907_Reefer
2500 Club Member
Well, we have something going on in our tank here and looking for help. I'm in crunch mode on learning disease, diagnosis and treatment and wanted to share our experiences for any advice as we go.
Current situation, I've pulled 5 fish from our DT into a makeshift 10 gallon QT over the past 24 hours, 3 PJ Cardinals (one was rough and did not make it immediately), and our 2 clowns. = 4 in QT at 5ml copper currently (dosage per the Fritz Coppersafe bottle is 12.5 ml for 10g). Based on initial comms with the yall here, planning to ramp that up toward the dosage shortly (clowns just went in, 24h after the cardinals). All fish had a 3 minute FW dip in 78F RO between DT and QT.
55g tank (no sump) running for ~ 18 months, live rock, fish and coral. I have obtained all locally and have not quarantined (full disclosure, please hold comments on that until the end..). Log as follows:
9/16/23 - ~2 weeks after the tank move, we introduced a White Tail Bristletooth Tang. Not much stress to the tank, some wrasse flashing and the Royal Gramma seemed displaced but no active aggression and calm shortly after. I had also introduced a Firefish the day prior, he jumped 10/5 (egg crate top..). :/
10/20/23 - All seems well in the tank, and has been. White Tail swimming her routes and eating nori, as well as brine and flakes.
10/21/23 (Day 0, next morning) - White Tail found dead on the sand bed in the morning with the crabs working on her.. (??)
10/22/23 - (Day 1, next morning) Royal Gramma found DOA. She has been in the tank for 16 months. I noted the day prior she was hiding all day, not really common. Could see her in the rocks but not enough to evaluate. Then in the AM:
Also 10/22, (Day 1) tested levels, Alk, Nitrates and PO4 high. I have admittedly been over feeding. Did not re-test this day. Have been doing weekly water changes routinely @ 5 gal, ~12%
10/26/23 - (Day 5) All has been fine for 4 days, then I notice the Cardinals with cloudy eyes, less coloration, and the smaller of 2 clowns on the sand bed (maybe for an hour, then swim, then repeat). Got this pic under blues later, I see white in his black patches and can't tell if it's tiny spots or discoloration. But, not normal behavior and looks off.
10/27/23 - (Day 6), same behavior, took some videos. I begin to get a QT setup.
2 Cardinals the same day:
Later that day 10/27 I pull the Cardinals into QT after a FW dip, then added 3 (later to 5) ml Fritz Coppersafe, one fish was very rough and did not make it long. Catching these 3 was so easy, it was almost like they were asking to be netted for some help.
I attempted to grab the smaller clown also but he has energy bursts into the rockwork and after a bit I decided to give him another chance for the evening. Larger clown has not appeared to have any issues at this point.
10/28 - (Day 7, today) Both clowns are swimming in the morning before lights (DT), as they usually do. By noon the smaller clown is on the sand bed again and I proceed to pull him for FW dip & QT. Larger clown has been hiding a bit and now the eyes look cloudy to me, so I pull both, FW dip to QT. Larger clown was easy to pull, smaller clown took ~45 min (plenty of energy)....
Video from QT just now, 10/28. Larger clown first with cloudy eyes as of today, smaller clown, then 2 remaining cardinals which do not look hot.
Otherwise, all remaining in the DT act like nothing happened. Stock in there is, Melanurus Wrasse, Lawnmower Blenny, Yellow Watchman Goby + Pistol Shrimp, assorted snails, crabs, corals. Some of the corals are still angry from the recent tank move but most are fine.
So, that's where I'm at. @Jay Hemdal graciously posted in my build thread yesterday, if I may quote here for the record (thank you sir!):
Welcome to any thoughts..
Current situation, I've pulled 5 fish from our DT into a makeshift 10 gallon QT over the past 24 hours, 3 PJ Cardinals (one was rough and did not make it immediately), and our 2 clowns. = 4 in QT at 5ml copper currently (dosage per the Fritz Coppersafe bottle is 12.5 ml for 10g). Based on initial comms with the yall here, planning to ramp that up toward the dosage shortly (clowns just went in, 24h after the cardinals). All fish had a 3 minute FW dip in 78F RO between DT and QT.
55g tank (no sump) running for ~ 18 months, live rock, fish and coral. I have obtained all locally and have not quarantined (full disclosure, please hold comments on that until the end..). Log as follows:
9/16/23 - ~2 weeks after the tank move, we introduced a White Tail Bristletooth Tang. Not much stress to the tank, some wrasse flashing and the Royal Gramma seemed displaced but no active aggression and calm shortly after. I had also introduced a Firefish the day prior, he jumped 10/5 (egg crate top..). :/
10/20/23 - All seems well in the tank, and has been. White Tail swimming her routes and eating nori, as well as brine and flakes.
10/21/23 (Day 0, next morning) - White Tail found dead on the sand bed in the morning with the crabs working on her.. (??)
10/22/23 - (Day 1, next morning) Royal Gramma found DOA. She has been in the tank for 16 months. I noted the day prior she was hiding all day, not really common. Could see her in the rocks but not enough to evaluate. Then in the AM:
Also 10/22, (Day 1) tested levels, Alk, Nitrates and PO4 high. I have admittedly been over feeding. Did not re-test this day. Have been doing weekly water changes routinely @ 5 gal, ~12%
10/26/23 - (Day 5) All has been fine for 4 days, then I notice the Cardinals with cloudy eyes, less coloration, and the smaller of 2 clowns on the sand bed (maybe for an hour, then swim, then repeat). Got this pic under blues later, I see white in his black patches and can't tell if it's tiny spots or discoloration. But, not normal behavior and looks off.
10/27/23 - (Day 6), same behavior, took some videos. I begin to get a QT setup.
2 Cardinals the same day:
Later that day 10/27 I pull the Cardinals into QT after a FW dip, then added 3 (later to 5) ml Fritz Coppersafe, one fish was very rough and did not make it long. Catching these 3 was so easy, it was almost like they were asking to be netted for some help.
I attempted to grab the smaller clown also but he has energy bursts into the rockwork and after a bit I decided to give him another chance for the evening. Larger clown has not appeared to have any issues at this point.
10/28 - (Day 7, today) Both clowns are swimming in the morning before lights (DT), as they usually do. By noon the smaller clown is on the sand bed again and I proceed to pull him for FW dip & QT. Larger clown has been hiding a bit and now the eyes look cloudy to me, so I pull both, FW dip to QT. Larger clown was easy to pull, smaller clown took ~45 min (plenty of energy)....
Video from QT just now, 10/28. Larger clown first with cloudy eyes as of today, smaller clown, then 2 remaining cardinals which do not look hot.
Otherwise, all remaining in the DT act like nothing happened. Stock in there is, Melanurus Wrasse, Lawnmower Blenny, Yellow Watchman Goby + Pistol Shrimp, assorted snails, crabs, corals. Some of the corals are still angry from the recent tank move but most are fine.
So, that's where I'm at. @Jay Hemdal graciously posted in my build thread yesterday, if I may quote here for the record (thank you sir!):
Welcome to any thoughts..
