Urgent help! What has attacked my fish?

[mahadazad]

Hello Guys
Please help me something has attacked my fish and I have no clue. Last night I cleaned my sump because it had thick layer of residue. But I had switched off my return pump and rector. Only thing that was switched on was my skimmer. When I woke up today my fish was hit. Please help

Here is the video

 

[NY_Caveman]

Hello Guys
Please help me something has attacked my fish and I have no clue. Last night I cleaned my sump because it has thick layer of residue. But I had switched off my return pump and rector. Only thing that was switched on was my skimmer. When I woke up today my fish was hit. Please help

Here is the video

I am no expert, but I understand it is frustrating. It would help others who are experienced if you can list your tank size and parameters as well as the other inhabitants. Will help them to consider possibilities. Is there any fish that have shown aggression in the past? Good luck!

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

that fish look like its been skinned... doesnt look too good.
leaning towards brook could also be velvet or head lateral line erosion.
lets see what other say.
#reefsquad

 

[Crabs McJones]

The fact that the loss looks almost exactly the same on both sides of the fish makes me think it's possibly a severe form of HLLE. What do you feed your fish, and what are its other tank mates? @Humblefish @Big G

 

[reef lover]

Op says if happened overnight. Probably not hille...maybe a bacterial infection ....

 

[Reeferdood]

Hopefully @Humblefish chimes in here but I would bet that fish has succumbed by now.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Op says if happened overnight. Probably not hille...maybe a bacterial infection ....

Could be, but that looks like alot to happen overnight. Possible it's been going on for a couple days and op didnt notice? But possibly infection of some type. Best course would be to move it over to a quarantine regardless as there is definitely something going on. And closely observe all your other fish for similar symptoms in the event it has spread to them.

 

[Lasse]

For me it looks like the fish has problem with its central nervous system. The stiff body, misorientation of the body and the colour pattern - symmetrically on both sides - indicate this. What´s the cause? Impossible to say but stress, shock, some bacterial, viral or parasite caused disease or you name it. It happens during last night - IMO - it is to fast result in order to be caused by an microorganism. You get your hands wet last evening …..

Will it recover … doubt that but if you try to give the fish a calm environment - you can only wait and see.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[saltyhog]

I think the coloration is likely not a specific symptom of the disease or problem that caused this. Since the other fish seem unaffected I don't think toxins are the likely culprit. Some type of over whelming infection is most likely. I don't think this was and attack.

@Humblefish

 

[Lasse]

I think the coloration is likely not a specific symptom of the disease or problem that caused this. Since the other fish seem unaffected I don't think toxins are the likely culprit. Some type of over whelming infection is most likely. I don't think this was and attacked.

@Humblefish

In opposite - I think that the coloration and the fact that it is symmetrical is the key factor in order to understand what´s happen. I think the fish have get a shock - maybe when you get your hands wet last night. I have seen this before - colouration and behavior indicate this - but I can be wrong - it has happen before

Sincerely Lasse

 

[saltyhog]

In opposite - I think that the coloration and the fact that it is symmetrical is the key factor in order to understand what´s happen. I think the fish have get a shock - maybe when you get your hands wet last night. I have seen this before - colouration and behavior indicate this - but I can be wrong - it has happen before

Sincerely Lasse

Sorry, I should have been more clear. The coloration is definitely from whatever problem is causing the fish's demise. I just don't think the coloration points to a specific cause. (example...palor in a human...could be from anemia, vasoconstriction, heart failure, epinephrine OD, etc.). I can't understand what you mean for sure by a shock. Do you mean an electrical shock or something that is a shock to the fish. If the later, we are in agreement.

 

[mahadazad]

The fish is no more . But I still want an expert advice, so that, I can avoid this in future. Some friends of mine are saying that due to the sump cleaning ammonia might have spiked and hit the fish. I don’t know how true it could be or even possible.

 

[Lasse]

If the later, we are in agreement

We are in agreement.

IMO all three things I mentioned indicate problems with the nervous system. Fast colour change ( expansion or contraction of chromophores -> rapid color changes, are controlled by the nervous system. The colouration of the fish indicate damaged neural pathways. Because that it happens as fas as it did - the only thing I can think of is that he/she has been scared and bumped into something and get some brain/neural injuries.

Ammoniac intoxication - IMO - you should see it on the other fishes too - hence - I do not believe in that

Sincerely Lasse

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Dorsal and anal fins are fully extended and rigid, color change/fade is symmetrical and seems to be more prominent above lateral line, fish cannot control buoyancy, swims with very jerky movement of pectoral fins, minimal control of caudal fin.

Severe HLLE does come to mind. Something has got that fish in extreme shock.

 

[CherBear811]

Do you use any oxidizers? Like hydrogen peroxide or ORP.

 

[tgrick]

Sorry for your losses. How old was the fish?

 

[vetteguy53081]

As tangs often do, there was a change in flow, and it appears the fish freaked out (as tangs often do) and crashed into rock or other structure

 

[JasPR]

If you have overflow columns in your aquarium, I would suspect the material that built up in there, if disrupted to put a cloud of gas into the water when turned on again. IF you clean out a dirty sump with layers of sediment, always vacuum out the entire sump and wipe it down dry before putting back into service-- nasty gas and bacteria can be related back into the water if you don't. Finally, if you ANY of the flocculant produces ( there are a half dozen) or any of the red algae products they can also linger in the overflow columns and get released into the tank when you start up again as the column self washes. Those can be really toxic in large amounts. Finally, IF you removed the stand pipes in the overflows this will for sure put the materials accumulated back into circulation. You fish looks like it is a toxic brain reaction/total physiological break down.

 

[Lasse]

As tangs often do, there was a change in flow, and it appears the fish freaked out (as tangs often do) and crashed into rock or other structure

+1

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Reeferdood]

The fish is no more . But I still want an expert advice, so that, I can avoid this in future. Some friends of mine are saying that due to the sump cleaning ammonia might have spiked and hit the fish. I don’t know how true it could be or even possible.

How long did you have it before this event happened?