HELP PLS !

[LeahMarinelife]

hi everyone,
new here!

I set up a 260 L (50? Gallons) Saltwater tank January 18th, cycled tank have live rock & live sand, kept eye on perimeters, had a couple of spikes of ammonia but was fishless cycle so wasn’t too stressed
10% water change was done, ammonia came back down to 0.
Continued testing over couple days before deciding to add fish, and added bacteria to tank.

Got fish around 1st Feb all levels showing correct - using API & salifert for ammonia
Statted off with 2 clowns ( came from same tank) a blue regal tang, and a cleaner shrimp

awoke up this morning & lost my 1 clownfish nemo sadly, first loss so pretty gutted.
It looked to have a bit of red under stomach on fins, could it be possible the 2 clowns were fighting and poor nemo lost the battle
After a couple days id brought clowns and regal tang ( Dory) i noticed a load of white spot on them, which ive been treating with poly lab medic.

Another bigger water change is going to be done upcoming Tuesday.

Still semi beginner, ANY advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[Gman83]

Given the white spots comment could be ick. I would check out @Jay Hemdal posts in the disease thread. I would probably repost this, with pictures/videos of the surviving fish in the disease thread to get the best results. @vetteguy53081 is also very knowledgeable in this area as well.

 

[LeahMarinelife]

Given the white spots comment could be ick. I would check out @Jay Hemdal posts in the disease thread. I would probably repost this, with pictures/videos of the surviving fish in the disease thread to get the best results. @vetteguy53081 is also very knowledgeable in this area as well.

hey! thanks so much for your reply.
The tank was being treated with polylab medic for ich as i also noticed my regal tang had it after it had been sold to me, i guess it’s my own fault thinking i could save/treat them. Unfortunately for me and the fish, has lost his battle. Even tested with salifert ammonia tester & still came back all good. I will take your advice and post over there too thanks!

 

[Lavey29]

Did you even complete the tank cycle before adding fish? Did you add nitrifying bacteria to the cycle process?. If you introduced ich into yoyr tank then the remaining fish need to be removed to QT with copper treatment and your tank needs to fallow for 76 days. I highly suggest you slow down and do some more research into starting a salt tank.

 

[LeahMarinelife]

Yes my tank was cycled before i even thought about adding them, i have a tropical too so not completely new to tanks just saltwater. Bacteria was added yes, i used Rapid cycle ATM.
They were all added together, all brought from same place, they were in same tank. I noticed Regal tang had white spots when brought home a day later under white light. I have since been treating with Polylab Medic.
I’m not rushing into this because i know how expensive the hobby can be, i’m into this hobby because im fascinated with the fish and find them therapeutic.

 

[Lavey29]

Yes my tank was cycled before i even thought about adding them, i have a tropical too so not completely new to tanks just saltwater. Bacteria was added yes, i used Rapid cycle ATM.
They were all added together, all brought from same place, they were in same tank. I noticed Regal tang had white spots when brought home a day later under white light. I have since been treating with Polylab Medic.
I’m not rushing into this because i know how expensive the hobby can be, i’m into this hobby because im fascinated with the fish and find them therapeutic.

Do you show nitrate production in your tank? Polylab is useless for ich in a marine tank.

 

[LeahMarinelife]

Do you show nitrate production in your tank? Polylab is useless for ich in a marine tank.

oh wow really?! First i was recommended anti parasite marine but i have shrimp so unable to use. So then i was recommended this, that’s a bummer.. what would you recommend to use for me please? If it helps i’m UK based, i’m going to do 50% water change on tuesday when it gets delivered to me.
& i am showing production for nitrates yes.

 

[Lavey29]

oh wow really?! First i was recommended anti parasite marine but i have shrimp so unable to use. So then i was recommended this, that’s a bummer.. what would you recommend to use for me please? If it helps i’m UK based, i’m going to do 50% water change on tuesday when it gets delivered to me.
& i am showing production for nitrates yes.

Tangs are ich magnets. They need to be properly QT with copper prior to introduction into the DT and even then they often develop ich from the stress of the new environment. Ideally you set up a QT tank and treat the fish properly but it does not sound like that is an option. I would just try and do ich management for your tank moving forward. Feed the fish a variety of frozen and nori, add seachem garlic to the food. Dose vitachem once a week. Essentially what you want to do is build the health of the fish to give him a strong immune system to fight off the ich. Do not add more fish now for several months while you manage the ich problem. Some have success incorporating UV too.

Post pics of the fish under white light.

 

[LeahMarinelife]

Tangs are ich magnets. They need to be properly QT with copper prior to introduction into the DT and even then they often develop ich from the stress of the new environment. Ideally you set up a QT tank and treat the fish properly but it does not sound like that is an option. I would just try and do ich management for your tank moving forward. Feed the fish a variety of frozen and nori, add seachem garlic to the food. Dose vitachem once a week. Essentially what you want to do is build the health of the fish to give him a strong immune system to fight off the ich. Do not add more fish now for several months while you manage the ich problem. Some have success incorporating UV too.

Post pics of the fish under white light.

I was just about to post some pics for absolute clarification. Dory (Regal tang) likes to hide with my shrimp a lot but she eats well & definitely has no white spots anymore.

The video i’m about to post is how i found the clown & photos of after i took it out of tank after passed:

I just want to better my expertise, i don’t want anymore harm done.

 

[Lavey29]

I was just about to post some pics for absolute clarification. Dory (Regal tang) likes to hide with my shrimp a lot but she eats well & definitely has no white spots anymore.

The video i’m about to post is how i found the clown & photos of after i took it out of tank after passed:

I just want to better my expertise, i don’t want anymore harm done.

Video is blurry but obviously rapid breathing. Clowns are prone to brook disease. You are better off with tank bred versus wild caught. As you move forward you either need to QT your own fish prior to adding them or buy from a trusted source that does their own in house QT. If your current LFS does not and you saw the fish in their tank with obvious signs of ich or other disease then I would not buy fish there. All you can do now is wait a few months before adding another fish and see if your tang can overcome the issue.

 

[Reefering1]

I’m not rushing into this because i know how expensive the hobby can be delicate these creatures can be.

Fixed it for you!

 

[LeahMarinelife]

Video is blurry but obviously rapid breathing. Clowns are prone to brook disease. You are better off with tank bred versus wild caught. As you move forward you either need to QT your own fish prior to adding them or buy from a trusted source that does their own in house QT. If your current LFS does not and you saw the fish in their tank with obvious signs of ich or other disease then I would not buy fish there. All you can do now is wait a few months before adding another fish and see if your tang can overcome the issue.

i’ve already come to conclusion i won’t be using the place i had these from. I can only thank you ever so much for going through all of this with me & giving me advice!

 

[LeahMarinelife]

Fixed it for you!

thanks but doesn’t mean it’s not also expensive. I was looking for advice, not for a word to be corrected

 

[Lavey29]

i’ve already come to conclusion i won’t be using the place i had these from. I can only thank you ever so much for going through all of this with me & giving me advice!

I learned my lesson to with fish disease when I first started my tank. Now I only buy from my local LFS that does comprehensive QT on all his imported fish. No problems now for 4 years.

 

[Reefering1]

thanks but doesn’t mean it’s not also expensive. I was looking for advice, not for a word to be corrected

My advice came in the form of corrected ideology. The money can be made again, a lost fish cannot be brought back to life. When we value the life, more than the dollar, we assure the time and effort is spent to give them the best chance of doing well. Not trying to bash you, we have all had losses and you do seem to care for your animals. Just offering my 2 cents

 

[LeahMarinelife]

I learned my lesson to with fish disease when I first started my tank. Now I only buy from my local LFS that does comprehensive QT on all his imported fish. No problems now for 4 years.

i’m hoping i get to that level! for the next couple months i’ll be searching better LFS stores. I hope dory makes it, she’s only small. I probably will cry if i lose another, i love these guys.

 

[Lavey29]

i’m hoping i get to that level! for the next couple months i’ll be searching better LFS stores. I hope dory makes it, she’s only small. I probably will cry if i lose another, i love these guys.

Soak food in seachem garlic if you can get it there and Boyd vitachem

 

[LeahMarinelife]

Soak food in seachem garlic if you can get it there and Boyd vitachem

ordered it all on amazon! & another bottle of bacteria but gone for one & only this time Dr tim’s
Thanks so much for your advice and taking your time to explain to me properly

 

[Hats_]

i’m hoping i get to that level! for the next couple months i’ll be searching better LFS stores. I hope dory makes it, she’s only small. I probably will cry if i lose another, i love these guys.

i dont know if you are planning to keep 'Dory' (assuming it is a Paracanthurus hepatus) long term I would advise against that in the size tank you have... these fish grow well up in the 30+ cm size, and are very active swimmers. your tank is way too small for a fish like that...

my advise to you right now would be to post everything you have in your system, pumps, skimmers etc. and tell us your maintenance routines. pictures are also very helpful!

then I would say ask for some advise on what animals you want to keep in your tank to figure out a realistic stock-list. This is how you avoid making mistakes in the future and set yourself up for succes

 

[LeahMarinelife]

i dont know if you are planning to keep 'Dory' (assuming it is a Paracanthurus hepatus) long term I would advise against that in the size tank you have... these fish grow well up in the 30+ cm size, and are very active swimmers. your tank is way too small for a fish like that...

my advise to you right now would be to post everything you have in your system, pumps, skimmers etc. and tell us your maintenance routines. pictures are also very helpful!

then I would say ask for some advise on what animals you want to keep in your tank to figure out a realistic stock-list. This is how you avoid making mistakes in the future and set yourself up for succes

she/he did unfortunately pass in the night

I will attach photos tomorrow after i’ve done my water change! I’m deciding to go with NSW. I can’t blame the LFS for everything but i don’t think their water is very good either..

It’s a second hand tank so i’m not sure of exact brand etc for the equipment i have apart from what i brought myself which was only really live sand, some rock, sock for skimmer, and light.
I’ll attach a photo of the tank in general for now, come back tomorrow & reply with the rest! I no longer have the light that’s in photo, i still have one but need a better one like that.

Plenty of research on stock needs to be done on my end 100% as i was under impression Dory my tang would of been ok in this size tank so was lied to again by that stupid LFS store!!
This has been an absolute learning curve for me, i appreciate coming to a forum like this where there’s lots of experienced people to help & advise!