hyposalinity and black spot?????????

[rayjay]

Will hyposalinity work on black spot? I don't know the proper name for this disease and have never had it in my 10 yrs of reefkeeping.
I have a powder blue (don't remember how long I've had it now) that never had ich even when I first got it.
It started acting funny and not eating much, swimming in tight circles on the bottom, not much larger circle than it's length. When it does move around, it's like it has trouble seeing. It bumps into some things but not others in the tank.
I woke up one morning and found it covered in black spots.
For lack of knowledge on how to treat this problem, I began hyposalinity treatment. After a couple of days, the spots dissappeared, only to return again a day later. I am also treating the cleaner wrasse and red checkered butterfly that were tankmates.
Can you help with preferred treatment and possible proper name for this disease?
Thanks for any help you can provide.
Ray

 

[Terry B]

Rayjay,
The behavior that you describe is what I call "death loops." The fish is in a very bad state. Death loops can be caused by toxins in the water or a high level of discomfort. Hyposalinity may help your fish, but it could take some time. Your fish sounds like it needs more immediate relief. Here is a link to one of my articles that should answer your questions about the name of the disease or parasite and how to best treat it.
http://216.168.47.67/cis-fishnet/seascope/99SS1601.htm A large water change with well aged and aerated SW can be a very important step to take.
Good luck,
Terry B

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, I've never known black spot (a.k.a. black ich) to kill a fish, nor have I ever seen it "move" so quickly. I have found it to be very easy to eradicate, though I've always used freshwater dips.

I am with Terry, when in doubt, do a water change!

 

[rayjay]

Thanks for replying guys.
The fish are in a quarantine tank, and get daily water changes.
Because I didn't know what else to do I had, in addition to hypo treatment, treated with Maracyn, Maracyn II, vitamin B complex and vitamin C
The black spot has gone away and the other fish show no sign of anything, but the powder blue is bumping into things like the power head quick filter, and the cords for the heater and power head. It doesn't bang into the glass, but everything else. I stick my hand in front and it hits my hand.
There is nothing evident on the eyes, but obviously the fish can't see anymore. I sure hope this is not permanent.

 

[Terry B]

What is the pH and oxygen level? Do you have lots of strong water movement in the tank? Fish sometimes appear to be blind when they are badly stressed, ill and lethargic. Do the eyes look clear or cloudy? Are you mixing and aerating the saltwater for at least 24 hours before using it?
Are you going to use a series of formalin dips as I suggested? Try to avoid hloding the fish out of water as much as possible during transfer back and forth from the dip. Did you read the link? It could actually be gill flukes rather than black spot so it is important to get rid of any flukes that may be hiding in the gills. If the fish is eating then you should give it some Beta glucan in the food.
Terry B

 

[rayjay]

Hello Terry and thank you for your time.
Because I have 550g of tanks plus sumps for each, I have a minimum of 40g of aged salt water on hand at any time. Water is pre-heated, and aerated with rigid air line with no airstones for maximum surface disturbance, and Hagen 802 power heads circulate the water while and after salt is added.
I've never checked for oxygen but in ten years of reefing I've never needed to know, as each tank has a 6 ft tall 4" dia. counter current skimmer with more air in each than any store bought skimmer can have. (see skimmer page on my web site)
pH runs between 8.12 and 8.39 throughout the day.
I couldn't find just formalin but I was able to get Kordon's Formalin.3 (3%) and started that last night.
I've never seen black spot before, but I'm familiar with gill fllukes as most of my butterflies had them when I purchased them. They never had anything like the powder blue has. The black coating has not returned again now for 2 days.
I don't know what Beta Glucan is, but the fish is not eating anyway, not being able to see the food. I held nori out for it to bump into, but it just backed away and swam in a different direction after hitting it.
There is no cloudiness or discoloration of the eyes at all. The blues eyes look exactly the same as my powder brown's eyes.