Kole Tang with large blotches/growths

[asapilot]

Hi all-

I have a ~2" Kole Tang in my 60g reef. He's been in the tank for about a month and all has been normal until yesterday. He was eating nori, mysis, brine, flake, etc, and very active. Just yesterday, I noticed that his color has faded and he's developed some large blotchy growth-type areas on his sides, particularly the left side. They almost appear to be extra skin.

He's made somew half-hearted attempts at eating and basically swims in one spot now.

Can anyone help diagnose this and recommend treatment? Sorry for the poor picture quality.

 

[snorvich]

The pictures are way too blurry for any kind of diagnosis. Please describe appearance and behavior of the fish and if possible provide lower resolution pictures which are clear.

 

[asapilot]

Unfortunately, he was dead this morning when I left for work. I was able to get better pictures, which I've posted below. The white spots are just sand from where it was laying. When it was alive, the patchy areas appeared to extend out from its body like loose flesh or growths, but they now look like areas where skin has been lost. I notice some fin damage too, that that could have been from being picked at after death.

Also, I saw the sticky about answering the 10 questions, so I've posted those below for reference as well.

1. How old is this aquarium? 3 months

2. If less than six months old, what is ammonia level? 0ppm measured with both strips and liquid test kit.

3. What is SG of this aquarium? How measured? 1.205 measured with floating hydrometer and refractometer

4. When was the last fish added to this aquarium? 1 month ago

5. Was it quarantined? If so, how? And how long? Was it prophylactically treated? How? No quarantine or treatment

6. If you are using a copper based medication, which one? How often do you measure level? When? No medication

7. If you are using hyposalinity, how did you calibrate your refractometer? Not using hyposalinity

8. Please describe in detail, the appearance of the fish? If there is one or more pimples, are they lumpy? What color? Pale and purple color faded. Large patchy purple/white growths around tail and dorsal area. Extended jaw/lips.

9. Please describe the behavior of the fish as best you can. Is it acting reclusive? Is it always up towards the top of the aquarium? Is it avoiding light? How active is the fish? Fast breathing and staying in the top corner of the tank. It was normally active and swimming in all areas until the preceding 24 hours. It may have been avoiding light by being in the corner.

10. Is the fish eating? What? Weak attempts to take flake food. No attempt at mysis or nori. Prior to the preceding 24 hours, it would eat nori, mysis, brine, flake without issue.

 

[snorvich]

Did the fish come from an LFS that runs copper? If I were to guess, I would say Brook or Uronema marinum (if kept in a system at the LFS with chromis).

 

[asapilot]

Did the fish come from an LFS that runs copper? If I were to guess, I would say Brook or Uronema marinum (if kept in a system at the LFS with chromis).

Thank you for the follow-up.

I don't believe the LFS runs copper in the system this fish was in, but I'd have to double-check. I believe there were probably chromis in the system as well, but I can't recall for sure as it's been several weeks.

I'll be keeping a close eye on the remaining fish. I do have two clowns, so the possibility of brooklynella is not good, though I understand it's not specific to clowns.

At last check, everything else was acting and eating normal. My bicolor blenny has disappeared as well in the last 48 hours so I'll be keeping an eye out for any evidence of what's caused that.

 

[snorvich]

The time line is highly consistent with a copper masked parasite. I am betting they do run a low level of copper in their system.

 

[Dmorty217]

The time line is highly consistent with a copper masked parasite. I am betting they do run a low level of copper in their system.

+1 and if they don't whoever they get their fish from does

 

[asapilot]

Thanks both of you. Good to know. What would your recommendation be in the future, just a decent QT time to let masked problems manifest themselves and then be treated?