Sick Fish
- Thread starter dochoot
- Start date
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
I can't tell from the photo - is there bleeding? are those deep lesions?
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Not a chance it is getting beat up by another fish is there?
To me it looks like a bacterial infection that would be treated with a broad spectrum antibiotic. One way or the other, it needs to come out of the display and into a hospital tank. I am not a fish disease expert though.
To me it looks like a bacterial infection that would be treated with a broad spectrum antibiotic. One way or the other, it needs to come out of the display and into a hospital tank. I am not a fish disease expert though.
That was my first thought was the result of aggression. Some posturing when added but really have not seen any real aggression in the tank with the light on. Can't imagine getting it out. 330g. Have some fish traps that I could try but have had luck only once with a crazy wrasse.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Hopefully somebody more informed can help you with a diagnosis.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
BIG net (like fishing net) and maybe scare him it in. Have fun, I haven't chased a fish a in a long time.
Last edited:
So sorry to see this beautiful tang in this condition. I'm sure you, dochoot, are stressed over this.
I'd like to know more background on this fish. You say this condition just developed on its own? What other fishes do you have in this aquarium? What inverts? What corals? Let's look at that long list.
This looks like a severe injury. The fish needs special attention. I'd recommend moving it into a hospital tank. (Not an easy task I'm sure. But I've seen 'professional' aquarists use two nets and catch a fish in a reef tank in under a minute.) Once in the hospital tank, the treatment begins.
It's always difficult to 'guess' what kind of bacteria will attack such a wound and condition. If you have a microscope or accesss to one, it might be worth trying to narrow down the type of bacteria that will undoubtedly set in.
Gram negative bacteria are the usual culprits to take advantage of an injury, so I would recommend you get or have Mardel Maracyn® 2 and use it as soon as you can. As far as Gram positive bacteria. . .Metronidazole (controls common bacterial infections in fish. This exerts a bactericidal action on gram positive and some gram negative bacteria) works best when dosed properly in food (at 0.50% by weight). Next you want to be prepared for a possible fungal attack. A fish in this condition is a fungal target. So get, but don't yet use, Pimafix.
The next thing is nutrition and food supplements. Get one of these:
Vita-Chem Marine
Zoe
S.E.L.C.O. Boost
Add the vitamin to one feeding each day. Next the fish needs a boost in its own immune system. And for that. . .
A sick or healing fish should also have beta glucan included in its feed until it is healed. Beta glucan is the same beta glucan humans use and can be bought from a health food store. The fish needs to eat about 20mg of this every day. Beta glucan helps the fish restore its natural immune response to some diseases and conditions.
Last but not least are the foods. This is a herbivore. Feed seaweed/algae every day, even twice a day is good. Nori is okay too, but not the kind that has been roasted/heated. Look for the sun or air-dried kind. Also provide freeze-dried foods to soak up the supplements. Read this post: Fish Nutrition and please take this fish's nutrition very seriously.
I'm sorry if some (or all) of the above is what you know. But, I don't know what you know or what's in your fish medicine cabinet.
At your next opportunity please post a 1 minute or longer video of this fish. I want to see both sides, how it is breathing, and swimming. Thanks.
I'd like to know more background on this fish. You say this condition just developed on its own? What other fishes do you have in this aquarium? What inverts? What corals? Let's look at that long list.
This looks like a severe injury.
The fish needs special attention. I'd recommend moving it into a hospital tank. (Not an easy task I'm sure. But I've seen 'professional' aquarists use two nets and catch a fish in a reef tank in under a minute.) Once in the hospital tank, the treatment begins.It's always difficult to 'guess' what kind of bacteria will attack such a wound and condition. If you have a microscope or accesss to one, it might be worth trying to narrow down the type of bacteria that will undoubtedly set in.
Gram negative bacteria are the usual culprits to take advantage of an injury, so I would recommend you get or have Mardel Maracyn® 2 and use it as soon as you can. As far as Gram positive bacteria. . .Metronidazole (controls common bacterial infections in fish. This exerts a bactericidal action on gram positive and some gram negative bacteria) works best when dosed properly in food (at 0.50% by weight). Next you want to be prepared for a possible fungal attack. A fish in this condition is a fungal target. So get, but don't yet use, Pimafix.
The next thing is nutrition and food supplements. Get one of these:
Vita-Chem Marine
Zoe
S.E.L.C.O. Boost
Add the vitamin to one feeding each day. Next the fish needs a boost in its own immune system. And for that. . .
A sick or healing fish should also have beta glucan included in its feed until it is healed. Beta glucan is the same beta glucan humans use and can be bought from a health food store. The fish needs to eat about 20mg of this every day. Beta glucan helps the fish restore its natural immune response to some diseases and conditions.
Last but not least are the foods. This is a herbivore. Feed seaweed/algae every day, even twice a day is good. Nori is okay too, but not the kind that has been roasted/heated. Look for the sun or air-dried kind. Also provide freeze-dried foods to soak up the supplements. Read this post: Fish Nutrition and please take this fish's nutrition very seriously.
I'm sorry if some (or all) of the above is what you know. But, I don't know what you know or what's in your fish medicine cabinet.
At your next opportunity please post a 1 minute or longer video of this fish. I want to see both sides, how it is breathing, and swimming. Thanks.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
poor tomini...
Maybe you can also try to feed him using:
API General Cure https://www.amazon.com/GENERAL-Freshwater-Saltwater-Medication-10-Count/dp/B007R5M7V6/
Or Sechem combo: Metroplex, KanaPlex, and focus (to bind the medication and vitamins to the food).
Usually what I do I put the fish food in a bit of water and drop a bit of powder medication and vitamins and with focus should help it bind the medication to the food. Let it sit for a minimum of 2 hours in my opinion. So the food will soak well. And sometimes stir a bit so everything will mix.
Maybe you can also try to feed him using:
API General Cure https://www.amazon.com/GENERAL-Freshwater-Saltwater-Medication-10-Count/dp/B007R5M7V6/
Or Sechem combo: Metroplex, KanaPlex, and focus (to bind the medication and vitamins to the food).
Usually what I do I put the fish food in a bit of water and drop a bit of powder medication and vitamins and with focus should help it bind the medication to the food. Let it sit for a minimum of 2 hours in my opinion. So the food will soak well. And sometimes stir a bit so everything will mix.
I can’t really help too much more with what’s been said above other than definitely get it into a hospital tank. I’ll also tag @Dr. Reef and @HumbleFish. That is definitely a severe injury/infection
Thanks for the thoughtful responses. I will take a video when home. Thinking about it, I suspect it was bit as I saw a wound next day after adding that must have gotten infected. I added several fish at same time which usually mitigates aggression. Thought it would just get over it.
Sometimes the one at the bottom of the pecking order takes on the brunt of the aggression.
You may need to adjust the viewing permissions. I can't view it.
nnot sure what caused it, looks like a bite or battle wounds. but 1 things for sure, it need to be in antibiotics due to open wounds getting infected and causing death. i would take it out and place in hospital tank with antibiotcs rightaway and see how it does. most meds with open wounds will burn and likely cause more stress than needed.
Thanks for the video. Yeah, it's on one side only. Definitely a wound v. disease. But infection will likely try to get a foothold. I can only repeat what is in my post #8.
Similar threads
