I'm this close to calling it quits.

Well, you cant see it, but my fingers are real close together.

OK, so heres the scoop. Just finished treating the Flame hawk for god knows what. Cleaned the tank, changed 20%, added Filter pad for removing medicines and junk. Now I noticed the Coral beauty, 1 Chomis, and Damsel have a similar type infection. It is a blotch of what looks like scales falling off on the side of the body. The Damsel looks better than yesterday, but now the CB and Chromis have it. So now I will try the Tetracyclin food dip. The Ampacylin cured the white eye from last month.

So I have had fresh water for years with no problem... Started the salt water 8 months ago and it has been 8 months of treatments and water changes. I just dont know if I can take any more.

Just tested my water and the params are better than they have ever been.

Am I just being nervous parent and noticing too much ? Do you ever just let time decide ? The last two sicknesses I have had success where in the past it has always been certain death. Its like I have a hospital tank and I just spend time treating.

Help me Obiwon, I'm on the edge and ready to jump...

\Discouraged.

 

Sorry to hear about your troubles with the diseases. I havent heard of one that causes the scales to fall off like you say, but could be some type of fungal infection in their skin.

Check out this site, it will give you a better idea of what you are up against, and provide a proper treatment.

Fish Disease, Diseases of Fish, Medications & Fish Health Treatments

Hope this helps. Karma for luck.

-BillyD

 

Hang in there...

 

Yes, I am a frequesnt visitor. Cant tell if it is this one or not. I wish they had pictures.
Q: The scales on my fish are falling off.

A: Sounds like the fish has Bacterial Hemorrhagic Septicemia.
Treatment: Treat the fish with Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride Powder, for ten days.


Tonight I started the
Aquarium Products Gel Tek Tetracycline Medication Fish Eat


The Ampicillin worked for the Flame Angel last month.
Aquarium Products Gel Tek Ampicillin Medication Fish Eat

I just finished the Seachem Para Gaurd for the Flame Hawk last week.


Thanks

 

Sounds like you need to set up a quarantine tank and treat them all again with something like paraguard which is an all around medicine. Leave the tank fishless for 6-8weeks and ALWAYS quarantine new fish.

 

Pics would help but if it just "looks" like scales it could be flukes. Is the scale looking thing milky-clear? The fish scratching at all? are the gills flaring and breathing look labored?

 

I will going forward. I havn't added a new fish in quite some time. I am not adding anything until it is under control or I give up, which ever comes first.

 

I will try but they are camera shy. Everytime i go near with the camera , they all run. I may need to try video

Anyway.. It really just looks like scales flaking off. The color os clear or scales with no color pigment.

 

Sorry to hear about that, just stick in there and put those fish in an iso tank to cure em'.

 

I feel very bad for you as no one likes to have what you are going through happen! The problem that you may be having is that you are trying to treat one fish while the other inhabitants are suffering. Often times we try to cure a bacteria, disease, pathogen, virus etc. that is infecting one fish, only to have other life forms take the brunt of this with negative results. Reduced oxygen, elevated stress level, death of beneficial bacteria, sessile invertebrates, corals and the list goes on and on can be attributed to the addition of various concoctions and medicines.


A quarantine tank is ideal! In a pefect world we would purchase our fish all at once...I know that is a tall order to place, however, each time we purchase livestock we, literally, are playing a game of Russian Roulette! Think about it...we have no idea where the livestock came from, how long it has been in transit, how long it has been sitting in a tank at the local pet shop, what, if any type of illness it has, and more importantly, how many other fish have been sharing the same tank or overall water system!!! Also, if you aren't certain as to the disease, treating it with medication may or may not help, and could potentially pose greater risks!

Having said this, I know I have tried to talk more than one other fellow reefer out of quitting, and hopefully we can help to alter your decision to stick with the wonderful and beautiful hobby.

You are not alone with the ungratifying situation that you are dealing with, however, if you can take a step back and relax for one: try to slow down as well since the adding of one medication followed by another can lead to further problems, in my opinion. Research about the possible medication alternatives, a second opinion, and other possible scenarios need to be considered to help you to overcome and more importantly your fish to overcome these stressful times.

DO you know what the underlying assumption was as to how the Hawk got sick?
Treating a living animal without being sure of the infection or disease could make things worse.

I don't know if you could set up a quarantine tank, or know of a friend that may have a quarantine tank to help you get over this hump? That would be best case scenario, and knowing exactly what your fish are suffering from(symptoms) so that you can narrow down the plethora of medications available to treat any one of hundreds of diseases.

I would hope that you would not get discouraged enough to quit the hobby, that once you get established, will make your pitfalls in the past seem like ant hill, not a mole hill.
You will get through this with our help or other websites like 3reef, to offer you our feedback and advice, give you help and confidence.

I would try to take small steps over a period of days or even weeks, not over the course of a day or two to medicate and quarantine your fish, while not affecting other living animals in your aquarium.
We'll, I am done blh, blh, blahhing as you are probably bored or asleep right about now.

So hopefully I have help you and you deserve to give yourself another chance as you can do it, and this is just a learning experience to only make you better and stronger in the future in the marine hobby!!!\
Take care and Karma to you, if for just reading this!