What could have done this?

[Breadbox]

I can't believe this, 3 of my favourite fishes dead within a span of 24 hours of the first symptom being noticed.
The gramma in particular is alive with no signs of skin deterioration less than 20 hours ago, now it's skin has completely peeled off and all fins have rotted???

How? Is this some kind of flesh eating bacteria disease? Now my remaining fish, 2 clowns and a midas is furiously twitching, I'm not sure if it is because of the disease that killed the other 3 fishes or because of the copper I added to the water(I previously suspect velvet).

 

[Hallowhead]

Was the tank freshly cycled ? Mature ? Did you test your water parameters ? Did you add a new fish recently ?

 

[threebuoys]

Very difficult to diagnose after death and after removal from water. Decomposition and scavenger damage occurs very quickly and parasites or slime/skin problems are difficult to see.

Do you have other fish in the tank which you can photograph?

Look through this thread for information you should try to supply to help the diagnosis.

Some Helpful Hints When Posting or Responding to Threads in the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Section

Aquarium Fish Disease Problem Solving Determining the best course of action for a problem with your aquarium can be a difficult task. Even advanced aquarists will often need to seek the help of others for complicated or unique issues. Our intent here on Reef 2 Reef is to offer expert advice...

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[Breadbox]

Was the tank freshly cycled ? Mature ? Did you test your water parameters ? Did you add a new fish recently ?

EMERGENCY - Rapidly breathing and discoloured fishes

I'm not sure what's going on here, my azure damsel is breathing rapidly and constantly wobbling, my coral beauty is pale and constantly in hiding. My midas blenny is hiding in the shell and not coming out. My newly added gramma seem to be extremely ill, fin clamped, hiding under a rock and when...

www.reef2reef.com

This is a continuation of this thread, I wish there's a crying emoji here it's all I need right now.

 

[Hallowhead]

After a quick read-through, my thought is the QT / Holding tank wasn't properly cycled and you appear to have had some ammonia, maybe it spiked significantly? As Jay mentioned there could have been an infected fish with disease than ran rampant through the tank. It's unfortunate but it happens to everyone in this hobby.

If it truly is a fish-only QT tank you should be running copper to ensure all disease is eradicated.

 

[Breadbox]

My surviving pair of clowns, for whatever reason, they actually retain pretty good appetite despite all this.

 

[Breadbox]

After a quick read-through, my thought is the QT / Holding tank wasn't properly cycled and you appear to have had some ammonia, maybe it spiked significantly? As Jay mentioned there could have been an infected fish with disease than ran rampant through the tank. It's unfortunate but it happens to everyone in this hobby.

If it truly is a fish-only QT tank you should be running copper to ensure all disease is eradicated.

It's has being running for 1 months with 5 fishes without issue, I actually did a 50% water change 3-4 days ago.

 

[Hallowhead]

It's has being running for 1 months with 5 fishes without issue, I actually did a 50% water change 3-4 days ago.

Did you have any form of nutrient export? Protein skimmer? For 5 fish in a smaller quantity of water you probably should be doing more frequent water changes. Did you seed the tank? Did you add bacteria such as biospira dr tims?

Do you use RO water or tap?

 

[Breadbox]

Did you have any form of nutrient export? Protein skimmer? For 5 fish in a smaller quantity of water you probably should be doing more frequent water changes. Did you seed the tank? Did you add bacteria such as biospira dr tims?

Do you use RO water or tap?

Oh man, you are right, the api test is all green, I can't believe I'm so stupid , the seachem alert didn't work at all.

 

[Hallowhead]

Oh man, you are right, the api test is all green, I can't believe I'm so stupid , the seachem alert didn't work at all.

Naturally when fish die the decaying spikes ammonia - my thought is the ammonia was high to begin with though.

 

[vetteguy53081]

After a quick read-through, my thought is the QT / Holding tank wasn't properly cycled and you appear to have had some ammonia, maybe it spiked significantly? As Jay mentioned there could have been an infected fish with disease than ran rampant through the tank. It's unfortunate but it happens to everyone in this hobby.

If it truly is a fish-only QT tank you should be running copper to ensure all disease is eradicated.

You don’t have to cycle a quarantine tank however with minimal filtration, you want to monitor ammonia level and provide additional aeration
What test kits are you using?
If copper, what level were you at and what test kit used to monitor copper?
Any temperature spike?

 

[beehive124]

I'm no fish doctor, but I am sorry for your losses .

Hopefully things don't go worse

 

[Hallowhead]

You don’t have to cycle a quarantine tank however with minimal filtration, you want to monitor ammonia level and provide additional aeration
What test kits are you using?
If copper, what level were you at and what test kit used to monitor copper?
Any temperature spike?

You should seed it though, no? My impression was to always seed it for some form of bacteria so the cycle occurs and can handle the crap from the fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

You should seed it though, no? My impression was to always seed it for some form of bacteria so the cycle occurs and can handle the crap from the fish.

You can but cycle not required
Yes- add denitrifying bacter to sponge or other filter
I’m most cases, people use pvc and no rock or sand, so cycle will not be fully possible
Monitor ammonia and change water accordingly
Any kit but API

 

[bnord]

Oh man, you are right, the api test is all green, I can't believe I'm so stupid , the seachem alert didn't work at all.

sorry bud.. feel for you and learn and grow...

 

[Breadbox]

Naturally when fish die the decaying spikes ammonia - my thought is the ammonia was high to begin with though.

I think I might have found the source of the initial ammonia spike, I didn't think of it at all as the qt has being cycled weeks ago, something must have killed the bio filter. I bought some tdo pellets on Saturday, poured too much out and instead of throwing it away I fed most of them steadily throughout 2 days time.

I've also added quite some prazi to the tank and some metroplex before that, could prazi decompose into ammonia as well?
Is it possible that mild overfeeding+dosing prazi could create enough ammonia to kill fishes in as little as 2-3 days?

Is skin sloughing off after death and fins rapidly rotting away before death a sign of ammonia poisoning? My clowns and midas blenny acts completely normally after a water change, so I'm hoping to eliminate velvet here.