treating melanosis
- Thread starter jcarroll
- Start date
Are you referring to Hyper-Melaninization?
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/127010/diseased-fish-pictures#post_914754
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/127010/diseased-fish-pictures#post_914754
jcarroll
Member
Well, I have a pajama cardinal fish and noticed that around it's mouth it is turning black. I found a picture on the internet that looked just like how the fish looks. It was talking about how the dark spot is a sign of stress and is called melanosis. I wasn't sure if there are things you can do to help with the stress, garlic, keeping lights off, things like that. I am also wondering if it usually leads to death.
This tank has quite a history. I've had it for three years. I had to move it from Indiana to Colorado. All of my rock died in the process. I set it back up, cycled it again and eventually added two clownfish that died after 3 or 4 days. Then, the job that brought us there fell through and we moved back to Indiana. I had all of the rocks stored in saltwater for 4 months while we found a place to live. Then, I set the tank back up. I bought three new pieces of live rock and put all of my base rock in there too, after scrubbing and rinsing them thoroughly. I then cycled the tank again and added my cleanup crew, which are still in there and alive. I then bought two clownfish a couple of weeks later and they both died after 4 days. So, I didn't buy anything else for 3 months, thinking that if there was a disease in there, it would be long gone since then. I just bought my two pajama cardinals (bought them because they were cheap, just in case I lost them) and two more emerald crabs. After drip acclimating them, and two days, they are both showing signs of stress.
I have no idea what could be wrong with my tank. I am able to keep my shrimps, snails, and crabs alive with no problem. My parameters in this 55 gallon are
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrates 15
ph8.2
temp 80-81
I have a wet/dry, skimmer, two powerheads, about 120 pounds live rock, with 100 of it being base, but slowly becoming live again, and I have a 2-3 inch live sand bed, which was also stored in saltwater for all of those months.
Beth, honestly, any ideas you have would be so great because my husband is about to the point where he is going to make me stop wasting money on fish. At that point, I'll only be able to buy some corals and keep my cleanup crew. Well, I have two little ones who really don't care about that stuff and are really excited about the fish. I really want this tank to be successful like the first time I ever set it up.
This tank has quite a history. I've had it for three years. I had to move it from Indiana to Colorado. All of my rock died in the process. I set it back up, cycled it again and eventually added two clownfish that died after 3 or 4 days. Then, the job that brought us there fell through and we moved back to Indiana. I had all of the rocks stored in saltwater for 4 months while we found a place to live. Then, I set the tank back up. I bought three new pieces of live rock and put all of my base rock in there too, after scrubbing and rinsing them thoroughly. I then cycled the tank again and added my cleanup crew, which are still in there and alive. I then bought two clownfish a couple of weeks later and they both died after 4 days. So, I didn't buy anything else for 3 months, thinking that if there was a disease in there, it would be long gone since then. I just bought my two pajama cardinals (bought them because they were cheap, just in case I lost them) and two more emerald crabs. After drip acclimating them, and two days, they are both showing signs of stress.
I have no idea what could be wrong with my tank. I am able to keep my shrimps, snails, and crabs alive with no problem. My parameters in this 55 gallon are
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrates 15
ph8.2
temp 80-81
I have a wet/dry, skimmer, two powerheads, about 120 pounds live rock, with 100 of it being base, but slowly becoming live again, and I have a 2-3 inch live sand bed, which was also stored in saltwater for all of those months.
Beth, honestly, any ideas you have would be so great because my husband is about to the point where he is going to make me stop wasting money on fish. At that point, I'll only be able to buy some corals and keep my cleanup crew. Well, I have two little ones who really don't care about that stuff and are really excited about the fish. I really want this tank to be successful like the first time I ever set it up.
Can you post a picture of the fish? Even the web fish?
Did you use any of the LR, sand from the previous tank? It sounds like you did. Once the rock is dead, I don't think I would have used it again. There are too many nooks and crannies in LR where dead organic matter will remain.
Did you use any of the LR, sand from the previous tank? It sounds like you did. Once the rock is dead, I don't think I would have used it again. There are too many nooks and crannies in LR where dead organic matter will remain.
jcarroll
Member
http://www.marineaquariumadvice.com/...ishPartTwo.htm
This is a link to the fish.
I did use my rock from the previous tank. I just couldn't throw it out. I scrubbed it really good and added it to the tank before I started cycling it. If there were dead organic matter in it, wouldn't it show in nitrates? My nitrates are a little higher than I'd think they'd be since I do regular water changes and also have a skimmer running, but they still stay at about 20 or below.
The thing that's getting me, is your inverts are supposed to be really sensitive to water conditions and my inverts are healthy and growing and eating like crazy. It's the fish that I'm having trouble with. Now these cardinals, I've had now for 7 days and they are still alive. That's longer than my clowns lasted, but I'm still very concerned because of the obvious discoloration.
This is a link to the fish.
I did use my rock from the previous tank. I just couldn't throw it out. I scrubbed it really good and added it to the tank before I started cycling it. If there were dead organic matter in it, wouldn't it show in nitrates? My nitrates are a little higher than I'd think they'd be since I do regular water changes and also have a skimmer running, but they still stay at about 20 or below.
The thing that's getting me, is your inverts are supposed to be really sensitive to water conditions and my inverts are healthy and growing and eating like crazy. It's the fish that I'm having trouble with. Now these cardinals, I've had now for 7 days and they are still alive. That's longer than my clowns lasted, but I'm still very concerned because of the obvious discoloration.
jcarroll
Member
Hey Beth and anyone else!
I just wanted to post something that may help others in the future. I was having trouble keeping fish alive in my tank, but all of my inverts have been thriving. I couldn't figure out what was wrong, so I decided to not add ANYTHING to my tank for a while. I waited for almost 4 months! Well, even though my pajama cardinals that I added almost 2 weeks ago were showing signs of stress, they have survived and the black discoloration around their mouths is slowly clearing up now.
I just thought I'd post the progress because I think I've learned that when things are going bad, take a break from it. Upkeep the tank, but let it run for a while without disturbing it with any new additions. This way, anything that may be in it such as diseases and such can run their course and you can basically start over without actually having to start from scratch. I had lost 5 fish total with my tank, and am happy to say that I'm confident I'm past that phase now. However, I will not be adding another fish for another 3 or 4 months again, when I feel it's safe.
So, in other words, take things SLOW, which I thought I was doing too, but I'm talking sllloooooow.
I just wanted to post something that may help others in the future. I was having trouble keeping fish alive in my tank, but all of my inverts have been thriving. I couldn't figure out what was wrong, so I decided to not add ANYTHING to my tank for a while. I waited for almost 4 months! Well, even though my pajama cardinals that I added almost 2 weeks ago were showing signs of stress, they have survived and the black discoloration around their mouths is slowly clearing up now.
I just thought I'd post the progress because I think I've learned that when things are going bad, take a break from it. Upkeep the tank, but let it run for a while without disturbing it with any new additions. This way, anything that may be in it such as diseases and such can run their course and you can basically start over without actually having to start from scratch. I had lost 5 fish total with my tank, and am happy to say that I'm confident I'm past that phase now. However, I will not be adding another fish for another 3 or 4 months again, when I feel it's safe.
So, in other words, take things SLOW, which I thought I was doing too, but I'm talking sllloooooow.