Help green chromis disease suspected

[HawaiiTanks808]

I had heard chromis could sometimes pick each other off thats the only reason I didn't think to research till now. I'm new to chromis and had no idea there was a specific disease that could effect them. I've now lost 3 chromis to what I thought was aggression, they all ended up with this red sore on there sides. every one seemed great and healthy all eating no sign of sickness. Then one fish developed this red sore that looked like another fish had been biting him so I took him out and put him in his own tank, my QT tank. I dosed with stress coat and slowly raised coppersafe to therapeutic level. Within a week he was dead, so I thought the stress of everything and being attacked was just too much for him. I kept an eye out for the school in the tank and everyone seemed perfectly healthy and fine. Within the next week same thing all of a sudden on another chromis, I did the same thing the moment I saw what I thought was an injury including missing a fin. Same thing dead within a week, at that point I started getting worried so I was closely watching trying to see who was being aggressive so I could remove them. And now I've got a third one same thing red sore on his side that looks raw, he's still eating for now but he keeps getting weaker, and im hoping and praying he's still alive when I get home.

Could this be chromis disease and if so what do I do to treat them and is everyone in my tank at risk? They are near impossible to catch in the 75 gallon but I feel I need to remove them, and treat them separately, as well as treat my main tank. Is it too late?

 

[hds4216]

@Jay Hemdal, your expertise would likely be helpful.

What you're describing sounds like Uronema marinum. It's a ciliate parasite disease. I could be wrong though because I'm still pretty new.

Uronema

Uronema marinum (updated 3-22-2023) What You Need To Know: * These are the red sores most often seen on chromis damsels & anthias. However, Uronema can technically infect any fish - sometimes only in the gills. * The most up-to-date treatment methods are being discussed here: Intermediate -...

humble.fish

 

[HawaiiTanks808]

@Jay Hemdal, your expertise would likely be helpful.

What you're describing sounds like Uronema marinum. It's a ciliate parasite disease. I could be wrong though because I'm still pretty new.

Uronema

Uronema marinum (updated 3-22-2023) What You Need To Know: * These are the red sores most often seen on chromis damsels & anthias. However, Uronema can technically infect any fish - sometimes only in the gills. * The most up-to-date treatment methods are being discussed here: Intermediate -...

humble.fish

Yeah from what all I've been reading thats what I think it is.. I dont want to give up on them but I've prepared myself to lose them, I just don't want to lose my other fish in the tank, I quarantined them and they seemed perfectly healthy so I put them in my display and all of a sudden after a month I started losing them .

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Yeah from what all I've been reading thats what I think it is.. I dont want to give up on them but I've prepared myself to lose them, I just don't want to lose my other fish in the tank, I quarantined them and they seemed perfectly healthy so I put them in my display and all of a sudden after a month I started losing them .

It does sound like Uronema, a picture would help though. I have never been able to save a green chromis with Uronema. The lesions begin deep down in the muscles. Once you see them break the surface, it is too late to treat them. Chloroquine had some hope for Uronema in other fish, but now it isn't available. One "good" thing about uronema is that it is found in almost every aquarium, and just become a pathogen in some fish, under some cases.

Ultimately, I've stopped buying green chromis unless I get larger ones from Tahiti ... they seem to do better.

Jay

 

[HawaiiTanks808]

It does sound like Uronema, a picture would help though. I have never been able to save a green chromis with Uronema. The lesions begin deep down in the muscles. Once you see them break the surface, it is too late to treat them. Chloroquine had some hope for Uronema in other fish, but now it isn't available. One "good" thing about uronema is that it is found in almost every aquarium, and just become a pathogen in some fish, under some cases.

Ultimately, I've stopped buying green chromis unless I get larger ones from Tahiti ... they seem to do better.

Jay

I was unable to get a picture as my husband disposed of the body while I was sleeping so I didn't have that emotional stress waking up to it.. but it looks exactly like the picture on the thread about the disease, going forward is it guaranteed the rest will eventually get it I now have 5 still in the tank Not currently showing signs. What would be best, just let them live and treat them till they one by one die or to euthanize them already. I want to do the most humane thing here and definitely don't want them to suffer.
Also any tips on how to catch them in the 75 gallon I dont want to stress every one in the tank especially if it weakens them to the disease. I have two clowns who have been in the tank the longest and are both doing great still

 

[HawaiiTanks808]

It does sound like Uronema, a picture would help though. I have never been able to save a green chromis with Uronema. The lesions begin deep down in the muscles. Once you see them break the surface, it is too late to treat them. Chloroquine had some hope for Uronema in other fish, but now it isn't available. One "good" thing about uronema is that it is found in almost every aquarium, and just become a pathogen in some fish, under some cases.

Ultimately, I've stopped buying green chromis unless I get larger ones from Tahiti ... they seem to do better.

Jay

Also, I have coppersafe and metroplex currently should I dose the entire tank i have a FOWLR system or should I just dose them if there's any hope for them

 

[HawaiiTanks808]

Also, I have coppersafe and metroplex currently should I dose the entire tank i have a FOWLR system or should I just dose them if there's any hope for them

Currently trying to get furan 2

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I was unable to get a picture as my husband disposed of the body while I was sleeping so I didn't have that emotional stress waking up to it.. but it looks exactly like the picture on the thread about the disease, going forward is it guaranteed the rest will eventually get it I now have 5 still in the tank Not currently showing signs. What would be best, just let them live and treat them till they one by one die or to euthanize them already. I want to do the most humane thing here and definitely don't want them to suffer.
Also any tips on how to catch them in the 75 gallon I dont want to stress every one in the tank especially if it weakens them to the disease. I have two clowns who have been in the tank the longest and are both doing great still

No - there is no reason to believe that all of the green chromis will develop Uronema - it is not a contagious disease in the classical sense. It really depends on the fish, how they were handled and to some degree, the conditions in the tank. Feed them well, keep the water quality top notch, and then just see how it goes. I looked at some importer's price lists yesterday...Tahiti green chromis are available, but they cost four times as much as the little SE Asian chromis.

Jay

 

[HawaiiTanks808]

No - there is no reason to believe that all of the green chromis will develop Uronema - it is not a contagious disease in the classical sense. It really depends on the fish, how they were handled and to some degree, the conditions in the tank. Feed them well, keep the water quality top notch, and then just see how it goes. I looked at some importer's price lists yesterday...Tahiti green chromis are available, but they cost four times as much as the little SE Asian chromis.

Jay

Sadly another one developed the redness and passed while I was at work today. So ill do my best to keep everything perfect and hope for the best, ive been feeding small amounts about 6 times through the day to be sure they are always eating enough, and they are attacking the food every time, being sure there is none left and immediately cleaning out if anything is left. I've started dosing metroplex to the tank, and removed any that are showing any type or redness at all and moved them to QT and am feeding metroplex in their food. I hope they all make it

Thankfully I live in Hawaii so import fish are pretty reasonable, however these were all captive bred.
Going forward I won't be getting anymore of this fish this was a traumatic experience and I dont want to risk it again. I hope they make it but if they don't ive decided to not add anymore fish to the tank to let it recover and lessen the bio load. Since I feel like I may have been pushing it as it was.

For a 75 Gal, 48.38 in W x 18.38 in D x 21 in H, FOWLR, do you think this is over crowded
1 yellow tang
1 pajama cardinal
1 neon dottyback
1 blue spot goby
1 scooter blenny
1 white spot toby puffer
1 tidepool blenny
1 pair of clowns
And now 3 green chromis originally 7
?
Thanks so much for the help

(Before treatment) I run a HOB penguin biowheel filter for a 100 gal (2 carbon filter made for it, carbon pad, and ammonia remover pad), protein skimmer, 4 biostone blocks, and monthly add new live beneficial bacteria

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Sadly another one developed the redness and passed while I was at work today. So ill do my best to keep everything perfect and hope for the best, ive been feeding small amounts about 6 times through the day to be sure they are always eating enough, and they are attacking the food every time, being sure there is none left and immediately cleaning out if anything is left. I've started dosing metroplex to the tank, and removed any that are showing any type or redness at all and moved them to QT and am feeding metroplex in their food. I hope they all make it

Thankfully I live in Hawaii so import fish are pretty reasonable, however these were all captive bred.
Going forward I won't be getting anymore of this fish this was a traumatic experience and I dont want to risk it again. I hope they make it but if they don't ive decided to not add anymore fish to the tank to let it recover and lessen the bio load. Since I feel like I may have been pushing it as it was.

For a 75 Gal, 48.38 in W x 18.38 in D x 21 in H, FOWLR, do you think this is over crowded
1 yellow tang
1 pajama cardinal
1 neon dottyback
1 blue spot goby
1 scooter blenny
1 white spot toby puffer
1 tidepool blenny
1 pair of clowns
And now 3 green chromis originally 7
?
Thanks so much for the help

(Before treatment) I run a HOB penguin biowheel filter for a 100 gal (2 carbon filter made for it, carbon pad, and ammonia remover pad), protein skimmer, 4 biostone blocks, and monthly add new live beneficial bacteria

Wait! Captive bred green chromis???? Rising Tide raised some at TAL about five years ago, but I had not heard they were in commercial production. While I may have missed that, it may also be that you were misinformed.
I don’t think your tank is overcrowded. Most of your other fish should be fairly resistant to Uronema except perhaps the dottyback.
Jay

 

[HawaiiTanks808]

Wait! Captive bred green chromis???? Rising Tide raised some at TAL about five years ago, but I had not heard they were in commercial production. While I may have missed that, it may also be that you were misinformed.
I don’t think your tank is overcrowded. Most of your other fish should be fairly resistant to Uronema except perhaps the dottyback.
Jay

For my LFS Coral Fish Hawaii, .
they supply the stores on island and for the mainland, idk if its different here but all three stores on island had only captive bred and they showed me paperwork on them cause I was surprised as well

Im happy to hear that cause I've been worried sick about the rest of my tank, and that's good news I was never able to get answers on that as far as making sure I don't overstock the tank. Thank you

 

[Jay Hemdal]

For my LFS Coral Fish Hawaii, .
they supply the stores on island and for the mainland, idk if its different here but all three stores on island had only captive bred and they showed me paperwork on them cause I was surprised as well

Im happy to hear that cause I've been worried sick about the rest of my tank, and that's good news I was never able to get answers on that as far as making sure I don't overstock the tank. Thank you

I checked in with some commercial fish breeders that I know, and none of them have heard of anyone breeding green chromis commercially. The issue is that captive born fish should be sturdier, but alas, I suspect your fish were wild caught.

Jay

 

[HawaiiTanks808]

I checked in with some commercial fish breeders that I know, and none of them have heard of anyone breeding green chromis commercially. The issue is that captive born fish should be sturdier, but alas, I suspect your fish were wild caught.

Jay

Strange, who knows all I know is they showed me papers saying captive bred/tank raised, but makes sense why they weren't as hardy, but they were very social and would come to my hand immediately and weren't shy so I believed what I read. But I guess not, now I know, cause every store on island was saying yes they were captive bred which was the only reason I got them in the first place cause I prefer captive bred