Mysterious activity going on in my DT!!

mjaquarium02 · May 25, 2024

OK so long story short around March 9, 2024 I noticed my fish (2 clowns) breathing heavily and I didn't know what was going on. I bought at that time, a cardinal fish from my local fish store and thought maybe it was a disease brought by that new fish. It was weird because my two clown fishes were the only ones presenting symptoms of heavy breathing, fatigue, and loss of appetite. My new cardinal fish was perfectly fine. In addition these symptoms presented around a month or so after buying the cardinal fish... My clowns looked far from normal. I did so many water changes, and it didn't work at all. I changed my carbon filter as well. No white dots no excessive slime coating, etc to point towards a disease. But things were getting bad quickly, and I didn't know what else to do, but quarantine everyone. I played my luck and dosed copper for the recommended time hoping that would help. I left my display tank fallow for 72 days just to be safe, even though I still didn't know what was going on. On the second day of dosing copper, my clownfishes were back to normal, but I still kept them under observation in quarantine until 72 days passed.

Fast forward 72 days..... Literally, three days ago... I finally put everybody back into my display tank. Please keep in mind that during quarantine I did do water changes on my DT and QT but was very cautious in cross contamination. The first day I put them back in my DT they were very happy, as was I. They were eating they were swimming all good signs. But today they look just like they used to during March. And now, my cardinal fish is experiencing the same thing! I checked my water parameters, they all are fine. There's no doubt in my mind that I will put them back in the quarantine tank (thank goodness I did not break it down) but what should I do with my display tank??? I've even went to my local fish store so they can check out my water and they said it was fine.... I'm considering checking my water through ATI ICP test kit and send it off or start from scratch and take all of the water out from my DT. What are your opinions and advice on this?
I also noticed recently, that when I feed my fishes, I use frozen food and some tweezers. The tweezers have rusted, so maybe that's what's causing this???? No idea.. just a thought.

Some key factors that I think it's good to know for decision-making;
- DT is 29 gallons
- QT is 10 gallons
- I only have three fishes ( two clowns and one cardinal)
- I have one skunk cleaner shrimp, along with snails and hermit crabs.
- Two corals ( a zoa and gsp fairly small could easily transport if need be)
- I have my own RODI water system.. I could easily get more water at home.

Any info helps :/

Ben's Pico Reefing · May 25, 2024

I looked up your build and seems you have a very small job filter on it for movement and that is it. By a cheap air pump and add. You may not have enough oxygen exchange. You can also go ahead and buy a small circulation pump or power head and aim it so there is surface agitation.

Also what is the salinity in your tank and are you topping off with RO/DI only as it evaporates?

mjaquarium02 · May 25, 2024

Ben's Pico Reefing said:
I looked up your build and seems you have a very small job filter on it for movement and that is it. By a cheap air pump and add. You may not have enough oxygen exchange. You can also go ahead and buy a small circulation pump or power head and aim it so there is surface agitation.

thank you for your input! I do have a wave maker and i aim it towards the surface to promote O2 exchange especially since they’re experiencing heavy breathing….

MnFish1 · May 25, 2024

Since copper seemed to improve the process, there could be a couple issues - first - it seems like a disease issue - and it could be your levels were suboptimal for a time (i.e. your QT wasn't complete) - or there could have been anther source of cross-contamination. it could also be something in that display tank - however, are your other inhabitants (inverts) doing ok?

Are you noticing any improvement with change in the wave maker?

Ben's Pico Reefing · May 25, 2024

mjaquarium02 said:
thank you for your input! I do have a wave maker and i aim it towards the surface to promote O2 exchange especially since they’re experiencing heavy breathing….

Ok in build thread I didn't see one. So guess I didn't dig deep enough. Lol

mjaquarium02 · May 25, 2024

MnFish1 said:
Since copper seemed to improve the process, there could be a couple issues - first - it seems like a disease issue - and it could be your levels were suboptimal for a time (i.e. your QT wasn't complete) - or there could have been anther source of cross-contamination. it could also be something in that display tank - however, are your other inhabitants (inverts) doing ok?

Are you noticing any improvement with change in the wave maker?

hmm i was dosing cooper with my hanna checker and it was in optimal levels the entire QT process. Even when i finished dosing they looked normal again. It was just as soon as I put them back to my DT things started to get weird again. My inverts are doing great! The shrimp is eating and being his usual self. I don’t see much of any improvements with the wave maker unfortunately. Visibly my fish look fine. But they’re breathing fast, hanging out in the sand more often than usual, and not eating.