Help with my Flame Angel

[pgatland]

Hi,

I'm would really appreciate some help in identifying a problem with a Flame Angel that I purchased last Saturday.

I put it in a quarantine tank and on the fifth day just as I was going to release it into the reef tank, I noticed a white growth on one side and the lips look to be swollen. I spoke with the LFS, who said I could return, but suggested initially treating with Cupramine.

Any help in identifying that the growth would be appreciated along with the prognosis. Should I just return the little guy or should I persevere with treatment myself?

Thanks

Paul

 

[MrTuskfish]

Not sure what this is; but Cupramine wouldn't be an appropriate treatment. Flame Angels are one fish that simply does not tolerate copper; any LFS should know this. I'm not good with pics, but this almost looks like some sort of isopod-like parasite. Although I think I'd let the LFS handle it as they've offered; I've removed some stuff like this with a tweezers, then swabbing on an antiseptic. Did this appear suddenly, or grow over time? BTW, 5 days isn't nearly long enough to keep a fish in a QT. Parasites, and other problems, can stay invisible much linger than that. Six weeks in a QT is about right, IMO. Something like this, suddenly showing up around the gills, isn't a good (or easily solved) thing.

 

[pgatland]

Many thanks MrTuskfish. I'm relatively new to marine aquatics and appreciate the advice. I was thinking I'd let the LFS handle it, so your comments have confirmed my own thinking. It's interesting that Cupramine is the wrong treatment. I think they were looking to sell me something rather than the correct treatment.

 

[pgatland]

In answer to your question, it appeared very quickly. I would say from nothing to way you see in the pic is around a day

 

[f3honda4me]

Return it to the LFS if they are offering that

 

[ldallen95219]

Probably late on commenting as you have probably already returned the fish, but I also have a flame angel (which I have had for about 2 yrs) and just noticed a couple of days ago it has the same thing. While researching I believe it is an anchor worm. It needs to be treated as it will affect the other fish eventually. For treatment, you can either catch it and pull it out with a tweezer making sure you get the whole thing and not leave the head stuck in the fish, or, treat it with potassium permanganate either as a dip or you can treat the whole tank being careful to follow the right dosage to the tank or you could kill everything. I am going to try and treat the whole tank (keeping my fingers crossed) as I cannot seem to catch the fish to pull it out. Plus, after reading about it, it said sometimes it is more harm trying to pull it out with tweezer as you may not get it all than it is to treat the tank.

The dosage is 2 mg per liter, but I am not sure what that computes to with a 75 gal tank. Does anyone have an answer. In other words, how much should I use for a 75 gal tank (let's say 60 gals of water since I have about 45 lbs of live work).