ANGELFISH HELP!

[hkarmy25]

Not sure how to start, so just going to dive in. My stock list included a queen angel, emperor angel, 2 pecula clowns, 3 pajama cardinals, 5 blue damsels, a foxface, marine betta, small colony of star polys, and zoanthids. About a month ago i started noticing my queen angel and emperor were swimming funny. Shortly after my queen had, what looked to be, pieces of its slime coat hanging off its scales and the scales on my emperor were turning white. It was not ich, however, but literally its whole body was starting to turn white. A few days later they were both dead. So, even though i figured it wasnt ich, i treated for ich then did melafix treatment, 25% WC, followed by slowly decreasing my vodka dosing and followed that with a 50% water change. So, at this point, i was back to square one. Introduced a juv. blueface angel to my tank. Everything was fine for a week, then its scales started turning white also and a couple days later it was gone. Started getting curious, waited a week, then introduced a majestic angelfish into my tank. AGAIN, fine for a week, then started turning white, few days later it was gone. Now, during all this BS my other fish were/are perfectly fine and dont seem to be effected by whatever it is that is killing my angels. This is leading me to believe that its specific to the species? The emperor and queen were purchased from different suppliers than the majestic and the blueface, so it has to be in my water. Please help.

 

[beth]

What are your water readings? Maybe don't use additives such as the vodka. Are you having nitrate and phosphate probems problems?

 

[hkarmy25]

no nitrates and phosphates were almost non-existent due to the vodka dosing. Salinity is 1.023, pH 8.2. All my other fish are fine and behaving normally.

 

[beth]

Try not dosing with the vodka. When you say the scales were turning white was it a film, or were the scales missing? Angels are pretty sensitive, so they may have been irritated by the vodka while the other fish were not.

 

[hkarmy25]

When i pulled them out, the scales were not missing, just white. I have never seen this with any fish before. I stopped vodka dosing and did a 50% water change following. But the problem still occurred.

 

[beth]

Where were the discolored scales located? Clumped together in one area or all over? Do you use other additives?

 

[hkarmy25]

Started towards the anal fins and make its way up to the side fins. Its solid, not blotchy, and looks as if it bleaches the scales. Only other additives i use are Instant Ocean marine stabilizer and marine conditioner for WCs. Stress coat and Prime when adding new fish

 

[beth]

My guess is that one of the additives is causing the problem. How do you mix your salt before adding to the aquaria?

 

[hkarmy25]

Separate bucket. 5Gs at a time. Heres a picture of the blueface shortly after it died. If you look towards its mouth and up by its back fin you can see the darker is its original color. Theres barely any left. Almost all the scales had either faded or turned white.

 

[beth]

It definitely seems more like a reaction to something, rather than a disease. My money would be on the vodka. Stop using it, and do a few more water changes before trying new fish additions. Do you quarantine?

 

[hkarmy25]

Thats the only thing i can think of as well. However, I have a friend who does vodka dosing as well in his reef tank with a majestic and a regal. Neither have had this reaction. But ive stopped the vodka dosing. Its caused a bit of a brown algae bloom but NBD. I do not quarantine as of right now. I had a quarantine system set up in my old apt. but it has yet to be set up in the new one.

 

[beth]

Its a good time to set it up, so the next go-round with an angel can be observed in isolation for a few weeks.