NEED help fast, bleeding fish??

Opah

Premium Member
Hello,

Four days ago, I bought a pair of Banggai Cardinalfish. The two fish stay close most of the time and I haven't seen any signs of aggression. Yesterday, I noticed one of the fish was acting "lazy" and hiding behind the outlet of the HOB filter. I then noticed a white spot about the size of a grain of sand on one of it's fins. He was still eating but not very aggressively. I looked up a bunch of pics and disease threads and believe it was lymphocystis.

Today he looks bad. Laying on his side on the bottom of the tank and I noticed there is red coloration under his skin. Shown in picture below. The white spot is now gone and part of his fin is missing (where the spot was). I am not sure if there are any more spots. He is now breathing hard too.

The other fish seems fine (just a little shy) as he is eating well and swimming around somewhat.

They are in a 20 gallon bare bottom tank with various pieces of pvc that was washed under warm tap water, then washed with ro/di water and placed in tank. The tank has a heater set to 79%, salinity is 1.023 measured with a refractometer. No noticeable ammonia. Filter is a penguin 280 (with biowheel) with carbon, which was running on my DT for about 5 days prior to getting the fish. I am also running a remora protein skimmer. I have been doing 20% water changes daily.

I really don't know what if anything I can do. I've never come across anything like this. Any ideas? suggestions? anything?

Thanks a lot in advance.

having a hard time inserting pics. here's the links.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/album.php?albumid=691&pictureid=3827
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/album.php?albumid=691&pictureid=3828
 

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you stated "he" and "he". Are both males? if so it could be just due to fighting and you might want to remove the healthy one so the injured one can recover (if it's not too late), but the fish looks like its in pretty bad shape. Hoping for the best.
 
I am no expert but there is a article in the Jan. 2010 Aquarium Fish Magazine about Red Band Syndrome (Uromemia) and I have to say it kinda looks like that. Hopefully not because there usually isnt a cure. If you can find the article it might help. Good luck.
 
thanks for replies.

I *think* there is a male and female. I have not seen any aggression.

I will look up that disease and see if I can find the article.
 
I think maybe they are the same sex. I just observed the unhealthy fish nip at the healthy fish when they were near each other. I think I will take the healthy guy out of the QT and drop him in the DT. Not sure what else to do.
 
I think maybe they are the same sex. I just observed the unhealthy fish nip at the healthy fish when they were near each other. I think I will take the healthy guy out of the QT and drop him in the DT. Not sure what else to do.

I'd really think twice about that. If it is some sort of parasite or disease you could be spreading it to your entire tank.
 
Unfortunately he didn't make it. Thanks for all your help though, I do feel like I gave it my best try. I did move the "healthy" fish back to the QT tank (from a bucket).
 
I am no expert but there is a article in the Jan. 2010 Aquarium Fish Magazine about Red Band Syndrome (Uromemia) and I have to say it kinda looks like that. Hopefully not because there usually isnt a cure. If you can find the article it might help. Good luck.

I am sorry to hear this. Did you look up this disease and the pictures? It is said that it is very fast to kill once it sets in. I know there are other threads on it and that others have commented in it. Try reading this thread and find the above article I suggested.http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1717022
 
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