Something is VERY wrong with my fish

[Breakthecycle2]

Over the last week, I've lost about 5 fish. Over the last few days it looked like ICH, it could still be but I'm not sure. There appears to be some white specs on them, but not all over. My yellow Scopas tang now has very cloudy eyes. I don't see any spots, but its hard to tell on him. My Katoi wrasse has some spots around the head and on the back of the dorsal fin. My mimic tang was dead today. I attached pics of him and the best I could of the Scopas. I was able to pick up some Dr. G's caviar (with Choloquinn phosphate) that most of the fish ate, but not the Scopas. I have some ProziPro. Not sure if I should use it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[cginter]

By the sounds of it and by how fast your loosing fish, I'd say it's marine velvet. People mistake it for ich. I don't the proper cure for it as it usually wipes out all fish unless you can get them in a qt and try saving them. But look up marine velvet and see if that's what it sounds like.

 

[4FordFamily]

By the sounds of it and by how fast your loosing fish, I'd say it's marine velvet. People mistake it for ich. I don't the proper cure for it as it usually wipes out all fish unless you can get them in a qt and try saving them. But look up marine velvet and see if that's what it sounds like.

Certainly possible

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I don't think it is. They aren't dying that quick. I just have no dang clue on how to determine if it's velvet or Ich or this or that. It doesn't explain the cloudy eyes.

 

[Humblefish]

Could be an external parasite (ich, velvet) or the cloudy eyes could mean flukes have reached the eyes. A FW dip is your only option for confirming the presence of flukes. A FW dip will also provide temporary relief from velvet. But if this is velvet, nothing short of QT and treatment will save your fish.

Velvet (Amyloodinium):

Symptoms - Because velvet can be such a fast killer, key behavioral symptoms will often prelude visible ones. A fish with velvet may breathe heavy, seek relief by swimming into the flow of a powerhead and act reclusive (velvet makes them sensitive to light).

If visible symptoms do manifest; velvet appears the same as ich, except the fish will usually be covered in “dust.” This dust may look gold colored if viewed at the right angle and under the right spectrum of light. Velvet is often misdiagnosed as ich and is the main “tank killer” in our hobby. It can wipe out all your fish in less than 72 hours and cannot usually be “managed” as ich sometimes is.

Treatment options - Chloroquine phosphate is the treatment of choice for velvet, but copper also works if symptoms are caught early on. Tank transfer and hypo does notwork with velvet. A freshwater dip or formalin bath is recommended before treatment begins, due to the severity of this disease; however these would only provide temporary relief and will not eradicate velvet.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

The fish do not appear to be laboring, except when they are about to die. They aren't swimming directly into the current or appearing to be reclusive.

 

[Humblefish]

The cloudy eyes could be a bacterial infection, which is often secondary to a preexisting parasitic infestation. I just would feel more comfortable making that diagnosis after you've performed a FW dip, to rule out the presence of flukes. Treatment for flukes and for parasites/a bacterial infection differs greatly.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

OK, It might be Velvet. What is the best QT treatment? I am going to get a tank. Is it best to take water from my tank and put it in the QT tank? Will that be enough to keep it my cycling?

 

[Humblefish]

OK, It might be Velvet. What is the best QT treatment? I am going to get a tank. Is it best to take water from my tank and put it in the QT tank? Will that be enough to keep it my cycling?

Water does not contain enough nitrifying bacteria to establish a bio-filter in a QT. Your best bet is to use a filter that utilizes some sort of bio-media capable of housing nitrifying bacteria - I personally use an Aquaclear HOB power filter, utilizing the sponge it comes with. Because you are short on time, you will need to “seed” the sponge with one of those "bacteria in a bottle" products such as Bio-Spira, Seachem Stability or Dr Tim's Nitrifying Bacteria.

You can still use DT water in the interest of saving time if you don't have any freshly mixed SW on hand. Treat with copper (exs. Cupramine, Coppersafe) as that is what's most readily available and eradicates both ich & velvet.

Here is more detailed info on how to setup a QT: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-quarantine.189815/

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I have an aquaclear that's been running for 6 months on my mantis shrimp tank. Can I take the cartridge out of that? I was going to take water from my display tank and do a water change on my 200. Also, the fish that did eat the Dr g's caviar, is that also effective on velevt?​

 

[Humblefish]

I have an aquaclear that's been running for 6 months on my mantis shrimp tank. Can I take the cartridge out of that? I was going to take water from my display tank and do a water change on my 200. Also, the fish that did eat the Dr g's caviar, is that also effective on velevt?

If the sponge has been in the Aquaclear for awhile and not rinsed out or anything, that would be your best bet. Bacteria should have colonized in there.

Dr G's may (or may not) help fish manage their symptoms, as it does contain Chloroquine. However, being velvet is such a devastating disease I think only QT/proper treatment will save your fish long-term.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

How long should I qt for with copper?

 

[Humblefish]

How long should I qt for with copper?

1 month at therapeutic levels.

Cupramine is fully charged (ionic) copper, and has a therapeutic range of 0.35-0.5 mg/L or ppm. You would use a Seachem or Salifert copper test kit for Cupramine, as those are capable of reading copper in the low range. Coppersafe, on the other hand, is chelated copper. It has a much higher therapeutic range of 1.5-2.0 mg/L or ppm. As such, you need a “total copper test kit” such as API’s to measure Coppersafe.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Do I need a light on a qt tank?

 

[Humblefish]

Do I need a light on a qt tank?

It helps for feeding and so the fish don't get depressed (kidding), but it's not a requirement. I never use a light when I QT using CP.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Alright, I got the hospital tank up and running. I took the water from my DT. I used the filter cartridge from my mantis shrimp tank. I put in 2ml of cupramine (sp) in a 20 gallon tank. My other question is, how much can I feed the Dr. G's caviar in my main tank?

 

[Cleo642]

Did you catch the fish and put them in the qt tank?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Did you catch the fish and put them in the qt tank?

Yes, but there are others that are showing signs that I can't catch.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

It helps for feeding and so the fish don't get depressed (kidding), but it's not a requirement. I never use a light when I QT using CP.

Alright, I got the hospital tank up and running. I took the water from my DT. I used the filter cartridge from my mantis shrimp tank. I put in 2ml of cupramine (sp) in a 20 gallon tank. My other question is, how much can I feed the Dr. G's caviar in my main tank?

 

[Humblefish]

My other question is, how much can I feed the Dr. G's caviar in my main tank?

I really don't know, but I would imagine so long as you just substitute Dr. G's for your regular feedings you'll be OK. Same frequency/amount of food. Just keep a close eye on your corals and run carbon in case a little of the med leaches out.