+Hydro Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 This is why you QT fish..... It makes me sick to even talk about it but I just lost my new pair of crosshatch triggers and a bimaculatus anthias to a bacterial infection. I've learned a valuable lesson and I hope that me passing along what happened will save someone elses fish. The crosshatch triggers arrived and appeared to be in good health. I put them in a 55 gallon QT that had an anthias already in it. The anthias had been in QT for weeks and was very healthy. There was a cave inside that the triggers basically hid in for almost 2 weeks, not eating anything. The male finally came out and ate...he looked great, a few days later the female came out and ate but I noticed that her fins were in bad shape. I researched this and there was actually not as much info as you think, but it was fin rot caused by a bacteria infection. I dosed the tank with melafix and since the fish was eating good I wasn't very worried about it. After 2 weeks of eating well I decided to move forward with the rest of the treatments before releasing the fish in the DT. I added parzipro for a week as directed. Then I did a FW dip for 15 minutes for the three fish and placed them in a separate 55 gallon QT with a low copper dose. The crosshatch and anthias died within 48 hrs. The bacteria infection took over after the FW dip, the stress of the dip and the move was too much for them to keep battling the infection. They were slimming, eyes were cloudy, and there were bloody patched on their bodies. As soon as I noticed the fish going downhill I added furan 2 to the QT, but it was too late. Not only did I lose $600 worth of fish but the loss of life is downright depressing. Looks like a hippo tang that I placed in the copper QT might die from it too, catching it from the fish I introduced in there. What I learned from this is that when treating fish in a QT is that antibiotics are first priority. Internal parasites, gill flukes, and even ich typically won't kill a healthy fish in 48 hrs. Bacteria infections will and need to be taken very seriously. Symptoms are tattered fins that are kinda brown looking, cloudy eyes, sloughing skin, and excessive slimming. I now have changed my QT procedures. When new fish arrive I will place them in a bare bottom QT with a half dose of furan 2 (antibiotics) and a half dose of cupramine per instructions, add second dose of furan 24 hrs later, and cupramine dose 48 hrs later....basically following instructions. It reads not to use any other medications but I've read that furan 2 can be used with cupramine on several forums. I'll be doing regular water changes as necessary and after 2 weeks I'll remove the cupramine and furan 2 with carbon. The I'll give them a FW dip place them in a QT with LR and add prazi pro and let this run for a week, per instructions. If the fish is healthy I'll wait a couple more weeks then add to the DT. Had I not QTed these triggers I could have wiped out my entire DT. The infection spread from the female, to the male, and then to the anthias....then killed within 48 hrs after the fish were stressed. When new fish are introduced to my DT there is a small ich outbreak from the stress of the fish trying to settle in, my tangs and wrasses chase new fish for a day or 2. This stress could have very well have been the demise of every fish in the tank had I just dropped them straight in. As depressing as it was to watch these fish suffer and die I can't even imagine watching my other fish go through this. Please QT your fish, you are playing russian roulette if you don't. Just because they look healthy when you get them really means nothing. Below is how the fish looked 48 hrs before the last picture. Both the female and male literally died right in front of me, really bummed to say the least. This hobby is a real roller coaster ride sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBReefer Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Sorry for your loss and thanks for the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Sorry to see the male didn't make it! I can't believe I watched them swimming and breathing then just moments later you come out to the shop and tell us they died. Really caught me off guard, the male and anthias were SOOO HEALTHY I thight for sure they were going to be in the DT within a month. Two of the neatest fish I have seen so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Really sorry for your loss, Hydro. I was rooting for these two beautiful fish. Thanks for sharing so we all could learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woods Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Hydro, Sorry for your loss. Am greatful it wasn't your DT. And Thank you for sharing your lessons learned so the rest of us don't have to learn the hard way if we listen and take the appropriate precautions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobR Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Wow, very sorry to hear about the loss of your fish, that really sucks. It can def be hard to watch the poor guys decline. You bring up some very good points about QT, and I have to agree with you that it is definitly a good practice. I learned the hard way and introduced a hefrichi firefish that was sick and it cost me three fish. But now there will be no fish added to my DT that have not gone through a QT process. It is a decision that has to be made whether or not it is worth it to QT and IMO I have to agree with you 100% it is well worth the time, effort and extra bit of money. Again sorry to hear about your loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+o0zarkawater Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 **** Stephen, that's horrible. Those were some beautiful fish, and from your threads it seemed like you were doing your absolute best to get them healthy and in your DT. Good cautionary tale for everyone else. Some people don't realize the fish we put in our tanks from the LFS are usually less than a month out of the ocean, and more likely just 1-2 weeks fresh caught if that. I wish I could have come out and seen them in person. Good luck on your next awesome/rare fish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbnj Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Might very well be Hemorrhagic Septicemia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I'm so sorry for your loss. The bacteria infection took over after the FW dip, the stress of the dip and the move was too much for them to keep battling the infection. They were slimming, eyes were cloudy, and there were bloody patched on their bodies. As soon as I noticed the fish going downhill I added furan 2 to the QT, but it was too late. . . What I learned from this is that when treating fish in a QT is that antibiotics are first priority. Internal parasites, gill flukes, and even ich typically won't kill a healthy fish in 48 hrs. Bacteria infections will and need to be taken very seriously. Symptoms are tattered fins that are kinda brown looking, cloudy eyes, sloughing skin, and excessive slimming. +1 I just want to take a moment to highlight a very important point you are making. Bacterial infections are incredibly deadly and will wipe fish out quickly after a stress inducing experience. I had this happen with two batches of seahorses I tried to rescue in a QT. Unfortunately, I dosed both the antibiotics and applied a FW dip for the parasites within 24 hours of each other. All seahorses died within 4-24 hours. I think we need to stress patience when treating infection. I am betting that if we just treated the fish for bacterial infections and let them grow stronger for at least two weeks, then the FW dip may not have killed them. I'm now thinking that I will want my seahorses to be in QT for up to four weeks before doing a FW dip. Well, actually, I've decided to save my money to go with a reputable breeder and get healthy seahorses in the first place. Please, please QT your fish and do everything you can to make their environment as stress free as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Hydro, I am very sorry to hear about your loss!! I was so hopefull hearing they were eating and appreciate you sharing your experience wiht the rest of us even though it did not turn out well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hydro Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Thanks everyone for your condolences. This has been a real kick in the testicles to say the least, trying to make the best of it. I'm hoping that my loss will save someone else's fish at least. There has to be a silver lining somewhere. I went to the office to check on the others in QT and the little hippo was out swimming around, maybe it will make it. Medications are at 100% now so I'm hoping things will only get better from here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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