Velvet or what?

[LukFox]

I already tried this in the reef discussion forum because it gets more traffic, but I've only gotten one response and I'm not sure about it.

I hope you guys can help me here .

Is this the final stage of velvet or something? I've just read that in the final stage the fish will have little white cysts, but I've never actually seen photos so I don't know for sure if this is that.

I've been treating him for ich in hypo for 3 days. The ich is gone, but now there's this that appeared over night. He's had a few of these discolored spots the whole time, but I thought nothing of it. Now it's escalated so rapidly over the course of one night and I don't recognize it as anything. Oh and I'm 90% sure that at the beginning it was definitely ich. It wasn't a power look. Definitely a salty look.

I've had him for less than 2 weeks, so I guess the start of his problems happened a week ago.

 

[wooden_reefer]

I have seen velvet a few times. The entire body is powder velvet, but all were small fish so I cannot be certain that this is the way it has to appear.

My first impression with your emperor is pollution (added chemical or some environmental problem) or bacterial infection.

 

[Percula9]

I think what you have is secondary bacterial infection. Treat with antibiotics Furan2 or Maracyn2 in QT.

 

[tmz]

If he is breathing ok,it's probably not amyloodinium(velevet).I agree with percula9.

 

[tmz]

Two more thoughts to consder. Are you confident in your hypo level or might this be a reinfestation of crytocaryon?
Could it be lymphocitis?

 

[Percula9]

It almost looks like the scales in those areas were damaged by the original infection. The dead scales would lose color, and eventually fall off and be replaced. I have a clown fish that loses a scale every once in a while. It is white in appearance untill it falls off. Lymphocystis affects the fins and tail. Definitely not Lymphocystis. I would still treat with antibiotics to be safe. He is to pretty to lose. Add garlic to his food if he is eating.

 

[LukFox]

His breathing seems normal. And I also heard that because velvet attacks the gills, the fish will not eat. The emperor is still eating like a pig, depsite all he's been through.

I know my LFS carries Maracyn 2, so I'll go pick that up tomorrow. Oh and right now there are only about 10 spots on him. Would this be characteristic of a bacterial infection as well?

I'm testing with a refractometer and it says the water is at 1.009. It's calibrated correctly. From my reading ich isn't supposed to be able to reinfest a fish at that salinity.

 

[Percula9]

Treat as if he has a bacterial infection. Are you saying he has less spots now then seen in the pictures you posted?

 

[LukFox]

This is what he looks like currently:

But even when he had ich, it was always worse in the morning. I fear he'll look terrible again tomorrow morning, too. Also, when I treat with the meds, should I remove the coral skeletons? I also read they could absorb some medications. I only put them in the QT as a form of shelter for him, but I don't want it to interfer with the meds.

 

[Percula9]

He looks much better. I think he will be okay. I wouldn't worry about the rubble absorbing the med. Looking at him now I wonder if he really needs treatment. Is he still in hypo? Maybe you can start bringing the salinity up. Prepare to return to the display. Keep me updated.

 

[LukFox]

Update:

He's been clear ever since the most recent photo. I didn't buy any antibiotics because he even looked fine the morning after the picture. Three days later and doing great, so I guess he didn't need it in the end.

I started raising up the sg today. He's in 1.015 now, and tomorrow I think I'll take him to full 1.024 and put in some LR with him. I'll monitor him for 1-2 weeks more before putting him in the display. Hopefully his health doesn't take another turn . He's had me worried sick, and I'm so glad he seems to be over it all.

 

[tmz]

Nice work. It looks good at this point.Good Luck.

 

[Percula9]

You did a good job bringing him back. Keep feeding with the garlic in his food. I think you should bring up the salinity to full in 2 or 3 days instead of one.