coppersafe...

There are many strains of velvet, some do not materialize with spots. This fish's gills are heavily damaged which is why (or partially why) its so discolored and blotchy. This screams velvet to me, but let's get a few other experts in here and I want you to respond to my questions above about behavior and other symptoms.

@Humblefish @melypr1985 @Brew12

That poor fish needs serious help.

 

[melypr1985]

I agree. That looks like velvet for sure. I'd pull everybody out and start with the freshwater dip, followed by an acryflavin dip then into CP or a QT to start bringing the copper up to therapeutic levels - within 24 hours.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/

 

[xionggotstyle]

Correct me if I'm wrong...But If it is Velvet...Wouldn't It affect all of my Livestock fish? It doesnt make sense to me what my pair of Blue green chromis pair X 2, Purple Firefish and Watchman goby are symptom free. They are they only ones from my 90 Gallon that are symptom free and acting normal.

 

[4FordFamily]

Correct me if I'm wrong...But If it is Velvet...Wouldn't It affect all of my Livestock fish? It doesnt make sense to me what my pair of Blue green chromis pair X 2, Purple Firefish and Watchman goby are symptom free. They are they only ones from my 90 Gallon that are symptom free and acting normal.

I've had fish live with velvet for quite some time, as they can build resistances to it. The vast majority of fish cannot, however. Wrasse, gobies, and some hardier fish can sometimes live with velvet for months before succumbing.

Ich is not capable of what you describe. That's not brook, although it's possible that fish has both it doesn't sound like it, either.

 

[Brew12]

It is also possible that it is both velvet and flukes. Try to do a fresh water dip in a dark container so you can give it temporary relief from the velvet and check for flukes at the same time.

 

[melypr1985]

Yes, some fish can live with it for a time and even develop a temporary immunity to it while still being a carrier. No matter what everyone must be QT'd and the tank left fallow for you to be able to add new fish in the future.

 

[xionggotstyle]

Waiting for a few more comments?...See if anyone else agrees that its Velvet....

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

Waiting for a few more comments?...See if anyone else agrees that its Velvet....

I wouldn't wait to start treatment. We had velvet last year. Lost everything but our cleaner wrasse and one green chromis. Velvet can go bad very quickly.

 

[4FordFamily]

OK let's get some more of the squad here

#reefsquad

Also, it would help us if you responded to my questions in my first reply.

 

[melypr1985]

it would help us if you responded to my questions in my first reply.

Agreed

 

[Brew12]

Waiting for a few more comments?...See if anyone else agrees that its Velvet....

I would strongly recommend at least performing a fresh water dip now while you wait for more opinions. That will provide some temporary relief and increase his chances of survival. It is effective at temporary relief for several common issues and does little harm to the fish.

 

[4FordFamily]

I would strongly recommend at least performing a fresh water dip now while you wait for more opinions. That will provide some temporary relief and increase his chances of survival. It is effective at temporary relief for several common issues and does little harm to the fish.

I agree entirely. If the dish dies during this process it was too far gone (it already appears too far gone but I've seen hippo pull through some crazy ailments)

 

[Diesel]

Why more opinions, you got the best of the squad telling you on velvet.

 

[xionggotstyle]

Are they swimming in to powerheads? Avoiding light a couple days before death or being more cryptic? Flashing? Scratching? Breathing heavily? Any spots?

Sorry for the delayed response. The fish are being more skittish or cryptic overall. Like they are scared or just hiding and not being out in the open. They all eat when I feed them except the blue hippo. Thus why I took him out. None of the fish are swimming into the powerheads. I did notice the blue hippo flashing against the rock about a week ago but didnt think much of it because there were no other symptoms. Prior to the Kole tang passing away; he was swimming just regular with no issues. Neither the yellow tang or purple tang are flashing now. The yellow tang looks fine with no symptoms. The purple tang and coral beauty does have cloudy eyes but both are eating.

 

[xionggotstyle]

Sorry for the delayed response. The fish are being more skittish or cryptic overall. Like they are scared or just hiding and not being out in the open. They all eat when I feed them except the blue hippo. Thus why I took him out. None of the fish are swimming into the powerheads. I did notice the blue hippo flashing against the rock about a week ago but didnt think much of it because there were no other symptoms. Prior to the Kole tang passing away; he was swimming just regular with no issues. Neither the yellow tang or purple tang are flashing now. The yellow tang looks fine with no symptoms. The purple tang and coral beauty does have cloudy eyes but both are eating.

 

[xionggotstyle]

In regards to the Freshwater Dip; I'm using RODI water. I need to up the pH to 8.4 correct?