PBT with tail fungus/infection

[BigJim]

I just noticed that my powder blue tang has an issue on its tail. The tail fin is a bit frayed and there is a pink fuzzy cotton like growth on the skinny part of the tail at the end of the fish. I'm guessing that its a fungus or bacterial infection. The fish is in my 150g reef. I don't think I would be able to catch it to remove and treat in a 30g QT. My QT is not set up currently either. Is there a way to treat the fish in the display tank? I have a lot of corals, SPS, LPS, zoas...

I'm nervous about adding anything to the display tank. Any help would be appreciated.

<a href="http://s73.photobucket.com/user/divide45/media/PBT1_zpse4264a61.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i220/divide45/PBT1_zpse4264a61.jpg" border="0" alt="PBT2 photo PBT1_zpse4264a61.jpg"/></a>

 

[MrTuskfish]

I'm not good with pics; but your description of "pink fuzzy..." sounds like fungus. I know of no way to treat this, or any other similar condition, in a reef tank. It doesn't take long to set up a HT/QT; its just a bare bones set up.

 

[cngreg]

I'm not sure of any diagnosed fungal infection common in reefs. The common opportunistic external bacterial infections usually come from a laceration and in my experience powder blue's are brawlers. Any other tangs in there? The common bacteria groups, vibrio and pseudomonas externally, can manifest as fuzzy or cloudy and slimy. They are both gram negative and can be often be treated by antibiotics you can find at petstores (nitrofurazone/tmpsulfa/kanamycin). If you can catch the fish (I know not always possible), you can treat kanamycin as a dip). You can also buy antibiotic flakes from a few palces ( i think i get mine from angelsplus.com)If you by chance have access to a microscope, you could swipe a slide cover across the peduncle and have a look for fungal hyphae or spores (which would be way more obvious at low power than any bacteria. I know columnaris bacteria can look fuzzy on fish but that is more rare in salt water and usually associated with crap water quality. You could shotgun treat that with the same abx I mentioned before.

 

[BigJim]

I have 2 other tangs, yellow & naso. Yesterday I soaked food in garlic for an hour or so and fed the tank. The tail is more frayed today but the pink growth is gone. I sent the same inquiry with pics to liveaquaria, here is their response:

The symptoms that you describe are those of a fungal infection. The product Melafix can be used with all marine fish. Repeated treatment of sensitive clownfish fry proved harmless. MelaFix has been tested and found to be safe in reef aquariums containing invertebrates such as live coral and anemones. Though this has been provien safe to use under these laboratory conditions, we still recommend that you treat this specimen separately, as all effectson other organisms may not be documented, especially in a reef environment.

I've used Melafix before but can't remember if it was ever in a reef, I doubt it. I've got a significant amount of coral and don't want to risk anything. What do you think about Melafix?

 

[Mrscribbled]

Melafix=tea juice IMO and gives an undesirable odor to the water.

I personally have never heard of a marine fungus. Often times it a bacterial infection resembling a fungus. The fish should be removed and treated with nitrofurican green powder or furan 2.

 

[cngreg]

Garlic is an immunobooster and I think worthwhile when fish are healthy. Makes fish less likely to let a parasite "catch". Melaleuka/eucalyptus/cajuput oil have some antibiotic and antifungal properties (anecdotal for fish) at certain concentrations. They aren't regulated or proven otherwise theyd be called antibiotics/antifungals. they're like nutriceuticals or homeopathic remedies and not something to stake lives on in my opinion. I'm guessing it's a gram negative bacteria and have a masters in aquaculture and am a 4th year veterinary student focused on fish. Im not 100% sure, nobody can be (even with a culture and bacterial ID). If you really want to cover bases best (still a guess and shotgunning drugs), pull the fish and do a light formalin bath (3min 20-25ppm(1ml/10gal)) then treat chloroquin 10ppm, nitrofurazone 10ppm, in a bath for a week, redosing drugs proportional to water changes...watch ammonia (can amquel/prime water)

 

[cngreg]

please let us know of progress.

 

[BigJim]

Well I tried catching the fish and that's not going to happen. I tried netting while feeding and it wouldn't come close. It is eating though. Approximately 90% if its tail is gone and the pink growth is surrounding the base/stub. I have way too many corals and rocks to tear apart so that's not an option.

Are there any medicated foods tht are reef safe and can you provide a link? I would need to find it sold locally to avoid shipping delays so if petsmart(ugh!) had it that would be quick. Even if by some miracle I was able to catch this fish, would the tail even grow back?

 

[Allmost]

use an aquamedic fish trap, or build your own.

 

[Mrscribbled]

Catch at night, use a bright flashlight to blind it, just like catching pigeons. Takes four hands though.

 

[BigJim]

This fish hides in rocks at night and a fish trap would be great if I only had one fish.

Here is my tank so you see what I'm dealing with
<a href="http://s73.photobucket.com/user/divide45/media/tankhd1_zps603403ea.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i220/divide45/tankhd1_zps603403ea.jpg" border="0" alt="1tank6-12-13 photo tankhd1_zps603403ea.jpg"/></a>

 

[Mrscribbled]

Talk to SDguy about trapping fish, he is good.

 

[Deinonych]

use an aquamedic fish trap, or build your own.

+1 on the Aquamedic trap...they do work. Just don't feed for a couple days, then bait the trap. You'll catch the fish.

 

[Mrscribbled]

Watch this trap work
http://youtu.be/eMlMFA6nh34

 

[Deinonych]

Watch this trap work
http://youtu.be/eMlMFA6nh34

LOL

Great video.