CBB injury or infection?

Whipples · Sep 12, 2017

me again

I picked up a CBB yesterday that seems to be of a decent size and thickness from my LFS and who was eating at their store. Salinity matched and into a cycled QT he went, so far haven't been able to get him to eat. Tried LRS, PE mysis, clam on the half shell, and will try brine next. He has what looks like a lymph on his tail which I've dealt with before on my tang but he's got these marks on his side I was hoping I could get input on. No treatments have happened yet but I have prazipro, coppersafe, metroplex, kanaplex, and paragard on hand. I've got a clam on the half shell in there on a rock right now but he hasn't shown much interest, generally just goes left to right along the tank, looks at the rocks but doesn't seem to graze yet. He is a little twitchy (head and fins) on occasion. Any ideas?

I am determined to get him healthy!

KJ · Sep 12, 2017

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bacterial-infections.191511/

Whipples · Sep 12, 2017

I used that thread to figure out what meds to get, and my initial reaction is bacterial. Do you agree with that? I've scoured threads for similar items but ever since that image hosting change with photobucket it is hard to get examples.

Reefrookie220 · Sep 12, 2017

Whipples said:
I used that thread to figure out what meds to get, and my initial reaction is bacterial. Do you agree with that? I've scoured threads for similar items but ever since that image hosting change with photobucket it is hard to get examples.

A close up would help as far as diagnosis, but asfar as eating, give him a day or so, these guys stress easy... at work moving them from the main system to a qt 50ft away sometimes causes them to go a day or so without eating

Whipples · Sep 12, 2017

How about this? He ate a few brine shrimp just now.

Maritimer · Sep 12, 2017

The red marks on his side do look like possible bacterial action ... @melypr1985 or @Humblefish could certainly confirm.

One treatment that's worked for a lot of folks is the triple-play of Metroplex, Kanaplex and Furan-2. Dose according to package directions, for 14 days or so to be certain of knocking it out.

~Bruce

4FordFamily · Sep 12, 2017

Maritimer said:
The red marks on his side do look like possible bacterial action ... @melypr1985 or @Humblefish could certainly confirm.

One treatment that's worked for a lot of folks is the triple-play of Metroplex, Kanaplex and Furan-2. Dose according to package directions, for 14 days or so to be certain of knocking it out.

~Bruce

Looks like an infection to me -- possibly uronemia but more likely an infection. Keep a very close eye on it.

I'd do an acriflavin bath to give the treatment a head start if @Humblefish and @melypr1985 agree.

Whipples · Sep 12, 2017

4FordFamily said:
Looks like an infection to me -- possibly uronemia but more likely an infection. Keep a very close eye on it.

I'd do an acriflavin bath to give the treatment a head start if @Humblefish and @melypr1985 agree.

Unfortunately did not see that in my LFS, I can get the furan-2 by tomorrow I believe. I have kanaplex and metroplex now, should I begin those treatments?

Maritimer · Sep 12, 2017

You can absolutely start treatment with two of the three. The reason for multiple antibiotics is that it's pretty much impossible to tell exactly which species of bacteria you're dealing with - but each med effects a somewhat limited range of bacteria. When you've got all three in the water, you're beatin' on a _bunch_ of the bugs.

~Bruce

4FordFamily · Sep 12, 2017

Whipples said:
Unfortunately did not see that in my LFS, I can get the furan-2 by tomorrow I believe. I have kanaplex and metroplex now, should I begin those treatments?

I would.

Whipples · Sep 12, 2017

Ok, I was able to get to an LFS a minute before they closed for the Furan-2. I dosed Kanaplex, Metroplex, and the Furan-2 as prescribed. I have a koralia nano powerhead close to the surface and I put a decent airstone in the tank as well to hopefully combat any oxygen depletion and set the HOB to max to try and get more agitation that way. Was able to get him to eat 2-3 more brine shrimp just before I put the antibiotics in, thank you all for your help!

Reefrookie220 · Sep 12, 2017

Keep an eye on ammonia levels, these antibiotics unfortunately wipe out beneficial bacteria as well, an ammonia badge isn't a terrible idea.

Humblefish · Sep 13, 2017

Looks like something bacterial starting up, which is not surprising with a butterflyfish.

The "Triple Threat" prescribed above is the way to go.

Whipples · Sep 13, 2017

I have an ammonia badge in the tank and am watching it. I've read that the antibiotics can ding the filter pretty hard but I had it cycled for a month feeding it a little ammonia every few days after it cycled in anticipation of needing to do any medications. Badge still shows yellow but I'll keep checking it as I go. Been trying to siphon out any food he doesn't eat either, and did a 25% change before adding antibiotics to help keep water quality up.

Would something like microbacter7 or other "bacteria in a bottle" help mitigate that filter hit or is there nothing but water changes in my future

4FordFamily · Sep 13, 2017

Whipples said:
I have an ammonia badge in the tank and am watching it. I've read that the antibiotics can ding the filter pretty hard but I had it cycled for a month feeding it a little ammonia every few days after it cycled in anticipation of needing to do any medications. Badge still shows yellow but I'll keep checking it as I go. Been trying to siphon out any food he doesn't eat either, and did a 25% change before adding antibiotics to help keep water quality up.

Would something like microbacter7 or other "bacteria in a bottle" help mitigate that filter hit or is there nothing but water changes in my future

It probably woundnt hurt. I've not had cycle issues with antibiotics but it can happen.

Whipples · Sep 14, 2017

Lost him overnight

. Snapped a picture of either side, was there anything else I could have done or was he kinda doomed from the start? Time to break it down and try again... I assume I gotta sterilize the hob and start over with cycling, too?

Humblefish · Sep 14, 2017

@Whipples Sorry to hear this. Butterflies often come in with nasty infections. This is my treatment of choice for dealing with that: http://store.nationalfishpharm.com/NFP-products-Nitrofuracin-Green-59584.Item.html

Sometimes it's worthwhile to give them a bath using NFG within the first few days of QT, as a preventative.

Whipples · Sep 14, 2017

Thanks for providing that @Humblefish, is there any other distributors of it that you know of? $100 a jar seems crazy!

Humblefish · Sep 14, 2017

Whipples said:
Thanks for providing that @Humblefish, is there any other distributors of it that you know of? $100 a jar seems crazy!

Wow, the price has gone up.

NFP makes it themselves, so I don't know of any other distributors. I suppose you could make it yourself by combining Nitrofurazone, Sulfathiazole Sodium, Methylene Blue and sodium chloride into a bath treatment. I can give you proper dosages for the first 3, but I'm not sure what concentration of sodium chloride they are using.