Perc Triage

[ataller]

Hi,

I have had a pair of true percs for over 2 years now. 2 weeks ago I moved them from their 50G to my new fully cycled 120G. About a week after moving them, this open wound appeared on the side of my male.

It looks to me like you can see the muscle underneather and there is a big chunk of scales missing. I have the feeling that the cottony tissue under the open wound is just necrotic tissue and not some fungal infection. I may be wrong.

Do you think this is some sort of traumatic damage? From the move or from another fish? His tank mates are all the same, they have not changed. There is a purple tang, flame angel, 2 dispars and a yellow canary wrasse in the tank with him.

My clowns did switch from being hosted by a frogspawn to my torch during the move. Could he have scratched himself (that badly???) Did another fish take a bite out of him?

Ever since the move he has been fanning the sand, like they are going to start to breed, do you think he could have injured himself?

The cause is one problem, but the cure is the more immediate. What do I need to do to make sure the wound does not fester and overwhelm him?

[Ammonia 0, Nitrate and Nitrite 0, SG 1.026, temp 78, ca alk etc within normal reef limits, phosphates undetectable, LR is cured marco]

Here is a picture.

Thank you,

Adam

 

[monkeybiz]

perhaps a crab or mantis shrimp hiding in the ne rocks somewhere?

 

[ataller]

Rocks were bought dry [marco] and seeded with some rubble from the fuge on my 50. I really dont see how a crab could have gotten in there, those I suppose weirder things may have happened.

Is there anything I can do to help the healing?

Is it worth catching him and doing something, or should I just leave him?

 

[SwampyBill]

You might try Dr. G's medicated nutrition. The little guy is probably fanning sand to make it's new bed. Mine black/white occelaris pair do it in same spot all the time.

 

[ataller]

It appears as if the female has a spot, smaller than the male, on her now too?

Any idea what could be causing this? The male's might be healing I am not sure, I do not know what a scab looks like on a fish but the wound appers to be closing over with whitish tissue.

 

[stykthyn]

mine did that once. Keep the water clean and supplement the food with vitamins. He will heal up just fine.

 

[MarinaP]

Purple tang could have sliced him. If the wound gets worse, medicate with nitrofuran or Maracyn in a hospital tank.

 

[ataller]

Purple tang could have sliced him. If the wound gets worse, medicate with nitrofuran or Maracyn in a hospital tank.

Purple tang can be a bit of an ***. He likes to hang around them and doesn't like when they shoo him away.
Ill keep an eye on him and take your advice if it gets worse.

 

[tpdpercula]

Do you happen to have an Elegance Coral in the tank? I have a pair that have been hosted in an elegance for sometime now and the female keeps getting stung. She will get stung horribly and continue hosting in it until she heals up and then gets stung on another location.