Hey, I've just been so curious about this topic for a while because of seeing it in the store/ in my own tank. I'm curious as to whether fish acquire bacterial infections or similar in the store but don't show signs of it, then when they enter you're aquarium they become a "timebomb", lasting anywhere from 3-4 days then they begin to show their signs...For instance the last clownfish I had was fine then began pooping white,stopped eating, then had swim bladder problems and eventually died, both symptoms of internal parasites/infection. The one I had now began developing something on it's right front fin in a horseshoe shape...I now noticed that it's completely through now, basically a hole in its fin. It began pooping white and returns to the anemone at night but it just makes me wonder if the clown/clowns I've brought it carried with them a "bacterial timebomb"
Internal/External bacteria...a ticking timebomb?
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Reefergeorge
Well-known member
That's why we should quarantine them.
Could also be that the problem is already present in your aquarium, but the fish that are already in your tank have built up a tolerance to it. Then you get a store bought fish that's been recently caught from the wild, shipped around the world, with pit stops in several locations before ending up in your LFS. It's under a lot of stress and it's immune system is shot. Then it's once more transferred to your tank, where it succumbs to a disease present in your tank that the other fish are strong enough to fight off.
Another problem that the above scenario can cause is that your current bio-load is just enough to keep your fish from succumbing to a tank disease but adding another fish over loads that bio-load, making the already weakened NEW fish sick and then the others can also become sick because of the weakened bio-load.
There's so many reasons why fish can appear healthy and then become sick. Could be that they're sick at the LFS, get sick in your tank, weakened by the stress of transport, not properly acclimitized by the LFS or by you, differences in water chemistry....etc. This is why it's so important to QT all fish for the proper amount of time before introducing them into your tank. That's also why it's so important to take things very slowly with a newer tank, or after having done a hypo treatment, which probably killed off a large portion of your bio-load.
Another problem that the above scenario can cause is that your current bio-load is just enough to keep your fish from succumbing to a tank disease but adding another fish over loads that bio-load, making the already weakened NEW fish sick and then the others can also become sick because of the weakened bio-load.
There's so many reasons why fish can appear healthy and then become sick. Could be that they're sick at the LFS, get sick in your tank, weakened by the stress of transport, not properly acclimitized by the LFS or by you, differences in water chemistry....etc. This is why it's so important to QT all fish for the proper amount of time before introducing them into your tank. That's also why it's so important to take things very slowly with a newer tank, or after having done a hypo treatment, which probably killed off a large portion of your bio-load.
I did the hypo in QT, I just can't trust the stores around here, hardly any have any healthy clowns and only 2 that are ORA certified, and one had a fire and is currently rebuilding! The ones before this one that got sick we're in a bucket with a heater and air stone where I drip acclimated them for over 2 hours, it's just so confusing! My guesses agree with your 1st and 3rd suggestions!
To start with, please explain how you're accurately diagnosing the problem as a bacterial problem? Are you absolutely positive it's bacterial and not any other kind of disease?
Well, internal bacteria has always been associated with not eating, white string poop, appearing fine but hanging away from the group, then eventually getting a swim bladder problem and doing flips all around the tank until final death. white stringy poo is normally associated with internal parasites and swim bladder problems are normally associated with bacterial infections of the swim bladder
If you take out 1 ml of aquarium, how many bacteria will you find in it? A lot! Our aquarium water is a 'soup' of bacteria. Fish live in this without a problem if they are not stressed. As far as bacteria infections becoming a problem, it isn't the LFS or the fish, it's the way the fish is being kept, handled, fed, maintained, water quality, etc. That is, it's because of the aquarist.
Fish with internal parasites are extremely common. Estimates are in the range of about 40% or above are infected. Hence I always de-worm my newly acquired fishes.
Fish with internal parasites are extremely common. Estimates are in the range of about 40% or above are infected. Hence I always de-worm my newly acquired fishes.
Herefishyfishy
Smart Bass
Feed a dewormer food
Herefishyfishy
Smart Bass
I use prazipro soaked into flakes
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=12098
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=12098
De-worming is covered in the medicine cabinet post: Fish Medicine Cabinet.
Damsel13
Well-known member
joker you sure are trying hard and seem to be running into a bit of bad luck. Sounds to me like your tank just has to sit around with water changes for awhile. A long while.
Good luck to you man.
Good luck to you man.
I ordered 2 clowns to be delivered from ORA to my LFS in a couple weeks, 1 medium, 1 small to pair up. Both ocellaris, both tank raised. He's going to hold them for a week to see how they act and make sure they are ok, and i'm going to use deworming medication when I get them home. For the time being i'm going to keep doing water changes, I used a siphon today and cleaned out a bunch of crap...6 gallon changE!
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