White blotches on Dottyback?

[alten78]

Hello all,

I'm unsure what exactly this is on my Orchid Dottyback. Tank is about 3 years old, no new additions for several months, noticed a couple of white blotches a few weeks ago but just thought the a-hole 6 line was chasing the dottyback, but, it seems to be getting worse and its fins are starting to look a little ragged. It certainly isn't acting any different and is eating extremely well as always. I'm feeding more (mysis, rods, omega 1 and 2 flakes, nls pellets) trying to bring my NO3 and PO4 up as I'm not getting the colors I want from my sps, which of course the fish love. I really haven't seen much fighting or chasing from the other fish though, just on occasion from said six line.

 

[ThRoewer]

This is likely a bacterial infection. I would also not completely exclude uronema or brooklynella though those I would expect to move more quickly.

I would catch her (trap works well) and give her a formalin bath (FishVet Formalin MS) before placing her into a clean hospital tank. If the white doesn't start going away in a day or two I would start treating with an broad band antibiotic (Amoxicillin, Septra, or Cipro).

If it is bacterial it should start going away within a few days after the start of antibiotic treatment.

 

[alten78]

Great, thanks, will do!

 

[Newsmyrna80]

If absolutely nothing has been introduced in the last couple of months then you can rule out Brook or uronema. More than likely self inflicted injury which could possible become infected if given the chance, i.e, stress, water quality, poor nutrition. My royal gramma occasionally gets these "spots" but it clears up rather quickly.

 

[alten78]

I haven't added a fish in well over a year but I do add coral. Last piece was a month and a half ago but haven't noticed this until a few weeks ago, even then it was only a spot or two. I'll keep an eye out on it, getting a hospital tank setup shortly.

 

[ThRoewer]

If absolutely nothing has been introduced in the last couple of months then you can rule out Brook or uronema. More than likely self inflicted injury which could possible become infected if given the chance, i.e, stress, water quality, poor nutrition. My royal gramma occasionally gets these "spots" but it clears up rather quickly.

Uronema is not obligate but opportunistic. That means it can be present in your tank forever without ever showing on a fish. Normally uronema feeds on bacteria, detritus and dead tissue. Fish get only infected when they are weakened or injured - usually both at the same time like during shipping and in a holding tank with lots of other fish.

Though this looks a more like a bacterial infection to me.

 

[snorvich]

Uronema is not obligate but opportunistic. That means it can be present in your tank forever without ever showing on a fish. Normally uronema feeds on bacteria, detritus and dead tissue. Fish get only infected when they are weakened or injured - usually both at the same time like during shipping and in a holding tank with lots of other fish.

I agree. The exception seems to be any tank that contains chromis.

Though this looks a more like a bacterial infection to me.

That would be my guess as well.

 

[lonbrat]

My 6-line also chased my pseudochromis, the look kinda similar to dottybacks, I just held my green net to the tank every time he did it, and the net scared the 6-line enough after a few attempts, he now gets chased by the psudochromis, probably thinks he's the green net God

// and I can't really help with the spots, I do agree they look alot like a bacterial infection though//

 

[alten78]

Thanks guys, still trying to catch the bugger, but if anything at least its acting and eating well.

On a side note, I finally figured out the source of my cloudy water that I have been having for a few months now. Got the hospital tank ready, mixed up some salt (RC) and low and behold its cloudy just like the display....