Hi,
After 6 weeks of cycling my tank, everything seemed fine, so I added two clowns. Unfortunately, one died within 48hrs and the second a day later, looking like it had velvet disease.
I'm pretty sure I did everything I could to help them acclimate - dripping water for about an hour, keeping the lights off, all that. Don't know what else I could've done, to be honest.
No detectable ammonia, nitrite or nitrate in the tank, so I'm stumped.
Moving forward, how long should I leave the tank empty before adding more fish? Can the parasites that cause velvet survive for a while without a host? Should I consider adding a UV to clean the tank?
Would really appreciate some advice - don't want to go through this again.
Jetbox
A tragic loss of clowns
Re: A tragic loss of clowns
Considering your tank's recent issues, I'd definitely think about adding a UV sterilizer to help keep things clean. Treating the tank with antibiotics might also be a good call, just to be on the safe side.
Re: A tragic loss of clowns
I'd recommend looking into Metroplex or Kanaplex - both are reef safe and effective. Also, consider quarantining any new fish before adding them to the main tank to avoid introducing more parasites.
Re: A tragic loss of clowns
Hey buddy, really sorry to hear about the clowns, that's a bummer. For treating diseases, I've had good luck with AquaHearbals and Ich Attack - they're 100% organic and work against ich, fungus, protozoans, and dinoflagellates. I've tried it myself and it's been effective, so hopefully it'll work for you too.
-
finleydive - Posts: 48
- Joined: Wed May 18, 2022 11:49 am
Re: A tragic loss of clowns
I've got some eSHA OODINEX that might do the trick. The box says it's Invertebrate Friendly, which I'm guessing is what you're after. It's a wide range marine treatment, and it's pretty affordable - I think I paid £5 for it. It can treat a 175 gallon tank, so it should be fine for yours.
It's supposed to help with whitespot, skin problems, fungus, finrot, dropsy and oodinium, so it might be worth a shot.
It's supposed to help with whitespot, skin problems, fungus, finrot, dropsy and oodinium, so it might be worth a shot.
Re: A tragic loss of clowns
I think the issue here might be more related to the fish themselves. Cycling for six weeks, in my opinion, is overkill and likely depleted your beneficial bacteria, which can lead to a mini-cycle or at least the potential for one when fish are introduced. However, based on your test readings, it's possible this didn't happen in your case.
From my experience, I've found that clowns can be quite disease-prone when they don't have an anemone host. I've had several clowns in the past, and the only one that's truly thrived without any issues is my maroon, which has a host. Not saying it's impossible to keep them healthy without one, but it's not uncommon for unhosted clowns to succumb to disease. Your acclimation process seemed fine, so I wouldn't blame that for the loss of your fish.
From my experience, I've found that clowns can be quite disease-prone when they don't have an anemone host. I've had several clowns in the past, and the only one that's truly thrived without any issues is my maroon, which has a host. Not saying it's impossible to keep them healthy without one, but it's not uncommon for unhosted clowns to succumb to disease. Your acclimation process seemed fine, so I wouldn't blame that for the loss of your fish.
Re: A tragic loss of clowns
In my experience, the issue with clownfish and disease isn't necessarily the fish themselves, but rather how they're raised. Tank-raised clowns are often thought to be hardier because they've been grown in a controlled environment, but I think that's actually part of the problem. These fish have been raised in a sterile system, exposed to very few pathogens, which means they haven't had the chance to build up their immune systems.
It's like humans - kids who haven't been exposed to many diseases are more likely to get sick, while adults who have already been exposed to most of the common bugs are less likely to get sick. I think it's the same with clownfish. Because they haven't been exposed to many pathogens at a young age, they're more prone to catching new diseases when they're introduced to a home aquarium.
So, what's the solution? For me, it's all about making sure the fish has been at the LFS for a decent amount of time before taking it home. I like to see them there for at least two weeks, but personally, I prefer to wait four weeks. That way, I know the fish has had time to settle in and build up its immune system, which makes it less likely to get sick once it's in my tank.
It's like humans - kids who haven't been exposed to many diseases are more likely to get sick, while adults who have already been exposed to most of the common bugs are less likely to get sick. I think it's the same with clownfish. Because they haven't been exposed to many pathogens at a young age, they're more prone to catching new diseases when they're introduced to a home aquarium.
So, what's the solution? For me, it's all about making sure the fish has been at the LFS for a decent amount of time before taking it home. I like to see them there for at least two weeks, but personally, I prefer to wait four weeks. That way, I know the fish has had time to settle in and build up its immune system, which makes it less likely to get sick once it's in my tank.
Re: A tragic loss of clowns
I completely agree, it's about time the aquaculture places take responsibility for this issue.