need to catch fish

[swadedvm]

I have a 220 gallon reef tank that has recently developed a major problem And am unable to get any help. I believe it is oodinium. I was able to catch 4 fish and place in isolation tank. All the rest have died--within a week. There are 3 left and cannot catch them, one damsel and two watchmen gobies. Does anyone have any ideas without totally dismantling my display tank

[goldenpuon]

I am afraid that I do not know much about marine oodinium and have never kept saltwater fish. I am aware though that watchman gobies like to hide in live rock caves and are very hard to catch.

My best suggestion would be to read this article which has information about oodinium, treatmenting it, etc Marine Oodinium.

There are other people on this forum who have kept saltwater tanks. I'm sure they will be able to help better than I can.

Best of luck!

[swadedvm]

I appreciate it. I have read the article...have live rock and inverts that treating the main tank would definitely not be an option unfortunately. would like to leave it fish free for about 2 months or longer while treating the fish in quarantine tank

[Carl]

Sorry to read about your marine aquarium problems.

Goldenpuon's pointing to this article would be my first point.

Since treating the main tank is not an option, I would attempt (keyword attempt) to move all fish to a quarantine tank and then treat with either hyposalinity, Copper, or if you can find it: Chloroquine Phospate and pyrimethamine.

Kordon makes a product called Herbal Ich Attack, which a few colleagues of mine have used with mixed results for Oodinium in mixed reef tanks. I cannot vouch for it as I have yet to use it for Oodinium

Do you have a UV Sterilizer?
If so, try slowing it to less than 10 gph per watt help with parasite control

I hope you can save the majority of your tank

Carl

[swadedvm]

thanks for the input. treating not the problem though only three fish still in tank. was able to catch three all the rest died within about ten days. I would like to get the final three out to let the tank set empty of fish for about 2 to 3 months. any ideas would be great

[swadedvm]

do have uv sterilizer but theoretically only reduce burden not fix the problem.

[Carl]

I would like to get the final three out to let the tank set empty of fish for about 2 to 3 months. any ideas would be great

Generally leaving the tank without fish for about 8 weeks should starve out the parasites.

If you can remove the survivors, I would perform fish baths and/or dips. Along with a in tank treatment such as copper.

do have uv sterilizer but theoretically only reduce burden not fix the problem.

I agree, even at 10 gph per watt it still cannot catch every flagellate
HOWEVER, even at 20 gph per watt, I have observed much slower development of oodinium infestations; the fact yours took 10 days is testament to this unless their were other mitigating factors. In the literally 100s of cases of Oodinium I have seen, it generally takes only 48-72 hours to kill from the first symptom when no preventative measures such as a UV are present.

Carl

[rusalka]

Mar 1, 2011 16:32:58 GMT -5 swadedvm said:

There are 3 left and cannot catch them, one damsel and two watchmen gobies.

Hi, I see it's a bit late to answer, but I have seen how they catch fish in bigger tanks – they take a plastic rigid net and use it as a divider, trying to lock the fish in the part of the tank where it can't hide in a hideout. Then, when the fish is easy to access, they use a regular nylon fish net to catch the fish.