New fish were introduced now all fish are dying

Wrothgar · Mar 31, 2023

Going to make an emergency post I added three new clownfish to my tank around a month ago the new fish have since died and now it seems that my older fish that have been in the tank for months are dying now I need help identifying a disease a bacteria or a fungus of some sort my ocillaris are all dead now and they had white splotches along their bodies and gills and now it's on my sand sifting gobies any help would be greatly appreciated.

SlugSnorter · Mar 31, 2023

Wrothgar said:
Going to make an emergency post I added three new clownfish to my tank around a month ago the new fish have since died and now it seems that my older fish that have been in the tank for months are dying now I need help identifying a disease a bacteria or a fungus of some sort my ocillaris are all dead now and they had white splotches along their bodies and gills and now it's on my sand sifting gobies any help would be greatly appreciated.

params. Pics in white (corpses don't help), list of symptoms (itching, white dots, heavy breathing, etc)

#fishmedic

piranhaman00 · Mar 31, 2023

Did you QT? Probably velvet

SlugSnorter · Mar 31, 2023

piranhaman00 said:
Did you QT? Probably velvet

could also be brook

Sharkbait19 · Mar 31, 2023

Videos and pics of the living fish will be needed for an accurate diagnosis.
How did the fish act before dying?

Wrothgar · Mar 31, 2023

Parameters were taken 3-26 and tested salinity and pH today they are still the same. I didn't really notice any kind of off behavior everybody was feeding just fine it seems to come on really quick like they'll be fine first thing in the morning and when I return home from work they are dead. I also need to know if any of those things that you guys are mentioning affect shrimp feather duster worms and corals. Picture in the original post are showing me that it leaves behind a white residue I'm thinking it may be ich. What are you guys recommend I treat with knowing that there are corals and other critters in there.

Wrothgar · Mar 31, 2023

Most all fish have gone down the toilet now

SlugSnorter · Mar 31, 2023

Wrothgar said:
Parameters were taken 3-26 and tested salinity and pH today they are still the same. I didn't really notice any kind of off behavior everybody was feeding just fine it seems to come on really quick like they'll be fine first thing in the morning and when I return home from work they are dead. I also need to know if any of those things that you guys are mentioning affect shrimp feather duster worms and corals. Picture in the original post are showing me that it leaves behind a white residue I'm thinking it may be ich. What are you guys recommend I treat with knowing that there are corals and other critters in there.

if its ich or another disease, it won't harm corals and inverts.

Ich spots look like sugar sprinkles. Its hard to ID from a corpse.

There's not really any reef safe treatments for ich, velve and brook (and most fish diseases for that matter), they need to be treated in QT with proper medications.

MnFish1 · Mar 31, 2023

This is likely velvet. No one will know - if there are still fish - and if you haven't quarantined them - I would put them through the protocol at the top of the page. You will need a fallow period - Unfortunate - I'm choosing the worst case scenario - i.e. a fallow period - 2.5 months. There are numerous protocols. BTW - you also need to treat any remaining fish (I'm not sure there are any). Pictures of dead fish do not show disease as well. Unfortunately - if you could give more history - etc - as per the link in my signature - it might help

J&K Reefers · Mar 31, 2023

SlugSnorter said:
params. Pics in white (corpses don't help), list of symptoms (itching, white dots, heavy breathing, etc)

#fishmedic

It’s most definitely Brook. Same thing infected
My tank after I added a white cheek tang and killed a clown pair I had for 4 months. They started to loose their color on their sides near the dorsal fins and became sluggish. It only took 3 days for them to die. Sorry for your lose!!

MnFish1 · Mar 31, 2023

J&K Reefers said:
It’s most definitely Brook. Same thing infected
My tank after I added a white cheek tang and killed a clown pair I had for 4 months. They started to loose their color on their sides near the dorsal fins and became sluggish. It only took 3 days for them to die. Sorry for your lose!!

most definitely? Why? Just curious

Lavey29 · Mar 31, 2023

MnFish1 said:
most definitely? Why? Just curious

Because it's significantly more common in clownfish then velvet and kills just as fast. OP added clowns then his fish deaths started. Ich doesn't kill that fast.

MnFish1 · Mar 31, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Because it's significantly more common in clownfish then velvet and kills just as fast. OP added clowns then his fish deaths started. Ich doesn't kill that fast.

I know these things - I was asking the person that posted the answer: (i.e. jkreefers)). No offense. Of course Brook is more common in clownfish - I don't remember suggesting it was Ich? Brook does not kill other fish as quickly IMHO. Perhaps you know something different? This was my answer:
"This is likely velvet. No one will know - if there are still fish - and if you haven't quarantined them - I would put them through the protocol at the top of the page. You will need a fallow period - Unfortunate - I'm choosing the worst case scenario - i.e. a fallow period - 2.5 months. There are numerous protocols. BTW - you also need to treat any remaining fish (I'm not sure there are any). Pictures of dead fish do not show disease as well. Unfortunately - if you could give more history - etc - as per the link in my signature - it might help"

Hhaynie · Mar 31, 2023

That is terrifying! Are any still alive?

Lavey29 · Mar 31, 2023

MnFish1 said:
I know these things - I was asking the person that posted the answer: (i.e. jkreefers)). No offense. Of course Brook is more common in clownfish - I don't remember suggesting it was Ich? Brook does not kill other fish as quickly IMHO. Perhaps you know something different? This was my answer:
"This is likely velvet. No one will know - if there are still fish - and if you haven't quarantined them - I would put them through the protocol at the top of the page. You will need a fallow period - Unfortunate - I'm choosing the worst case scenario - i.e. a fallow period - 2.5 months. There are numerous protocols. BTW - you also need to treat any remaining fish (I'm not sure there are any). Pictures of dead fish do not show disease as well. Unfortunately - if you could give more history - etc - as per the link in my signature - it might help"

I agree with you, will never know for sure but if you consider the ratio of sick clownfish posts on the site with brook versus velvet I think you can say brook most likely. Plus the timeline, his clowns were in the tank a month and then every thing starts dying. When I had brook, my clowns showed initial symptoms about a month in then as the disease took hold in the tank death came quick for the fish. Totally agree with the fallow recommendation. It's funny, clowns are my favorite reef fish but I'll never add one to the tank again. I got mine from LFS in business 40 years and QT. They were the first fish in the tank.

Jay Hemdal · Mar 31, 2023

After the fact diagnosis is tough.
Brooklynella hits clownfish first. You’ll see white mucus on their bodies. It can spread to other fish in severe cases.
Velvet causes only rapid breathing and death in 48 hours or so.
Ich has the classic white spots and fish don’t seem sick for the first few days.

Are any fish left alive?

Jay

brandon429 · Mar 31, 2023

its nice to be able to rule out a parameter issue. it makes the round two very correctable

can fallow clear out brook?

only installing disease-prepped fish and fallowing all entrants added from a pet store/snails corals etc will fix that right up in the future.

MischiefReef · Mar 31, 2023

Based on the speed of progression it seems like either brooks or velvet to me. Ich possibly too but usually fish can overcome that especially if eating normally as you said they have been. As others have mentioned a fallow period for the tank would be wise. Sorry for your fish losses.

brandon429 · Mar 31, 2023

I thought I read once that velvet can't be cleared from a system by fallow...would that indicate him restarting the entire system/is that the only way to clear out velvet after introduction via unprepped fish or surfaces

MischiefReef · Mar 31, 2023

I’m going by what seems to be the consensus? I should also clarify I have never dealt with velvet myself *knock on wood*.

But I’ll also link a much more experienced aquarist’s comment below!

Post in thread 'velvet fallow 42 or 76 days?'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-fallow-42-or-76-days.971635/post-11149396