Home from vacation . . . Could use a little advice.

[Enigma]

Well, we're home. The tank survived, though it now has a nasty cyano outbreak.

What I thought was a parasite of some sort on my black occ.'s fin most certainly is a parasite. It is larger, and the clown is dive bombing my torch corals. It has is displaying no interest in the cleaner shrimp I added to deal with the parasite. I'm guessing that it is a fluke, but i am not 100% sure.

I figure the parasite must have come in on an invert (snail or urchin), as this tank was fallow while my fish did six weeks in the HT (two week Prazi-Pro and four week ParaGuard treatment).

I'm annoyed.

Anyhoo . . . I do not want to pull fish and leave the tank fallow again. I'm looking at either a Prazi-Pro treatment in the display, or that medicated food (long name which escapes me right at this moment, starts with an "M").

I'm pretty confident in the Prazi-Pro. The fish can all handle it. I am a bit worried about my tuxedo urchins and cleaner shrimp. I would say the fish are more important to me than the inverts, though I'd rather not kill anything.

I'm not opposed to a dip of some sort: if I can get her out relatively easily.

Suggestions?

[Coralgurl]

If your clown is hosting your torch, the black spots could be burn marks ( I think that's what they are called). My clowns hosted my frogspawn and they had them, when they stopped, the marks went away. My clowns now alternate between the nem and hammer coral, marks have shown up again. Nothing to worry about, but the clowns can cause damage and or kill their lps host.

[Enigma]

Thanks, Sheena.

This is a white spot that is raised. It is quite round, and it is around 1mm in diametre. I tried taking a photo, but it isn't clear in the photos.

She isn't flashing any of the rock work. The only change in her behavior is the molesting of the torches.

Should i just wait a bit and see?

[Coralgurl]

Sorry Shelley, I misread what you were saying. You could try a dip if she's easy to catch. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in! Hope you had a good vacay, how did the camera work out?

Now back to topic!

[Enigma]

The cam worked out incredibly well! Sometimes it took a while for it to reposition, but cell service was really poor. Between that and the Apex, I was able to monitor things almost as if I was standing in the room. :)

It was frustrating to watch the cyano patch start and grow bigger everyday. I could even see the spot on the clown getting larger.

[Reef_Geek]

most clownfishes can tolerate a freshwater dip between 30 to 90 seconds. Dechlorinate the freshwater first, and matching temperature. If you're hesitant, you can match the pH also. You can FW dip the fish once per day if you want. Most clownfishes get territorial in your tank and will readily attack your hands (and fish net). Good luck.

[HaZRaTTy]

Sounds like ich, maybe when the fish has it the growth grows on their fins until it completes its cycle i think its like 1-1.5 months then it falls off into the sand bed and releases more into the water column. I believe this is how it is spread from fish to fish.

If it is ich however it could be brought on due to stress, and outbreak and changing water quality in your tank.

Just my 2 cents. There are way more people with more experience with me on this site though.

If it is Ich it wouldn't have came in on an invert as If I remember correctly they cannot host/carry it.

Or........... I can be completely wrong - A Picture would definetly help alot.


Yes black spots (burn marks) are quite normal on clown fish.

[BlueWorldAquatic]

If it is a parasite, a freshwater dip would do wonders. Prepare similar temperature water.

Fish can handle up to 15 minutes in freshwater, watch for signs of stress, remove then if they start breathIng heavy or darting around.

Most tunes the parasite will release in fresh water

[Enigma]

I think it is too big to be Ich (though I've never seen that in person, before). I'm thinking it could be this: http://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/127007/faqs-fish-diseases-treatments-quarantine-health-info#post_2076263

I did cut back on feedings before we left on vacation. I tested the water yesterday when we got back, and calcium was very low. Otherwise, everything else was good (ideal, in most cases).

What can I use to raise the pH of freshwater if I go ahead and try a dip? I have Reef Buffer and Reef Builder . . . Can I use the buffer for fresh?

[Enigma]

So, I took the approach of doing nothing beyond adding garlic and just watching. While whatever was on her fin is still there, it has shrunk considerably and is barely noticeable. She remains very active and social, so I'm optimistic that the situation is resolving itself.

[04V10]

So, I took the approach of doing nothing beyond adding garlic and just watching. While whatever was on her fin is still there, it has shrunk considerably and is barely noticeable. She remains very active and social, so I'm optimistic that the situation is resolving itself.

How are you getting rid of the Cyano? I've had a breakout ever since I did a tank move. The Cyano showed up around th 6th of August. It has been spreading, I've done 50% water changes, and cut back feeding. Sorry to jack your thread, just thought I'd enquire.

[Spyd]

What's your flow like in your tank? That can cause cyano. Also, old lighting can trigger it, etc. To remove, siphon as much out as possible, in increase the waterflow in that area, replace bulbs, lights out for 3 days or so, etc. etc. Lots of ways to prevent it but getting a good grip on what caused it is the main part.

[Enigma]

The Cyano isn't gone yet. I've been able to reduce it. I'm skimming harder, I've replaced my carbon, I've started straining thawed frozen food before adding it to my system, i'm dosing BIO-spira, and I'm manually removing it. I reduced my light cycle, but my SPS browned out.

I am going to pick up some Red Slime remover today and test that in a 10 gallon tank I have which only houses one coral: a coral that was removed from my display system as it wasn't thriving. That coral has some cyano on it. If the test goes well, I'll try it in my display system on Saturday.

[Enigma]

What's your flow like in your tank? That can cause cyano. Also, old lighting can trigger it, etc. To remove, siphon as much out as possible, in increase the waterflow in that area, replace bulbs, lights out for 3 days or so, etc. etc. Lots of ways to prevent it but getting a good grip on what caused it is the main part.

I've got two MP10s running at 40% in "lagoonal" mode, in a 40 Breeder. I can't go any higher than that, as my LPS and softies take too hard a beating. There is a lot of flow, and this is on an open spot in my sandbed directly in front of my hammer coral. My bulbs are two months old.

[reefwars]

What's your flow like in your tank? That can cause cyano. Also, old lighting can trigger it, etc. To remove, siphon as much out as possible, in increase the waterflow in that area, replace bulbs, lights out for 3 days or so, etc. etc. Lots of ways to prevent it but getting a good grip on what caused it is the main part.



higher flow is known to cause cyano where as we use to think higher flow helped rid it, alot of ulns sps tanks with crazy flow have the worst outbreaks:P


cyano can literally be caused by hundreds of things as its a bacteria and not an algae:)

[Spyd]

Red Slime removed will take care of it, however, it may return worse than ever if the cause of it has not been taken care of. I wouldn't worry about your corals with the red slime remover. It WILL get rid of it and without any real casualties. Just be sure to add additional oxygen in your tank during the process via powerheads being raised up for more contact with the outside air, or an air stone.

[04V10]

Sounds interesting Enigma. I don't want to reduce my lighting either due to my clam, and my SPS.

As for my flow, I have increased it substantially to try and get rid of the problem. I've got an AC70 HOB that I converted into a refugium last week with some chaeto, live rock, and chemi-pure elite (wasn't running this before), I've got a koralia 240, and a hydor 180 for additional flow, plus my hob skimmer. I have also cleaned my rock with a turkey baster and sucked some of it up. My lighting is LED radions, so no bulb changes required at this time.
I've also cut back feeding.
I'm wondering if I should just wait it out as my params were good with regards to nitrates, however I did show a tad bit of phosphates (below the lowest number on the scale, but still visible color change during test). With chemipure elite and the chaeto in the system now, I'm wondering if it will tie up the remaining phosphates and eat up the food for the cyano..

[reefwars]

seems to be a common link between the both of you with lots of flow;)

read up and youll see, we are realizing flow helps spread the bacteria.

[Enigma]

A crummy BB pic:

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a435/Iasgair/IMG-20120829-00067.jpg

While the flow there isn't insane, I would classify it as "moderate."

Haven't cleaned it up yet, today.

[Enigma]

Sounds interesting Enigma. I don't want to reduce my lighting either due to my clam, and my SPS.

As for my flow, I have increased it substantially to try and get rid of the problem. I've got an AC70 HOB that I converted into a refugium last week with some chaeto, live rock, and chemi-pure elite (wasn't running this before), I've got a koralia 240, and a hydor 180 for additional flow, plus my hob skimmer. I have also cleaned my rock with a turkey baster and sucked some of it up. My lighting is LED radions, so no bulb changes required at this time.
I've also cut back feeding.
I'm wondering if I should just wait it out as my params were good with regards to nitrates, however I did show a tad bit of phosphates (below the lowest number on the scale, but still visible color change during test). With chemipure elite and the chaeto in the system now, I'm wondering if it will tie up the remaining phosphates and eat up the food for the cyano..

I wouldn't mess with the lights if your clam and SPS are doing well. I need to run a long light cycle to keep my SPS coloured up (four T5s over the tank, which isn't enough), and my SPS browned out quickly. They're coming back around, but there is no way I would risk a clam.

I think that if what is feeding it can be found, the problem will resolve itself, but I'm personally sick of looking at it.

I suppose I should change my ROWAphos, too. I use the API phosphate test, so while it looks like 0, I know darn well it isn't.

seems to be a common link between the both of you with lots of flow;)

read up and youll see, we are realizing flow helps spread the bacteria.

you might have a very good point. I'll bump the MP10s down a bit and see what happens.

The bacteria came in on a frag. The frag that had it has been clean of it for weeks, but the outbreak popped up on the other side of the tank from it.

[MKLKT]

The lighting basically hides the issue, doesn't really resolve it at all. Cyano, being a bacteria issue is pretty much going to be a "what's feeding it?" problem. It'll often balance out if caused with a recent tank move or disturbance as you've kicked up a lot of organics/bacteria food. Skimming, carbon/GFO, patience. Flow will spread it but it'll also allow your mechanical and chemical filtration access to the particles. That's pretty much why patience is the most important; as long as it's not irritating your livestock too badly you're only dealing with esthetics.

[reefwars]

The lighting basically hides the issue, doesn't really resolve it at all. Cyano, being a bacteria issue is pretty much going to be a "what's feeding it?" problem. It'll often balance out if caused with a recent tank move or disturbance as you've kicked up a lot of organics/bacteria food. Skimming, carbon/GFO, patience. Flow will spread it but it'll also allow your mechanical and chemical filtration access to the particles. That's pretty much why patience is the most important; as long as it's not irritating your livestock too badly you're only dealing with esthetics.

absolutely i agree completely:)

[04V10]

Thanks for the info guys. It's not too bad, so I will just wait it out as I have added some factors that might help it out. I'll keep you guys posted maybe a week from now, as my fuge and chemipure hasn't been online for even a week.

[Enigma]

Would Red Slime Remover work as a dip? That way I could dip the three corals that are affected by it (rhodactis, Yuma, and Duncan) and leave the stuff on the sandbed to clear up on its own?

I'm not excited about the thought of the 20% waterchanges that come with the chemical.