:(

[Slipstream]

Lost one of my Yellow blue damsels last night.. and i think my other three are close behind.. Ive tried to figure out whats wrong with them, but i dunno.. they got little white bits on them, not big growths, but really tiny white specs.. Any idea what? and what to do about them?.. thanx

[Melody]

I'm sorry to hear that. I don't know much about marine tanks, but the tank was stocked quite quickly. Hopefully someone will come along who knows more about 'cycling' a marine tank. Hope it works out!

[Shelley]

it sounds like ich to me. Dont use any meds with copper in them unless you quarentine the fish in a seperate tank... the copper will never come out of your tank. You can also do Hyposalinity. Read up on it first.

IMO your tank never cycled. Look again at the posts on Canreef. You really do need to read up on marine tanks. I saw your running an aquaclear filter. That really has no use in a marine tank. In fact the foam is a nitrate factory. You need alot of live rock (1-1.5 pounds per gallon) and a skimmer. Those rocks and skimmer are your filtration. I have used an aquaclear filter in my tanks ALONG with skimmers and rock, but just to polish the water. I had to wash out the foams weekly.

Your fish are stressed. I am one of the people that think ich ( atleast marine ich) are already on most fish when they are caught.. if maybe only in very small numbers in their gills. When the fish are healthy and not stressed th ey naturally cope with them and show no symptoms. BUT.. add a stresser.. and the ich grows. Also educate yourself on the ich life cycle.. they will drop off the fish in a week.. but they are NOT gone.. they are just at the bottom of your tank multiplying. A new generation will again infect your fish in 10 days.

[Slipstream]

acutally Melody, i stocked it over a period of a month and a half. Thats 4 fish in that period, it shouldnt affect it by stocking over that period of time, i have never had a problem with that before.

And Shelley, how do you know that my tank hasnt cycled?

[Melody]

These situations can be frustrating but if we come out of them with more knowledge, its worth it.

For a newly established tank, especially a small one, we need to move extra slowly. This is especially true for marine systems.

Ick is an opportunist, it exists until there is an opportunity to attack. Stressed fish provide that window. The tank hasn't been set up long so it is logical to conclude that your fish are experiencing cycle stress.

If not, great, we move on to the next possible source of stress in the process of elimination. We do that because we want to help you and your fish. I don't pretend to know a whole lot about what can go wrong with marine systems but if I had one, I would be thankful that someone took the time to try to help me. Maybe some of our marine hobbyists can suggest some reliable information sources for you so you can verify the information you receive here.

Good luck!