# Outbreak in my tank!



## TruespeedEM1 (Sep 3, 2010)

I have had my tank setup for about 3-4 months now and everything has been fine. I purchased live rock, water, and live sand from my uncle who owns his own aquarium company. Everything has been perfect. Tank had Wrasse, Foxface, two clowns, Coral beauty, Royal Gramma, Yellow watchman goby+pistol shrimp. Everything was fine and running great, and I decided to purchase another goby (gold head sleeper) and this is when things started acting weird. Came home monday, goby was dead. Woke up yesterday, Royal Gramma was dead. Last night it looked like one of my clownfish was covered in white peach fuzz; woke up this morning, BOTH were dead. 

I dont know whats going on. Im assuming the goby was infected with something, and my foxface, wrasse, and angel all look/act fine. I have a water test kit and everything tests out ok, just the salinity/specific gravity is a little high. Could this be the reason, or is this a disease?


----------



## sq33qs (Jul 12, 2010)

Dang, thats some fast acting disease...
Sorry, have no idea what it could be, possibly the introduction of the new fish or it may have been something underlaying in your tank?
Hope you get the advice you need.


----------



## TruespeedEM1 (Sep 3, 2010)

sq33qs said:


> Dang, thats some fast acting disease...
> Sorry, have no idea what it could be, possibly the introduction of the new fish or it may have been something underlaying in your tank?
> Hope you get the advice you need.


I know, thats what has me guessing. Literally like the day after the gramma died the clownfish was covered in it, and the other looked ok, but this morning BOTH were dead, and its weird because they're ONLY dying overnight. When the lights on they are eating/swimming fine?!

I mean I do smaller water changes every two weeks. I'm like OCD about this tank so IDK what is going on.


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

A lack of a quarentine tank is a mistake that everyone seems to go through. Your tank is most likely infested with Oodinium. A rampant disease, it can quickly kill the entire tanks stock list of fish. You must remove the remaining fish, medicate them in a seperate tank (copper and formalin), and leave the tank "fallow" for at least six weeks (without fish). Any new fish should be considered contaminated from then on and put through quarentine as well.


----------



## TruespeedEM1 (Sep 3, 2010)

Fishfirst said:


> A lack of a quarentine tank is a mistake that everyone seems to go through. Your tank is most likely infested with Oodinium. A rampant disease, it can quickly kill the entire tanks stock list of fish. You must remove the remaining fish, medicate them in a seperate tank (copper and formalin), and leave the tank "fallow" for at least six weeks (without fish). Any new fish should be considered contaminated from then on and put through quarentine as well.


So theres no way of actually clearing out the disease from the tank itself then?


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Not if you want your live rock and sand to STAY live.

Actually, there are some methods you could use which are safe, BUT they are SO slow in starting to work that your fish would all be dead by then anyway.


----------



## TruespeedEM1 (Sep 3, 2010)

After this experience, I am going to buy a QT tank as soon as I get off work.

Can you guys lead me in the right direction and guide me with what to buy? Petco has $1 a gallon going on right now so I am going to take that offer. What do I need? Sand bottom? Filter? heater? Live rock?

Also, im going to try and catch the fish and put them in there as a hospital tank as well.


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

NO rock. Rock is the problem in your main tank, right? Same for sand. A bare bottom will be fine. Be sure to put something very dark under the tank to keep too much light from reflecting off the bottom.
People argue a lot in regard to how to set up a quarantine tank. I prefer not trying to make a normal tank out of it since you'll be medicating and waterchanging so much anyway. 
A filter is good ( make sure there is NO carbon in it since it would only soak up the medicines ). A filter won't be very effective as a biofilter in a QT since it will be drugged so much, but it's better than nothing. A plain light will be fne, so you can save a bundle there, and a heater is good if it's going to get chilly.


----------



## TruespeedEM1 (Sep 3, 2010)

OK.

I actually just bought a 120 gallon setup that I will be putting together this weekend. I plan on changing my 55 gallon to a FOWLR tank. Will this disease contaminate my rock as well so that I cannot change it over to the 120 gallon?


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Absolutely. Every nook, cranny, and pore of that rock can be home to disease causing parasites. Now, if you move the rock over to the new tank and then DON'T put any fish in that tank for about two months, you won't have any problems.


----------



## TruespeedEM1 (Sep 3, 2010)

Well, my foxface didnt make it either. Unfortunately being tight on money and already purchased the 120 I have not been able to get a QT/hospital tank yet. The remaining wrasse and coral beauty look ok, but I will not be putting them in the 120, along with any of the rock.

What about the inverts in the tank? Will they transfer over the disease into the 120 as well?


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Anything that has touched the contaminated water with the parasites in it is a potential carrier of the parasite. However, the parasite dies if it cannot feed on a FISH host. So putting your liverock, sand, and invertebrates in the 120 right now would be a good idea. Then medicating the 55 with coppersafe and formalin would be ideal.


----------



## TruespeedEM1 (Sep 3, 2010)

how long would it be before the tank is ready if I were to do that?

My wrasse and angel looked rough a couple days ago (angel had bulged/cloudy eye) but now that has gone away and they both seem to be fine. My watchman goby is also acting normal. Does this mean that the rough parts are over?


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

About two months.

However, with either ozone, ultraviolet light, or something like chem-marin or kick-ick, you can reduce that time considerably.

No, the rough parts are not over. The roughEST parts are over. Continue treatment for a full three weeks to prevent a relapse.


----------



## TruespeedEM1 (Sep 3, 2010)

TheOldSalt said:


> About two months.
> 
> However, with either ozone, ultraviolet light, or something like chem-marin or kick-ick, you can reduce that time considerably.
> 
> No, the rough parts are not over. The roughEST parts are over. Continue treatment for a full three weeks to prevent a relapse.


i actually plan on putting in a UV sterilizer to help with the 120.

I think im just going to leave the things seperated in the tank. I dont need a breakout in a tank as expensive as the 120, haha


----------

