Need to confirm bacterial infection diagnosis and treatment

[aleonn]

Hi, I'm in need of confirmation and advice regarding my fish, which I think have a bacterial infection.

I have a yellow pyramid angelfish and blue jaw trigger in QT for the last 2 weeks. I also added a Kole yellow-eye tang 2 days ago. Each fish ate, got along, and swam actively until 3 days ago (before the addition of the Kole tang). The pyramid angelfish has been hiding between the rocks, has torn tail fins, has cloudy eyes, and is not eating. The trigger has whitening on his lower fins but is still eating. I'm worried the Kole tang may contract the same thing, but there are no signs yet.

My QT has LS, LR, and some inverts (it used to be my display tank, but I upgraded and left a lot of things in). I purchased API erythromycin and assume it should not be added to my particular system, so I added 4 gallons of new saltwater mix into a 5 gallon bucket with heater and powerhead. Tonight I plan to catch all 3 fish and place into the hospital bucket. I'm going to use half a tablet of the erythromycin, as a full tablet treats 10 gallons.

I've never dosed meds or treated fish before. Does this sound like a good plan? I'll have photos up soon.

Tank parameters: Sg 1.024, ammonia 0, nitrates 10-20. Will check pH when I get home.

 

[geaux xman]

cloudy eyes and not eating is a good sign of flukes. 2 treatments of prazipro would be a good start. i would also remove all the sand. sand is just a good place to harvest parasites and absorb medication.

what size QT tank?

 

[Lynnmw1208]

If it was bacterial, you would see open sores or red blotches on the side of the fish. I am thinking it could possibly be flukes as well. Removing the sand would be your best bet for this so you can vacuum up all the dead flukes that fall to the bottom after treating. Prazipro works well!

 

[aleonn]

Ah thanks guys. Bought prazipro and will read up on it before freshwater dipping and dosing later tonight.

 

[aleonn]

cloudy eyes and not eating is a good sign of flukes. 2 treatments of prazipro would be a good start. i would also remove all the sand. sand is just a good place to harvest parasites and absorb medication.

what size QT tank?

I have a 30 gallon. Im thinking of using a 5gal bucket to do the prazipro treatment.

 

[geaux xman]

the prazi treatment is just a one time direct dose into the QT tank for 5-7days. then a 2nd treatment if you think is necessary. i always do an automatic 2 treatments on all incoming fish.

 

[aleonn]

Update: I fresh water dipped my angelfish and trigger last night, then dosed the QT. I saw some white particles floating around the container, presumably the flukes. Also saw mysis that I fed them 10 minutes beforehand, which the trigger probably threw up.

This morning things are at least stable, and the angelfish is not in hiding between the LR. His eyes are still cloudy with possibly increased bulging. I think he senses the food I place in the water, but can't see well enough to eat it.

The trigger is eating like a pig, and the white fin mark is stable.

 

[MrTuskfish]

cloudy eyes and not eating is a good sign of flukes. 2 treatments of prazipro would be a good start. i would also remove all the sand. sand is just a good place to harvest parasites and absorb medication.

what size QT tank?

I agree. IMO, all fish should be treated with Prazi-Pro in QT; it is one med that is very easy on the fish. +1 on the sand too.

 

[aleonn]

Sorry forgot to post these photos that I took yesterday morning:

Yellow pyramid angelfish with torn tail fins and cloudy eye

Blue jaw trigger with white lower fin

 

[MrTuskfish]

Is your water always this cloudy or is it the glass & photo? I can't really tell, but cyno could also be a problem. If water conditions are poor, that could explain a lot; bacteria can cause a zillion problems and its common in dirty water. But, again, I can't really tell the water conditions from the pics.

 

[aleonn]

My glass has been dirty with algae and salt residue on the viewing panels. My skimmer has been broken for a month (I switched out the MJ-1200 pump a few days ago, and it's starting to skim again). I do have a couple small patches of cyano that are receding since the last water change, and by decreasing the light schedule. I'll definitely do another water change in between the 2nd dose of Prazipro.

Update on fish: The yellow pyramid angelfish has fully recovered its appetite. Tail fins are fully healed, and lower fins are healing. Both eyes look a lot better, but are still a little cloudy. Also, one eye is still bulging, but half as much as a few days ago. When he eats, he takes a few stabs at the NLS pellets or mysis (both soaked in selcon) before he's able to eat it.

The blue jaw trigger's white fin rot on the lower fin is less dense and less white now. He's continuing to eat voraciously, and even started eating NLS pellets for the first time.

Plan: I'll do another freshwater dip (with matched pH and temperature) in a few days, followed by water changes, and a second dose of Prazipro.

Thanks for all your help so far. Still crossing my fingers, but things seem to be improving significantly thanks to your advice.

 

[aleonn]

Update: The blue jaw trigger's fin is almost completely healed. The yellow pyramid angelfish's bottom fin and eyes are still healing, but look a lot better. The Kole yellow eye tang remains unaffected. All fish are happily eating Selcon-soaked NLS pellets and mysis. I did a partial water change last night in preparation for the 2nd round of Prazipro this weekend.

 

[Clams55]

Good for you! Congrads for doing your research and figuring out what needed to be done.

There is nothing worse than throwing random medications at your tank!

As others have pointed out, good water quality is worth 8 gazillion medications. Fish somehow survive in the ocean with no medication, I aim for this in my tanks, but even with excellent water quality, sometimes you get dumped with somebody else's problem.