Flashing - too many pods?

[Publiccert]

I recently lost a clown and goby to brook in a QT tank. This was my first experience as a newbie dealing with these things but I used different everything and washed my hands before leaving the room so I'm moderately hopeful (not confident) I didn't transfer something to my DT.

In my DT I run a HOB Refugium with Chaeto, 7 sexy shrimp and A LOT of pods for my Mandarin(I dosed probably 6+ bottles about 3 weeks ago). My yellow tang has been flashing since I got him but with no signs of illness - solid appetite, very active, etc - and now my hippo is doing it as well. I also noticed a massive population explosion of pods on the glass this morning. My parameters are good as well - checked salinity, doing another water change shortly, no spikes in the cycle, etc.

Can pods irritate fish to the point they'll flash or do I need to be treating these guys?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Formulator]

What was the source of your pods? There are parasitic flesh eating varieties of isopods that will attach to fish and cause those symptoms. If the pods came from a questionable vendor, this could be the case. Or they could have hitchhiked even if you didn’t add them.

 

[Publiccert]

Pods are from 'Reef Nutrition' and appear to be cultured.

 

[exnisstech]

no spikes in the cycle,

Just looking for clarification. By this statement do you mean the tank is still cycling or do you mean something else?

 

[Publiccert]

Just looking for clarification. By this statement do you mean the tank is still cycling or do you mean something else?

Apologies. The tank is cycled and I checked ammonia, nitrite & nitrates and no changes. Going to be doing a water change shortly once the water in my supply tank is warm.

 

[Publiccert]

I'll also mention that I have 4 salt water mollys in the tank doing great with no odd behaviour.

 

[NonstopSoda]

If they’re just the tigger pods from reef nutrition I would say no, too many pods shouldn’t be the root of this issue, pods usually will adjust and die off until the correct amount reproduces according to your food supply for them/ fish eating them.

 

[NonstopSoda]

@vetteguy53081 might be able to help with the flashing tang

 

[Publiccert]

I should add that I saw *a lot* of pods on the glass this morning - hundreds of thousands. And it was various types of pods from Reef Nutrition - Tigger, Apex, Tisbe. I also disturbed the refugium yesterday while removing a bunch of Chaeto.

 

[Publiccert]

Additional context because I'm an overbearing new fish keeper:

these guys are in a 45g but both VERY young. My 100g is standing by for them and I'm shopping for 175g tanks to have in place before end of year. The 45g has two 15w UV sterilizers on ~200g flow to maximize contact - I know its redundant but I was scarred by the brook outbreak, I'll convert one to algae flow rates once I mellow out.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I recently lost a clown and goby to brook in a QT tank. This was my first experience as a newbie dealing with these things but I used different everything and washed my hands before leaving the room so I'm moderately hopeful (not confident) I didn't transfer something to my DT.

In my DT I run a HOB Refugium with Chaeto, 7 sexy shrimp and A LOT of pods for my Mandarin(I dosed probably 6+ bottles about 3 weeks ago). My yellow tang has been flashing since I got him but with no signs of illness - solid appetite, very active, etc - and now my hippo is doing it as well. I also noticed a massive population explosion of pods on the glass this morning. My parameters are good as well - checked salinity, doing another water change shortly, no spikes in the cycle, etc.

Can pods irritate fish to the point they'll flash or do I need to be treating these guys?

Thanks for the help!

Pods can be a nuisance at times but not known to kill fish. How are you testing your water parameters and How old is the tank?
Additionally, can you provide a lengthy video of tang under white light intensity?
Six bottles of pods are in essence overkill. 1-2 a week for Mandarin sufficient, even bi-weekly

 

[Publiccert]

Pods can be a nuisance at times but not known to kill fish. How are you testing your water parameters and How old is the tank?
Additionally, can you provide a lengthy video of tang under white light intensity?
Six bottles of pods are in essence overkill. 1-2 a week for Mandarin sufficient, even bi-weekly

Using the API marine master kit - Hanna kits were out of stock. Everything at 0 and logged to 'Aquarium' app.

Understood re: excessive pod dosing. I was paranoid about starving the Mandarin and have since cut back.

Tank is 4 weeks old. Cycled with StartXLM and tested daily. Was also seeded with live rock from LFS.

Working on the video now.

Edit: Also purchased Salifert tests for ammonia, nitrate and nitrites. Just ran those and everything at 0 - Chaeto is on steroids.

 

[Publiccert]

Pods can be a nuisance at times but not known to kill fish. How are you testing your water parameters and How old is the tank?
Additionally, can you provide a lengthy video of tang under white light intensity?
Six bottles of pods are in essence overkill. 1-2 a week for Mandarin sufficient, even bi-weekly

- light doesn't get brighter than that unfortunately.

 

[vetteguy53081]

- light doesn't get brighter than that unfortunately.

I see a tank that is quite new. I did see one episode of flashing and very minimal which may be a sign of irritants such as flukes but other fish show no signs. I see an abundance of mollies which can introduce something foreign.
Have you quarantined any of the fish?
Additionally, the yellow yang is developing a sign of bloat. Try to regulate amount fed as these younger tangs are susceptible to bloat and at times constipation.
Keep an eye on the frequency of flashing if any

 

[Publiccert]

I see a tank that is quite new. I did see one episode of flashing and very minimal which may be a sign of irritants such as flukes but other fish show no signs. I see an abundance of mollies which can introduce something foreign.
Have you quarantined any of the fish?
Additionally, the yellow yang is developing a sign of bloat. Try to regulate amount fed as these younger tangs are susceptible to bloat and at times constipation.
Keep an eye on the frequency of flashing if any

The tank is definitely new but I should also mention the Mollys did insane work. I was in the ugly phase yesterday and they turned that around!

The Mollys and hippo tang came out of QT yesterday and were introduced at the same time. The yellow tang was flashing like that and has been off and on for 2 weeks.

I'll cut back on the yellow tangs food. I'm still learning how much nori to put on his clip and he's a pig during feeding time.

Thanks for the input. I'll research flukes and keep an eye on things.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Looks like my Yellow and Hippo Tang, when they hit the strongest stream off my Gyre Pump, they’ve been doing that for well over a year.