Can you help me ID this illness?

jonnybravo22 · 01/09/2019, 11:49 AM

Background: I have had a reef running in some form for the last 10 years, through moves and new cycles etc. My primary focus over the years has been trying to keep SPS but lately I'm struggling with fish mortality. Tank is a 55g display + 70 gallon sump.

Over the summer (maybe 5 months ago) I had a mass die-off which claimed my clownfish pair, which I'd had for 9 years and 7 years respectively.

That new clown in particular displayed an illness I had never seen before (covered in white 'stuff', pale color, lethargic). I may have pictures somewhere but I'll have to look. Along with the clowns I lost a trio of ignitus anthias, a flame angel, a royal gramma, yellow coris wrasse, 3x chromis and melanarus wrasse. All this death happened within two weeks.

It happened at the same time that I started dosing vodka (within two weeks after I started) to try to do a homemade NoPox for an SPS strategy. I won't be doing that again... if I were to point a finger at something, the timing makes me feel like the dosing increased some probably pre-existing negative bacteria that caused infections in the fish and killed everything. Prior to dosing I did not notice any illness in the tank.

Anyways, that was quite a massive setback. I left the tank fallow for 4 months.
I have just started restocking the tank over the last month. I currently have a kole tang, coral beauty, lubbock's wrasse, argi angel, 2x chromis and purple firefish. All of these fish come from liveaquaria.

So here's my question: I have been watching these new fish closely. I noticed some flashing and white specs on fins so decided to act. I researched a few things (flukes, ich) and had prazipro on hand and since I have no corals in the tank currently, I went ahead and dosed the display with Prazi. After doing so, all fish in the tank were immediately more active swimmers. However, a week after that initial dosing, I see white spots emerging in greater numbers on some fish, particularly the kole tang, and feel that either a) another dose is needed, which is my current plan with a large water change this week, or b) prazi is not the medication needed / perhaps I need a better diagnosis. Either seem equally likely to me as I've read of people doing 3 rounds of prazi before it is all cleared up.

Here's a video, it's hard to see but the kole tang is starting to look more pale and has white objects attached to it, but they are more 'flowy' that 'sugar'. As it swims, I see the white things swaying in the waves a bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DTM-y0KmiA

Appreciate any thoughts.

ChronicReefH2o · 01/09/2019, 12:56 PM

sounds like the white swaying things attached to your tang is not ick, but more of a pest worm that host on fish. Prazipro works best when fish intakes them. I've never had luck using it. I've dosed it to the tank, soak food in it, nothing worked for me.

The only thing that took care of the issue was cupramine by Seachem. As harsh of a chemical as it is. it took complete care of all the issues and pest I had in the tank. Worms and ick. Be sure to test for copper with the right test kit as not all are going to test the same. For cupramine, I used the Salifert copper test kit that works with this chemical.

I wouldn't waste time as this pest can spread rapidly. They feed off the fishes slime coat and skin.

jonnybravo22 · 01/09/2019, 05:38 PM

A better video that shows it more: https://youtu.be/thHAVEse7MM

jonnybravo22 · 01/09/2019, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChronicReefH2o

sounds like the white swaying things attached to your tang is not ick, but more of a pest worm that host on fish. Prazipro works best when fish intakes them. I've never had luck using it. I've dosed it to the tank, soak food in it, nothing worked for me.

The only thing that took care of the issue was cupramine by Seachem. As harsh of a chemical as it is. it took complete care of all the issues and pest I had in the tank. Worms and ick. Be sure to test for copper with the right test kit as not all are going to test the same. For cupramine, I used the Salifert copper test kit that works with this chemical.

I wouldn't waste time as this pest can spread rapidly. They feed off the fishes slime coat and skin.

Thanks. So would you bar everything and sip in copper bath? I have cupramine. I do not have a QT setup and it’s not feasible. I could do a 5gallon bucket sorry of thing for a short time.
My concern with copper is does that make the livestock unusable in the future for a reef tank with SPS? I have the idea from somewhere that once you dose copper it stays in the tank forever and would kill any future SPS. Is that right?

ChronicReefH2o · 01/09/2019, 08:19 PM

That would be wrong. Seachem has a product that can be used to absorb the copper in the tank. If you do not have any corals and its just the tank and fish, I say you can do it in the main tank. Make sure you have a test kit and only dose after you have tested every time you dose. Overdose from copper can kill everything. I usually dose once at half the dosage then wait 2-3 days then dose another half dose from the recommended dosage on the bottle.

you should see improvements within 2-4 weeks from your fish. Remember, its always better to under dose than over dose.

Cliving1 · 01/09/2019, 08:33 PM

Possibly lymph?

jonnybravo22 · 01/10/2019, 10:19 PM

Today

https://youtu.be/fvtPnCMFpas

Things started to look pretty bad so I’m taking decisive action in the form of cupramine. DT is now HT. Wish me luck.

Dmorty217 · 01/11/2019, 06:46 AM

I don't think any form of copper is going to help the tang. I would formalin dip the fish and see if anything comes off the fish in the way of the white spots. The fish also looks like it might have a bacterial infection and antibiotics will be needed. I would turn the power heads down too, the fish is breathing heavy and having issues staying upright and anything you can do to help the fish conserve energy because it is struggling obviously

Dmorty217 · 01/11/2019, 06:48 AM

Also those white things look like a worm of some sort and like I mentioned copper will do nothing in the way of killing worms and/or flukes

01/09/2019, 11:49 AM	#1
jonnybravo22 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,128	Can you help me ID this illness? Background: I have had a reef running in some form for the last 10 years, through moves and new cycles etc. My primary focus over the years has been trying to keep SPS but lately I'm struggling with fish mortality. Tank is a 55g display + 70 gallon sump. Over the summer (maybe 5 months ago) I had a mass die-off which claimed my clownfish pair, which I'd had for 9 years and 7 years respectively. That new clown in particular displayed an illness I had never seen before (covered in white 'stuff', pale color, lethargic). I may have pictures somewhere but I'll have to look. Along with the clowns I lost a trio of ignitus anthias, a flame angel, a royal gramma, yellow coris wrasse, 3x chromis and melanarus wrasse. All this death happened within two weeks. It happened at the same time that I started dosing vodka (within two weeks after I started) to try to do a homemade NoPox for an SPS strategy. I won't be doing that again... if I were to point a finger at something, the timing makes me feel like the dosing increased some probably pre-existing negative bacteria that caused infections in the fish and killed everything. Prior to dosing I did not notice any illness in the tank. Anyways, that was quite a massive setback. I left the tank fallow for 4 months. I have just started restocking the tank over the last month. I currently have a kole tang, coral beauty, lubbock's wrasse, argi angel, 2x chromis and purple firefish. All of these fish come from liveaquaria. So here's my question: I have been watching these new fish closely. I noticed some flashing and white specs on fins so decided to act. I researched a few things (flukes, ich) and had prazipro on hand and since I have no corals in the tank currently, I went ahead and dosed the display with Prazi. After doing so, all fish in the tank were immediately more active swimmers. However, a week after that initial dosing, I see white spots emerging in greater numbers on some fish, particularly the kole tang, and feel that either a) another dose is needed, which is my current plan with a large water change this week, or b) prazi is not the medication needed / perhaps I need a better diagnosis. Either seem equally likely to me as I've read of people doing 3 rounds of prazi before it is all cleared up. Here's a video, it's hard to see but the kole tang is starting to look more pale and has white objects attached to it, but they are more 'flowy' that 'sugar'. As it swims, I see the white things swaying in the waves a bit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DTM-y0KmiA Appreciate any thoughts.

01/11/2019, 06:46 AM	#8
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	I don't think any form of copper is going to help the tang. I would formalin dip the fish and see if anything comes off the fish in the way of the white spots. The fish also looks like it might have a bacterial infection and antibiotics will be needed. I would turn the power heads down too, the fish is breathing heavy and having issues staying upright and anything you can do to help the fish conserve energy because it is struggling obviously __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

01/11/2019, 06:48 AM	#9
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	Also those white things look like a worm of some sort and like I mentioned copper will do nothing in the way of killing worms and/or flukes __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

01/09/2019, 12:56 PM	#2
ChronicReefH2o Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: South SoCal Posts: 61	sounds like the white swaying things attached to your tang is not ick, but more of a pest worm that host on fish. Prazipro works best when fish intakes them. I've never had luck using it. I've dosed it to the tank, soak food in it, nothing worked for me. The only thing that took care of the issue was cupramine by Seachem. As harsh of a chemical as it is. it took complete care of all the issues and pest I had in the tank. Worms and ick. Be sure to test for copper with the right test kit as not all are going to test the same. For cupramine, I used the Salifert copper test kit that works with this chemical. I wouldn't waste time as this pest can spread rapidly. They feed off the fishes slime coat and skin.

01/09/2019, 05:38 PM	#3
jonnybravo22 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,128	A better video that shows it more: https://youtu.be/thHAVEse7MM

01/09/2019, 08:19 PM	#5
ChronicReefH2o Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: South SoCal Posts: 61	That would be wrong. Seachem has a product that can be used to absorb the copper in the tank. If you do not have any corals and its just the tank and fish, I say you can do it in the main tank. Make sure you have a test kit and only dose after you have tested every time you dose. Overdose from copper can kill everything. I usually dose once at half the dosage then wait 2-3 days then dose another half dose from the recommended dosage on the bottle. you should see improvements within 2-4 weeks from your fish. Remember, its always better to under dose than over dose.

01/09/2019, 08:33 PM	#6
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	Possibly lymph?

01/10/2019, 10:19 PM	#7
jonnybravo22 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,128	Today https://youtu.be/fvtPnCMFpas Things started to look pretty bad so I’m taking decisive action in the form of cupramine. DT is now HT. Wish me luck.