Need Help Diagnosing Disease & How to Handle Without Quarantine Tank

[Nevada Wiseguy]

Hello! I am brand spanking new to these forums and this is a brand new 32g Biocube that I have. I am not new to saltwater tanks, but this it has been many years since I have had one. With that said, I had two previous other tanks, a 29g Biocube and a 65g custom setup. However, this is my first time dealing with any type of disease in one of my saltwater tanks. I have dealt with ich in a freshwater, but that's about it.

Living in Reno I only have 2 lfs's I can go to, Petco and Strictly Reef. The latter, is awesome, but I am finding Petco to be a bit sketchy for buying fish. I got two green chromi's from Petco and today I see this on one of them. My questions are:

1 - What is it?
2 - Can it spread and how quickly do I need to worry about that?
3 - Without a quarantine tank, how do I handle and what meds do I need?
4 - Factoring in the previous questions, should I consider the Chromi a loss and get rid of him instead of trying to treat?

Note, everything else in the tank looks healthy, including the corals. Thanks all in advance!

 

[Nevada Wiseguy]

Hello! I am brand spanking new to these forums and this is a brand new 32g Biocube that I have. I am not new to saltwater tanks, but this it has been many years since I have had one. With that said, I had two previous other tanks, a 29g Biocube and a 65g custom setup. However, this is my first time dealing with any type of disease in one of my saltwater tanks. I have dealt with ich in a freshwater, but that's about it.

Living in Reno I only have 2 lfs's I can go to, Petco and Strictly Reef. The latter, is awesome, but I am finding Petco to be a bit sketchy for buying fish. I got two green chromi's from Petco and today I see this on one of them. My questions are:

1 - What is it?
2 - Can it spread and how quickly do I need to worry about that?
3 - Without a quarantine tank, how do I handle and what meds do I need?
4 - Factoring in the previous questions, should I consider the Chromi a loss and get rid of him instead of trying to treat?

Note, everything else in the tank looks healthy, including the corals. Thanks all in advance!

To help with potential solutions since I know meds and media can sometimes cause conflicts, tank is fully cycled and I am running Purigen and Chemipure Elite for my filteration (along with the usual filter floss and refugium).

 

[Sharkbait19]

Uronema. Not a fun disease, affects mainly chromis and damselfish. Sadly, without a QT tank, chances of survival are slim.

Here's everything you need to know:

Uronema marinum

Uronema marinum What You Need To Know: * These are the red sores most often seen on chromis damsels; however it can afflict any fish. * Treatment of choice is a 45 minute formalin bath (e.g. Quick Cure), followed by transfer into a new/sterile QT. * Once in QT, it is very important to do...

www.reef2reef.com

Welcome to Reef2Reef, by the way!

 

[Nevada Wiseguy]

Thanks for the response. Those pics look spot on. My concern is the other fish in the tank at this point. I have 1 other Chromi and 1 Azule Damselfish. Should I still try to dose the tank even though it says "However, there always exists the possibility that parasites can drop off into the water column and infect other fish."? I thought about the pro rally since I have corals and no QT. Outside of the Damsel and other Chromi I have, I also have:

Lawnmower Blenny
Firefish Goby
Diamond Watchman Goby
Pajama Cardinal
2 Clownfish
Six Line Wrasse
4 small corals
Emerald Crabs, Hermit Crabs, Snails, etc

 

[Sharkbait19]

The best option, though certainly not the easiest, is to temporarily move all the fish and critters out, disinfect the tank, then slowly bring them back while dosing new bacteria. This is the only method I can think of that would eliminate the risk of uronema, as it is both a fast-spreading and hard-to-kill disease.

 

[Tamberav]

9 fish? Man that seems like so much in 32g.

That Chromis is likely a goner. Unless you start the tank over, I would not try to add any more chromis or damsels with uronema in the tank. Honestly I probably wouldn't add more fish anyways as it seems overstocked to me. Once you start to crowd fish, disease becomes more likely.

Most 'reef safe meds' are not that reef safe or just not that effective. If there was some type of med that actually worked well in a reef, we would all be using and talking about it.

 

[Nevada Wiseguy]

The best option, though certainly not the easiest, is to temporarily move all the fish and critters out, disinfect the tank, then slowly bring them back while dosing new bacteria. This is the only method I can think of that would eliminate the risk of uronema, as it is both a fast-spreading and hard-to-kill disease.

If I have to setup an emergency QT tank, may be a possibility. Just curious though, can you define disinfect tank?

 

[Nevada Wiseguy]

Thanks for the details Tamberav. The fish I have are all small, 1-2" with the exception of the goby's and 1 of the clownfish. I had 29g before with much larger fish. However, as they grow I get what you are saying. My hope was down the road to get a larger tank and put the growing fish in there.

 

[Hincapiej4]

Ef...you got uronema...ugggggggggh!

 

[Sharkbait19]

If I have to setup an emergency QT tank, may be a possibility. Just curious though, can you define disinfect tank?

Pour enough chemicals to kill any of the parasites. Then drain the water and start fresh. This would, unfortunately, kill other beneficial microorganisms, but uronema cannot be treated conventionally.

 

[Hincapiej4]

If I have to setup an emergency QT tank, may be a possibility. Just curious though, can you define disinfect tank?

DO it. Get your QT together and clean the living crap out that tank. Uronema can live forever until you clean it out

 

[Nevada Wiseguy]

Thanks everyone. Is this something that can affect corals or just fish?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Thanks everyone. Is this something that can affect corals or just fish?

Just fish, thankfully.

 

[Hincapiej4]

Well, wait a minute. I think, and I'm pretty sure...that uronema can live on the corals, and while it doesn't affect it, would reinfect the tank they go into.

DOUBLE CHECK ME, But I'm decently sure.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Well, wait a minute. I think, and I'm pretty sure...that uronema can live on the corals, and while it doesn't affect it, would reinfect the tank they go into.

DOUBLE CHECK ME, But I'm decently sure.

I believe that is true. Definitely dip the corals in iodine as well.

 

[Nevada Wiseguy]

When I got the corals (this weekend), I did dip them in Seachem Reef Dip. Tons of parasites, bugs, whatever came off. I trust the stuff I get at the lfs Strictly Reef. Their selection is just super small without a 2 hour drive to Sacramento. However, I won't trust Petco again. I saw a much worse instance of this in another Petco tank, but it didn't dawn on me until today that all that water probably circulates amongst all their tanks.

 

[ctopherl]

The best option, though certainly not the easiest, is to temporarily move all the fish and critters out, disinfect the tank, then slowly bring them back while dosing new bacteria. This is the only method I can think of that would eliminate the risk of uronema, as it is both a fast-spreading and hard-to-kill disease.

You cannot eliminate uronema (without bleaching the tank and starting over). It is forever assumed to be in the tank.

OP, one uronema starts killing it can go on a rampage. If you notice other fish dropping, it is time to get them all out. Your options are to try and manage it or start the tank over.

 

[Nevada Wiseguy]

One last question (hopefully lol), if I setup a second tank and disinfect the biocube, do I need to toss the sand and rock I have? If it's wet, I assume it's an issue. If I get a tank, will be a bigger one and I would want to turn the biocube into the quarantine tank, but sound likes that would be a bad idea if I am moving potentially infected fish into the new bigger tank.

 

[ctopherl]

One last question (hopefully lol), if I setup a second tank and disinfect the biocube, do I need to toss the sand and rock I have? If it's wet, I assume it's an issue. If I get a tank, will be a bigger one and I would want to turn the biocube into the quarantine tank, but sound likes that would be a bad idea if I am moving potentially infected fish into the new bigger tank.

If you are going to go the "decimate everything, start over" route, then yes, the sand and rock are done. Not worth the risk.

Yes, I would not put those fish in the new tank without a thorough uronema treatment

 

[Dr. Aqua]

Hello! I am brand spanking new to these forums and this is a brand new 32g Biocube that I have. I am not new to saltwater tanks, but this it has been many years since I have had one. With that said, I had two previous other tanks, a 29g Biocube and a 65g custom setup. However, this is my first time dealing with any type of disease in one of my saltwater tanks. I have dealt with ich in a freshwater, but that's about it.

Living in Reno I only have 2 lfs's I can go to, Petco and Strictly Reef. The latter, is awesome, but I am finding Petco to be a bit sketchy for buying fish. I got two green chromi's from Petco and today I see this on one of them. My questions are:

1 - What is it?
2 - Can it spread and how quickly do I need to worry about that?
3 - Without a quarantine tank, how do I handle and what meds do I need?
4 - Factoring in the previous questions, should I consider the Chromi a loss and get rid of him instead of trying to treat?

Note, everything else in the tank looks healthy, including the corals. Thanks all in advance!

Strongly advise a quarantine system. But if that not currently available then it is what is. What else is in ur tank? Inverts? Other fish? Etc.