Cleaning out system after disease

[xxmurrxx]

Well in the past month I have lost my three clownfish.
Started with 1, He was doing fine... Bought my 2nd (Should have figured he was a sick fish when i bought - pale not very active), well needless to say the 2nd clown died pretty fast. I brought it back to the fish store they tested my water said it looked ok and gave me a free fish.  Well days after my original started showing symptoms that the 2nd had and died.  Next fish number 3 followed the same suit.

Reading up on forums and such i'm thinking it was "Brook" disease due to the symptoms and quickness of death.
Anyways... my question is, What should if anything I do to my system before I buy any more fish?  Not sure if diseases are free floating in the water or are strictly transferred from fish to fish.

I'm bringing the dead fish back to the store tomorrow because he only lasted less than two weeks but i'm going to hold off for a while if they offer me another fish to make sure my system is clear.

 

[ricklalonde]

I'm unfamiliar with brook disease. Can you post a link from where you found this info? I'm not much of a fish guy but, with more info on Brook disease I might be able to help you out.

Perhaps one of the Fish experts on the forum can chime in...

 

[xxmurrxx]

Here is the info on the specific disease.
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/ichparasiticdiseases/a/aabrooklynella.htm

Also comparing symptoms on various fourms, pictures pretty similar to what my fish looked like.

 

[ricklalonde]

OK so it sounds to be practically the same this a "ich" but mainly hosts on Clownfish.

Do you have any other livestock in your tank? Fish, Corals, Snails, Shrimp, etc, etc?

 

[xxmurrxx]

Just snails, couple nasarrius and tiger trochus.
I have not noticed any difference in their activities since the fish illness.

 

[ricklalonde]

Brooklynellosis and Ich can continue to live in the tank up to 6-8 weeks without a host. So I wouldn't add more fish anytime soon. If it were me and there were no other fish alive in the tank, I would just let the parasite die off on it's own. I know that 6-8 weeks is a long time to wait, but its probably the best way of eliminating the pest form the system.

Or...if you can't wait the 6-8weeks. You can try Hyposalinity but, you would have to remove the snails from the system.

There is no real way of know whether is 100% Brooklynellosis with out examining the parasite with a microscope. It could be Ich. If you could confirm your diagnosis of Brooklynellosis you could still add fish just not Clowns or Angelfishes, Jawfishes, tangs, and seahorses.

 

[ricklalonde]

I just made a new topic with everything you need to know about Hyposalinity. See below.

http://www.thefragtank.ca/forum/index.php?topic=115.0

 

[xxmurrxx]

Thanks for the info.
Forgot to mention I also was trying Instant Ocean "lifeguard" medication, seemed to work at first but in the end no dice.

I probably won't go the route of Hyposalinity ill just wait it out.

One question though, with no fish im assuming I will need to feed my CUC? Should i still drop a few flakes of food in, keep my lighting running, etc?

 

[Blob-79]

You can recover from ich faster then 6 weeks, all you have to do it turn up your temp to around 82 degrees. By doing so you speed up the parasites metabolism and it doesnt live as long.