possible bacterial infection?

[friartuuk]

I have a purple firefish that's been in my aquarium for about 2 years. I noticed two evenings ago that it had white patches on both pectoral fins and part of the top part of the caudal fin was gone about halfway to the fish's body. (I'm having trouble uploading a pic.) I thought maybe it was fungus on the pectoral fins, possibly from nips from one of my ocellaris clowns. They can be a bit aggressive but I haven't seen anything directed towards the firefish. Last night the caudal fin was the same but where the white patches were is gone. I'm now starting to wonder if this is a bacterial infection. It doesn't look like the fins are rotting like I have seen with bacterial infections in the past. I also haven't seen the area turn white before eating away the tissue.

The fish's behaviour appears totally normal

Anybody have any thoughts? Does it sound like a bacterial infection?

I have maracyn 2 on hand. Would it be a good idea to treat the tank? Getting the fish out would be extremely difficult. It is apparently safe for inverts but I haven't used this med before. Anyone have any experience with it? How does it affect biological filtration? Is there a better alternative?

 

[Jdub968]

I have a purple firefish that's been in my aquarium for about 2 years. I noticed two evenings ago that it had white patches on both pectoral fins and part of the top part of the caudal fin was gone about halfway to the fish's body. (I'm having trouble uploading a pic.) I thought maybe it was fungus on the pectoral fins, possibly from nips from one of my ocellaris clowns. They can be a bit aggressive but I haven't seen anything directed towards the firefish. Last night the caudal fin was the same but where the white patches were is gone. I'm now starting to wonder if this is a bacterial infection. It doesn't look like the fins are rotting like I have seen with bacterial infections in the past. I also haven't seen the area turn white before eating away the tissue.

The fish's behaviour appears totally normal

Anybody have any thoughts? Does it sound like a bacterial infection?

I have maracyn 2 on hand. Would it be a good idea to treat the tank? Getting the fish out would be extremely difficult. It is apparently safe for inverts but I haven't used this med before. Anyone have any experience with it? How does it affect biological filtration? Is there a better alternative?

Personally if I was going to treat In The DT I would use Kanaplex with focus to bind it to food. Without a pic it's a guess but what you are describing sounds like bacterial

 

[friartuuk]

Thanks Jdub! I'm now pretty confident it's a bacterial infection. My local LFS has some Kanaplex and said they'd sell me a small packet of it. I looked at the companies website and said with dosing the whole aquarium it is harmful to inverts. Did you experience any adverse affects to corals, snails, crabs, etc. when you dosed it in the food? What about with your biological filtration?

 

[Jdub968]

Ya you are going to wanna mix it with seachem focus and food. The focus will bind the Kanaplex to the food, don't add it to the tank without the focus