I suck. Please help me help my clowns!

[slouiscar]

OK. HELP.
I have a 29 g with 25lbs live rock, CC, a 401 powerjet and a carbon and biowheel filter. After my tank cycled and read 1.024, 8.2, 79F, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0: I purchased 2 aquacultered clowns a pepermint, turbo snails and some scarlet hermits from SWF.com and added them on the 22nd. After a few days I noticed ick on one of the clowns. I did not QT. (Rookie mistake #1.) I monitored him for a few days. It looked like it was getting worse. The only med I found at the local LFS was Greenex. I added per the instructions (Rookie mistake #2.) Shortly thereafter scarlet hermits died. I tested and read Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0. I thought maybe I had some bad crabs (that is a funny thing to say 'I had bad crabs' lol). So I did nothing. Then the peppermint died. The clowns were looking better so I figured the shrimp and crabs were sensitive to the medication... but it had cured the ick so I guess I had to live with it. Then my clowns started looking lethargic, slow, breathing heavy. I tested again... 0's. One kept swimming to the top for breaths of air. I did a 20% waterchange last night and changed the carbon... no visible change yet. I increased the bubbles from my powerjet. Their skin looks fuzzy, does that make sense? Is this a normal side effect of that garbage greenex? Should I wait it out?
PLEASE HELP. what can I do? besides obviously put together a QT tank for additions and treatment in the future... I am disappointed and discouraged. I don't want to make rookie mistake #3.

 

[standish]

Please read through the FAQ sticky - at the bottom are some pics of more common problems. " Fuzzy" sounds like it may have brooklynella.
Does it look like the pic?

 

[beth]

It does sound like brooklynella. Take a look at the twin percs in the FAQ Thread at the top of this forum. If this is what you are seeing, immediately perform the formalin bathes as detailed in that thread.
Do you have any inverts left? LR?

 

[slouiscar]

Beth thank you for all your advice. I am learning a lot here in this forum. (Unfortunately, I am learning some lessons the hard way too.)
I am 95% certain it is not brooklynella. I think the Greenex irritated the fishes skin / membrane. They aren't getting worse... I am crossing my fingers and praying that they can tough it out.
I still have some inverts. 6 blueleg hermits, 1 scarlet hermit, and a dozen turbo snails.

Please pull through little guys! I am getting that QT tank up and running for ALL future additions.
I hope the green death medicine at least cleared the ick. Remind me to try a shortcut again in the future.

 

[beth]

If they have ich, greenx is not going to cure them. If you are sure the problem is not brooklynella then the next thing with those symptoms is a bacterial infection. Fish with ich will commonly get a secondary bacterial infection as a result of the parasites feeding on sensitive tissues.
You need to do hyposalinity. I suggest you procedure with that immediately. You can diligently work to keep the tank for cycling. To set up your QT, read the FAQ Thread for suggestions.
Can you get a pic up? What are the water readings in your tank?

 

[slouiscar]

OK here is where we are.
I have a QT running now . (Not cycled but started with tank water, 2 cups of tank substrate in a container, and filter media from my main)
One fish just looks lethargic.
The other started out with "white salt on his skin". Then he got "fuzzy" and his lip got inflamed (a bacterial infection?) Now he has what looks like white mold on his skin. So while I said a day ago I was certain it was just ick, I am now starting to think it is Brooklynella. Good lord!
So I am thinking that I should do a formalin bath instead of hypo. What do you suggest?
A book I have says that a freshwater dip (same ph & same temp as tank) will aid to kill parasites already on the fish. What is this all about?
I want to hospitalize these little guys right. You have been a huge help so far. I am so embarassed / disappointed that I skipped the QT and tried the green death shortcut. I won't listen to local advice again.

 

[slouiscar]

I got my QT operational. I am going to have to work diligently to keep it from cycling… BUT, I have a hospital.
I couldn’t find formalin. But I did find Rid Ick that has formalin as an active ingredient. So I began by adding one teaspoon of Rid Ick to my 10g QT. I went home for lunch and… They look improved. Swimming more actively, breathing a bit easier, no visible white “salt” spots, no visible fuzzy white patches. I am re-energized… but concerned. The one who was doing the worst now appears to have an inflamed red lip. Bacteria infection? I was planning on treating the QT with Rid Ick for the next two days and then monitoring for symptoms. If symptoms continue then begin hypo.
What should I do for his lip? I don’t want to mix medications. Should I quit the Rid Ick / formalin and instead go hypo and add medication for the lip?
Please oh please tough little guys (or girls) pull through… keep improving!
I am going to use the 3-4 weeks without fish in my main as an opportunity to change my CC to sand. (Another of my dumba$$ rookie mistakes.)

 

[beth]

Yes, quit the rid ick and go with hypo. The hypo will actually help keep your tank from cycling. Do you have a refractormeter? What will you use to measure salinity? You must at least get a good glass hydrometer if not the refract.
Make sure you have really good circulation in the tank [not so much, though, that the fish are uncomfortable]. Add a PH to really hit the surface of your water for circulation.
Go with the hypo and in the meantime see if you can find Maracyn Two for Saltwaterfish. Don't use it yet, but just make sure you can find it.
Start feeding your fish food soaked in garlic. Garlic has a mild natural antibacterial quality as well as being a parasite repellent.