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The Fire Swamp's 50g SCA Starfire Cube- πŸ”₯🐊. Upgrade Coming Soon


ECLS Reefer

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ECLS Reefer

Water testing and change day!! Oh and I cleaned out the abysmally filthy chambers for the return pump and the skimmer in the sump. Smelled SOOOO bad I was dying while trying to get all the gunk out of the skimmer. I usually clean out the collecting cup every couple weeks or so, but not the entire skimmer body. GROSS. Seems to be running much better now.Β 

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ECLS Reefer

So, it’s been a miserable last two days. The fish have developed what looks to be brook, and I’ve already lost the grammas. My smaller mandarin and tang are also down with it, the tang hardest. The smaller clown is covered in spots, but swimming strong and eating. The mandarin had been eating as well but she’s been secreting lots of mucus so I pulled her. Her, Tango and the clown are in QT. The CBA, bigger clown and mandarin are still looking okay and in the DT for now.Β 

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Ive hit them with cupramine, metroplex and polygaurd, garlic and probiotics. But with my current luck, it’s probably too late. I ordered some Rally Kick Ich as well because I’ve seen some people swear by it on other sites.

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Im so discouraged and frustrated. They were all doing SO well. I can’t imagine what happened to them or what caused this. And I don’t really know what to do from here. At least I have more salt and a good filter. I can change water if I need to. I have some meds. I just wish I had answers and a clear path to follow. 😞😒

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17 minutes ago, DirtΓ© Sanchez said:

So, it’s been a miserable last two days. The fish have developed what looks to be brook, and I’ve already lost the grammas. My smaller mandarin and tang are also down with it, the tang hardest. The smaller clown is covered in spots, but swimming strong and eating. The mandarin had been eating as well but she’s been secreting lots of mucus so I pulled her. Her, Tango and the clown are in QT. The CBA, bigger clown and mandarin are still looking okay and in the DT for now.Β 

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Ive hit them with cupramine, metroplex and polygaurd, garlic and probiotics. But with my current luck, it’s probably too late. I ordered some Rally Kick Ich as well because I’ve seen some people swear by it on other sites.

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Im so discouraged and frustrated. They were all doing SO well. I can’t imagine what happened to them or what caused this. And I don’t really know what to do from here. At least I have more salt and a good filter. I can change water if I need to. I have some meds. I just wish I had answers and a clear path to follow. 😞😒

That blows.

The only thing you can do is QT any and all fish.

Let the tank be fallow for a few months and QT any fish added into your display.Β  QT of corals added as well as shit can come in on coral.Β Β 

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BTW, that Kick Ich shit is garbage.Β  Snake oil.Β Β 

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I ran for many years without QT of anything added.Β  Then, one addition and I lost almost every fish in the tank.Β  Since then, I QT everything.Β 

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Good luck.Β  Hopefully you dont loose anyone else.Β 

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ECLS Reefer

I’m afraid the tang is almost gone. He still stirs and swims up when you mess with him but otherwise is on his side. He’s not tachypneic like he was, but at this point I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.Β 

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Doing the best I can with them. The mandarins were the last things added fish wise, but that chalice I got that arrived mostly dead was the last thing I put in there.Β 

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DSFIRSTSLTWATER
7 hours ago, DirtΓ© Sanchez said:

I’m afraid the tang is almost gone. He still stirs and swims up when you mess with him but otherwise is on his side. He’s not tachypneic like he was, but at this point I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.Β 

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Doing the best I can with them. The mandarins were the last things added fish wise, but that chalice I got that arrived mostly dead was the last thing I put in there.Β 

Oh no Holly that's awful 😞. Fish scare me for this exact reason. Just hearing this is making me want to set up a qt for when the 75 is up and running. I wish I knew more about fish illness to help you out. Clown79 or tambrev might be able to help you out some.

I'd tag them but for some reason it never works on my phone. Seabass also is a wealth of knowledge.

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ECLS Reefer
Just now, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Oh no Holly that's awful 😞. Fish scare me for this exact reason. Just hearing this is making me want to set up a qt for when the 75 is up and running. I wish I knew more about fish illness to help you out. Clown79 or tambrev might be able to help you out some.

I'd tag them but for some reason it never works on my phone. Seabass also is a wealth of knowledge.

All of my fish have been here longer than 2 weeks. I've seen the argument for both-acclimate and put in, or QT for 2 weeks and then add. Every animal but two came from LA in that tank. The other came from Blue Zoo and the other from my LFS. So far, the CBA is still acting okay, as is the big clown. I've been checking them like crazy. The little clown ACTS okay but it covered in spots, so he's in QT with the others. The big mandarin and the tang now are the worst hit. The grammas checked out after I moved them over, so they must have been the sickest of them all. I'm not sure what else to do for them that I haven't tried. Fresh water bath? Low salinity? I've read all kinds of stuff but I'm not sure what to do other than cupramine, garlic, metroplex and polyguard. They're still alive but again, the tang and big mandarin aren't healthy looking. So, here's hoping they pull through.

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DSFIRSTSLTWATER
1 minute ago, DirtΓ© Sanchez said:

All of my fish have been here longer than 2 weeks. I've seen the argument for both-acclimate and put in, or QT for 2 weeks and then add. Every animal but two came from LA in that tank. The other came from Blue Zoo and the other from my LFS. So far, the CBA is still acting okay, as is the big clown. I've been checking them like crazy. The little clown ACTS okay but it covered in spots, so he's in QT with the others. The big mandarin and the tang now are the worst hit. The grammas checked out after I moved them over, so they must have been the sickest of them all. I'm not sure what else to do for them that I haven't tried. Fresh water bath? Low salinity? I've read all kinds of stuff but I'm not sure what to do other than cupramine, garlic, metroplex and polyguard. They're still alive but again, the tang and big mandarin aren't healthy looking. So, here's hoping they pull through.

Well I did read about the copper and that was to make sure it was full dose. So if you do a water change redose the copper. It's a thread on here actually and fairly recent. If you can @those three they can probably help ya out more. They are really good with that stuff. It sounds like you've done all you can. Now it's just damage control at this point. Definitely leave the display fishless for 8 weeks. Those things can survive as long as it has a host fish.

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ECLS Reefer

Plus, now I'm not sure whether to ever trust buying from LA again, since I'm hearing now after everything that they may not be the best suppliers. They have sent me two corals that were either dead or turned unhealthy, and now I have a tank wipeout. Who knows if the brook rode in with that dead coral. I have to figure out if there is such a thing as a good online supplier-my LFS doesn't always have the most wide selection, and they're not cheap. But then, it might even out with a lack in shipping charges.Β 

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Can't do anything for a long damn time for the SCA now, until this mess gets sorted out.

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Oh and I forgot the sump dwelling yellow tailed damsel is still doing well.

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ECLS Reefer
1 minute ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Well I did read about the copper and that was to make sure it was full dose. So if you do a water change redose the copper. It's a thread on here actually and fairly recent. If you can @those three they can probably help ya out more. They are really good with that stuff. It sounds like you've done all you can. Now it's just damage control at this point. Definitely leave the display fishless for 8 weeks. Those things can survive as long as it has a host fish.

Yeah. All I have at the moment is a 5 gallon QT, because it was never intended for so many fish. But tomorrow may be trotting my but to Wally World for a 20g kit so I can move them all over. I can't put the CBA and big clown in there right now because of their size, and I can't put the damsel in there with the clowns anyway. Turd.

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DSFIRSTSLTWATER
1 minute ago, DirtΓ© Sanchez said:

Plus, now I'm not sure whether to ever trust buying from LA again, since I'm hearing now after everything that they may not be the best suppliers. They have sent me two corals that were either dead or turned unhealthy, and now I have a tank wipeout. Who knows if the brook rode in with that dead coral. I have to figure out if there is such a thing as a good online supplier-my LFS doesn't always have the most wide selection, and they're not cheap. But then, it might even out with a lack in shipping charges.Β 

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Can't do anything for a long damn time for the SCA now, until this mess gets sorted out.

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Oh and I forgot the sump dwelling yellow tailed damsel is still doing well.

I don't know if fish stuff attaches to coral. It could I guess, but I'm still new to all this. I've noticed from lurking around that once the display has a parasite all fish will be affected. You may have to pull them all and qt them to kill the parasite.

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DSFIRSTSLTWATER
2 minutes ago, DirtΓ© Sanchez said:

Yeah. All I have at the moment is a 5 gallon QT, because it was never intended for so many fish. But tomorrow may be trotting my but to Wally World for a 20g kit so I can move them all over. I can't put the CBA and big clown in there right now because of their size, and I can't put the damsel in there with the clowns anyway. Turd.

Ugh yeah that wouldn't work either πŸ˜’. Just make sure if you use any of your rock to not put it back in your display. The rock would leech the meds into the tank. You probably already knew that though I was just thinking about so I figured id throw it out there.

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1 minute ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

I don't know if fish stuff attaches to coral. It could I guess, but I'm still new to all this. I've noticed from lurking around that once the display has a parasite all fish will be affected. You may have to pull them all and qt them to kill the parasite.

Yes.Β  Coral, rocks, sand .....equipment.Β  whatever nastyΒ is in the tank can transfer over to another.Β Β 

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ECLS Reefer
1 minute ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

I don't know if fish stuff attaches to coral. It could I guess, but I'm still new to all this. I've noticed from lurking around that once the display has a parasite all fish will be affected. You may have to pull them all and qt them to kill the parasite.

Yeah I know it's coming. Just have to get a tank big enough to serve as QT for them while they're out.Β 

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Maybe if I get that 20g I can make a divider or something and stick the damsel in there too without having two damn QT tanks running at the same time.

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DSFIRSTSLTWATER
1 minute ago, jack1978 said:

Yes.Β  Coral, rocks, sand .....equipment.Β  whatever nastyΒ is in the tank can transfer over to another.Β Β 

Thanks man that's good to know. I didn't realize that.

Just now, jack1978 said:

I ran the copper treatment ..... Cupramine.Β  Worked like a champ.Β  No fish lost in the treatment.Β 

Do you have to redose copper if you do a water change?

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ECLS Reefer
1 minute ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Ugh yeah that wouldn't work either πŸ˜’. Just make sure if you use any of your rock to not put it back in your display. The rock would leech the meds into the tank. You probably already knew that though I was just thinking about so I figured id throw it out there.

No I haven't got any spare rock. We bought a fake aquarium log big enough for even the CBA to fit in so they can hide. I know you can't put anything exposed to copper in the tank with inverts and coral. And I got a copper level test kit, should arrive tomorrow, so I can make sure the levels are high enough to do something.

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DSFIRSTSLTWATER
2 minutes ago, DirtΓ© Sanchez said:

Yeah I know it's coming. Just have to get a tank big enough to serve as QT for them while they're out.Β 

Β 

Maybe if I get that 20g I can make a divider or something and stick the damsel in there too without having two damn QT tanks running at the same time.

I wonder if jamming them into a smaller tank would help with aggression?? Kinda like with cichlids, they have lots of fish to pick on so it helps with aggression.. just a thought

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ECLS Reefer
Just now, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

I wonder if jamming them into a smaller tank would help with aggression?? Kinda like with cichlids, they have lots of fish to pick on so it helps with aggression.. just a thought

Hell if I know. I'd feel kind of bad sticking seven fish in a 5 g tank. But then, I feel like complete crap at this point, because I'm sure my ignorance somehow caused this. Again. Some nurse I am. 😒

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DSFIRSTSLTWATER
4 minutes ago, DirtΓ© Sanchez said:

Hell if I know. I'd feel kind of bad sticking seven fish in a 5 g tank. But then, I feel like complete crap at this point, because I'm sure my ignorance somehow caused this. Again. Some nurse I am. 😒

Don't be too hard on yourself. We have all done something....like Jack said, maybe just a copper treatment and you'll be good. I wouldn't think you were being mean with all those fish in the 5 gallon, hell that might be better then you can monitor them close. Put some pvc in there for hides and get that ammonia alert badge so you know if it gets bad.

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16 minutes ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

Thanks man that's good to know. I didn't realize that.

Do you have to redose copper if you do a water change?

Yes.Β  You need a copper test kit.Β  Basically, remove 1/2 water and redose half treatmentΒ  .... test to make sure.Β 

It's simple.Β 

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DSFIRSTSLTWATER
Just now, jack1978 said:

Yes.Β  You need a copper test kit.Β  Basically, remove 1/2 water and redose half treatmentΒ  .... test to make sure.Β 

It's simple.Β 

What do you think about the over crowding to help with aggression? Think it might work?

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12 minutes ago, DirtΓ© Sanchez said:

Hell if I know. I'd feel kind of bad sticking seven fish in a 5 g tank. But then, I feel like complete crap at this point, because I'm sure my ignorance somehow caused this. Again. Some nurse I am. 😒

I ran a tang, two clowns, hawk, blenny, gobies, wrasse ..Β  Β  . all in a 10 gallon.Β  Kept them in there for two months.Β  No issue.Β  Only powerhead, heater and PVC pieces.Β 

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ECLS Reefer
4 minutes ago, jack1978 said:

I ran a tang, two clowns, hawk, blenny, gobies, wrasse ..Β  Β  . all in a 10 gallon.Β  Kept them in there for two months.Β  No issue.Β  Only powerhead, heater and PVC pieces.Β 

So maybe just a 10g tank tomorrow. I don't have a powerhead, but I have that finnex HOB pump/filter that I ran on the jar and it pumps out at like 96gph. Plus the air stone and a good heater. Just would feel better with a little more room. It would add insult to injury to wake up and find one had managed to jump to its death in the night because the 5g was way too small. I'm in deep enough dog poo as it is with the 9 year old and his father. Finally got out of the corner with my 7 year old because I (mostly) saved his freshwater tank and have kept his animals alive since the great bacteria debacle. The filter I stuck on that thing is working like gold. But this disaster with my SCA-- it's heartbreaking.

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  • ECLS Reefer changed the title to The Fire Swamp's 50g SCA Starfire Cube- πŸ”₯🐊. Upgrade Coming Soon

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