Help ! bandit angel

Allmost

New member
Hello all,
so got my dream fish last week on thursday night.

a 3.5" bandit angel.

it is not interested in anything I feed .... but it did eat all the hair algae, bubble, grape and red and purple algae in the QT he is in now....

he also nips at nori .... just a bit though. no interest in PE mysis , or banana, or NLS pellets yet.

so started looking at it closely, and looked at a bump I saw on him last week closer ..... here is what it looks like :

<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/Reef0135----.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/Reef0135----.jpg" border="0" alt="Bandit angel"/></a>

<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/Reef0134---.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/Reef0134---.jpg" border="0" alt="Bandit angel"/></a>

<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/Reef0133---.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/Reef0133---.jpg" border="0" alt="Bandit angel"/></a>


<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/Reef0130---1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/Reef0130---1.jpg" border="0" alt="Bandit angel"/></a>



Any Idea what it is ?

I have some guesses ... but I wont type it nor say it, cause my guess doesnt have a treatment. lol

if anyone can help, it would be amazing.

the temp is 76-77.

I will lower it to 75-76 tonight, and 74-75 next week.
 
idk what he may have (since pics arent working on my computer) but try going to the local supermarket and get some live clams from the seafood dept. Open one up and put a couple slices in the meat w a knife but leave it on the shell and dump it in. If he doesnt love it he wont eat anything.
 
thats how i got mine eating... after he eats that, u can start freezing it with mixed mysis or whatever so he will eat it with the clam
 
really ? cant see the pics ?

yes clam and live food are my next step :) the fact that he ate so much algae already is good for me, but the pump on his face is scaring me ! I REALLY hope its not a virus or fungus ...
 
really ? cant see the pics ?

yes clam and live food are my next step :) the fact that he ate so much algae already is good for me, but the pump on his face is scaring me ! I REALLY hope its not a virus or fungus ...
 
Looks like its on its gill cover? Correct me if I'm wrong. I'd just monitor for the time being. Add vita chem to its nori. It contains sponge matter.
 
yes a little inflation under the mouth on lower side of the gill it seems, the red is only apparent from the Macro shot, but in peson cant see any red, its just a little inflated.

thank you for the suggestion, I will be sure to increase vita chem and angelix amino acids addition to the nori more.
 
Hmmm yea seems to be getting worse. He is eating live enriched brine now but ....


What should I treat him with ? Or at least try to ? Anyone ?
 
Lets see some new pictures. I would continue to slowly lower the water temperature to as low as you can reasonably go. I would like to see low seventies. These fish will fight off pathogens and bacteria must better in lower temps.

Have you treated with anything yet? I would hold off until you get her eating very well. If she goes on a hunger strike due to medication then her chances off fighting this off will be slim. Try Rod's foods, it has so much particulate matter in it that she is about certain to find something she likes. My bandits go crazy for the stuff.

Once she is eating well for you then I would consider medicating.

Good luck

~Michael
 
hello guys. thank you for the replies.

okay so temp is now 73-74 :D my SPS are still happy too ...
I have alot of brine getting enriched, and alot more hatching last night ... he now also takes PE mysis, but spits it out .... maybe too big for him so will add hickari Mysis tonight too. [its smaller] no love for pellets yet.

it sure seems like some sort of bacteria infection :S

I have no Idea what to do at this point :S

pics showing the progress :
<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/bandit0003.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/bandit0003.jpg" border="0" alt="bandit"/></a>

<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/bandit0004.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/bandit0004.jpg" border="0" alt="bandit"/></a>

<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/bandit0006.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/bandit0006.jpg" border="0" alt="bandit"/></a>

not happy .... going back to the store tonight to see what they say .... not a cheap fish to come with this ....

a canyon pic to make the thread a bit more happy ... or to make me a little happy ...
<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/Reef0010-2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/Reef0010-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>
 
hello guys. thank you for the replies.

okay so temp is now 73-74 :D my SPS are still happy too ...
I have alot of brine getting enriched, and alot more hatching last night ... he now also takes PE mysis, but spits it out .... maybe too big for him so will add hickari Mysis tonight too. [its smaller] no love for pellets yet.

it sure seems like some sort of bacteria infection :S

I have no Idea what to do at this point :S

pics showing the progress :
<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/bandit0003.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/bandit0003.jpg" border="0" alt="bandit"/></a>

<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/bandit0004.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/bandit0004.jpg" border="0" alt="bandit"/></a>

<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/bandit0006.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/bandit0006.jpg" border="0" alt="bandit"/></a>

not happy .... going back to the store tonight to see what they say .... not a cheap fish to come with this ....

a canyon pic to make the thread a bit more happy ... or to make me a little happy ...
<a href="http://s1084.beta.photobucket.com/user/bigray1002/media/Reef0010-2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j416/bigray1002/Reef0010-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>
 
IMO, your best bet at this point is to help enable the fish's immune system to fight it off naturally. Soaking his food in vitamins (vita-chem, selcon, zoecon, fish oil) would be a good first step. Also, step up your WCs. Clean water helps reduce infection.

If it keeps getting worse, you may have to administer antibiotics. (He is still in QT, right?) But I don't think you're there yet. Good luck!
 
thank you again :) yes I started doing daily water changes and emptying his tank every morning .... dont want to give rise to more bacteria at noon hours when the temp goes higher, so I clean all detritus and .... . saw a huge poop from him last night ! poop has nevel looked better and never made me this happy before lol

well today I got some good news from bob Fenner and the LFS ... they think it may be scar or a scratch from collection and .... ! I hope that's it ... but not sure why it would get worse ...

ahhh, as you guys said, all I can do for now is to just feed it more, and clean water more ... and cross my fingers ... lucky at least I still have the brine station from my seahorse fry raising days.

any other Ideas, or ... please let me know, I am all ears, [or eyes ? ] lol
 
Based on my experience with Bandits, I have definitely seen this type of infection before. I used to get my Bandits from Rob Lower (RIP) and they would often come in with that the same infection. I can tell you it is not a fungus infection. In fact, saltwater fish rarely ever get "true fungus" infections. As best as I could tell it was bacterial. I would always treat with Marycyn 2. Out of the 3 I got from Rob, all three had this infection; unfortunately only one survived. The infection does tend to get worse, and it starts to look cottony (definitely not like Lymph). Then it ruptures, leaving an open bloody wound. Usually at the same time, the fish doesn't eat and wastes away. Some believe the infection may be caused by improper handling of the fish as they are brought up from deepwater depths.

Try Marycyn 2 in a hospital tank. you could also try Bio-Bandage (basically fish Neosporin) and see if that helps.

Good luck.
 
Try Marycyn 2 in a hospital tank. you could also try Bio-Bandage (basically fish Neosporin) and see if that helps.

To the OP: I've had very good luck in the past treating angels with Maracyn-2. However, if you do decide to go this route I would also treat with Maracyn-1 (or just Maracyn). That you're covered for both gram positive & negative infections.

On a side note, make you do this in a QT with no corals/inverts.
 
ahhh that's not soo good news :S

I will try to find maracyn tonight, thanks guys :)


I have Furan 2 on hand as well for now.

I will let him be till weekend. do larger water changes and feed him more and more,

just placed an order for rogers food as well.

if not better till weekend, I will start treating with antibiotics. wish me luck
 
Last edited:
I have Furan 2 on hand as well for now.

FWIW, Furan-2 basically does the same job as the Maracyns. And as you'll soon find out, it's a helluva lot cheaper. I always keep Furan-2 on hand for emergencies.

My issue with it is it seems to be harsher on the fish. Sometimes I've witnessed negative interactions shortly after beginning treatment. I've never had this issue with the Maracyns. My only complaint with them is sometimes they seem to act too slowly, requiring 2+ rounds of treatment to clear an infection up or it's too little too late.
 
Yep, with Maracyn 2, it is a slow acting antibiotic. I normally do 2 rounds with a 2 day break, water change, and carbon after the first round. I have use Furan 2 in the past, and it did seem harsh on the fish, especially Angels and Butterflys. Marycyn 2 also has appetitie stimulates and B vitamin.

Here is the issue....apparently most stores are no longer carrying the saltwater version. Mardel has apparently phased it out due to the release of Marycyn Plus ( I have never used it). You can still use the freshwater version, but double the dosage. The freshwater version doesn't have the B vitamins and appetitie stimulant though.
 
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