Urgent! Seek Help from experience reefers

[Reefboy]

Last night, I noticed all my fishes were breathing heavily even until this morning. I don’t see them swimming up to the surface to gasp for air. No fatality upon now. I did 30percent water change immediately when I saw the issue last night and add on a portable air pump to aerate the water surface.

From your experience, do you know what cause the issue? Adding on, yesterday afternoon, I did added a new return pump to replace the faulty ones. Will that be an issue too? Water parameter has no issue tested via salifert.

 

 

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[R0B]

Could be many reasons. Typically I would initially think is water chemistry - but you said all params ok but, did you test for Ammonia? (I would suggest you rule out ammonia issues). It could be something attacking the immune system of the fish (e.g. velvet, did you add any new fish? QT?). You mentioned your return was faulty. This could cause a few issues if you are not running water through your filters (eg. carbon), but this would show up in you Params. It could a lack of CO2 displacement/exchange in this case adding an air stone (like you did) would help as it causes more gas exchange. Make sure wavemakers are creating enough agitation. Just some ideas. Hope it helps.

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[Reefboy]

Thank you for responding. Upon now, there’s not fatality yet. Hopefully not to have one. I did not add any fish at all and the tank has been running for 7months. All corals are opening up. This morning I fed mysis shrimp and fish still go for the food desperately. However, I still can see they’re gasping for air but not getting air from the water surface. Their gills are open up and close rapidly. There’s 0 ammonia according to my test kit. However, my nitrate is 50ppm. I’ve stopped my air pump for the aeration now and see how it goes. I’ve a wave maker provide aeration for lower areas as my output pump will do the work on aerating the surface.


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[Solo77]

How long have you kept Yr fishes and what are they.... 

[Reefboy]

2ft tank. Kept for 7 months. 5chromis, 2 black clown, 2 damsels, 1 pajamas; 2 cardinal, 4 turbo, 1 fire shrimp, 1 peppermint and 1 cleaner shrimp.


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[Reefboy]

I’ve a refugium running


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[Reefboy]

An hour ago, I decrease the level of the water so the output can provide more air bubble. I can see my peppermint just molted. Also my pajamas and cardinal not breathing heavily.


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[soggycookies]

An hour ago, I decrease the level of the water so the output can provide more air bubble. I can see my peppermint just molted. Also my pajamas and cardinal not breathing heavily.


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it could be lack of oxygenation in the water. if their bodies look fine and not patchy/covered in a whitish film or spots, it’s probably just the oxygen level in your tank- assuming you’ve tested ammonia and that isn’t the issue either


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[leong_rei]

Check your kh ph and isit once u change water it become like that some time if u change too much water never add anti chorine will cause this too

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[leong_rei]

If still like that try pump your hand in the tank to check see any leak or electrical

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[equiox]

How is your fish now? 

[yxuann]

Following


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[Reefboy]

I have checked. No leakage of electricity in the water. I still can do fragging on my sps. Until now, no fatality yet. But one of my small black clownfish looks white. Then rest are okay but still gasping for air.


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[Reefboy]

I used prime for my water change. My kH are at the correct range. Never check for pH as I never had any test kit for that since I don’t use all along


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[Reefboy]

This is my current black clownfish


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[soggycookies]

This is my current black clownfish


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looks like you have a pathogenic parasite outbreak in your tank. looks like either brook or velvet from this pic to me


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[Reefboy]

This fish is active and still go for food. How can I do here? Please advise thanks!!


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[R0B]

Not an expert on disease, but I have to say that the pic looks like marine velvet.

Have a look for White spots, dusty looking skin, difficulty breathing, scratching on rocks.

Fingers crossed that I am wrong.

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[R0B]

If it is velvet... Suggest you do the following. Remove all fish from your tank. Put in a fresh water dip (try match temp and ph). Min 2 mins. Then place fish in a quarantine system (buckets will work). Add air stone. Treat with copper. Be prepared to loose a lot of the fish.

https://www.thesprucepets.com/marine-ich-velvet-coral-fish-disease-2924982

Also google humblefish on reef2reef.

Good luck!!!!

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[Otaku Reefer]

yes, agree with Rob, gasping for air is one sign of parasites as they attack the gills, if they start swimming against the power head its also highly likely velvet its strange you didnt add anything but still got this sudden outbreak after 7months. Do note anything wet u add got risk, its not limited to fish. if u go LFS buy coral or invert and u see the fish is infected, its best u do quarantine the coral in a fishless tank for few weeks. Its possible the parasite is free swimming and happen to attach to the coral or inverts u buy. U probably will need to do copper treatment in another tank and leave the tank fallow for 1-2months to be safe.


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[Reefboy]

Thank you for the advise. I put it in a freshwater for 5mins to dip and now it’s in a pail of saltwater with air stone circulating the water. I will leave it there a night and next morning see how it goes. Hopefully will be fine


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[Reefboy]

No fatality upon now. I kept my low health black clown at a quarantine. I can see it’s color has come back. For now, I will monitor until it swim normally. The rest of my fishes have gone back to display tank as I don’t have another quarantine tank. No gasping of air nor weird swimming behavior for the rest of them.


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[leong_rei]

If is velvet u need set up another tank to keep all your fish until your main tank 1-2month fishes then can put it back if not now u put back also no use velvet will kill it in few days time

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[equiox]

It's not velvet. It's either fluke or brook

 

 

[Indeco]

No fatality upon now. I kept my low health black clown at a quarantine. I can see it’s color has come back. For now, I will monitor until it swim normally. The rest of my fishes have gone back to display tank as I don’t have another quarantine tank. No gasping of air nor weird swimming behavior for the rest of them.


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Bro, it look like brook outbreak. U need to act fast.

Below is the link for brook treatment.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/brooklynella.247938/

If can get the Ruby Reef Rally from FNM and do the bath and treatment.

At the sametime get Seachem Metroplex from near by LFS and make medicated food and feed your fish in the main tank and observe them closely.

Ruby is gd for bath but can also be dose in your reef tank but may not be so not effective.

Hope this help.