Coral Beauty getting sick in QT

[Steve Jones]

I have a Coral Beauty in Hospital tank. Been in there for about 65 days while DT is going fallow from a Brooks outbreak. In the HT with a Pajama Cardinalfish and a Melanarus Wrasse. Coral Beauty has been doing fine. Survived the Formalin baths. But in the last 4 days he has stopped eating, hides in the PVC (used to swim up when he saw me) and is staying near bottom of tank. Other 2 fish seem fine. He looks looks like he's gotten dry skin above his eyes. See photo. Nothing has changed in tank. Parameters all good. Any ideas. I'd hate to lose him now after all he's been through.

 

[Robink]

Check with @Humblefish and @melypr1985 . they are the experts.

 

[Humblefish]

Are you sure this isn't brook coming back? Other possibility is a bacterial infection.

 

[Steve Jones]

Are you sure this isn't brook coming back? Other possibility is a bacterial infection.

After all this time? I guess I can do the formalin baths again. Would have thought after all this time it would be pretty much over. If bacterial, what's best way to treat?

 

[Humblefish]

After all this time? I guess I can do the formalin baths again. Would have thought after all this time it would be pretty much over. If bacterial, what's best way to treat?

I treated a CB Angel with a similar looking infection, and it took Kanaplex + Metroplex + Furan-2 to completely knock it out. Metroplex also treats brook, so you'd be covered both ways (without having to do another formalin bath).

 

[melypr1985]

from the pictures, that looks bacterial to me. I would certainly differ to Humblefish, but I think it's an infection. Best way to treat that would be with Kanaplex, Furan 2 and possible metroplex if you wanted to combine all three for the widest spectrum.

Edit: Haha! Same time, same thought!

 

[Steve Jones]

And of course, I have none of those. Just Formalin and Methyl Blue and "Ick Cure". Any of these help or hurt while I try to get those other 3?

 

[Humblefish]

And of course, I have none of those. Just Formalin and Methyl Blue and "Ick Cure". Any of these help or hurt while I try to get those other 3?

Methylene Blue (assuming that's what you meant) may slow down the infection if this is indeed bacterial in nature. I would treat him in a separate small tank, isolated away from all the other fish. Even a 5 gallon bucket would work.

 

[Steve Jones]

Methylene Blue (assuming that's what you meant) may slow down the infection if this is indeed bacterial in nature. I would treat him in a separate small tank, isolated away from all the other fish. Even a 5 gallon bucket would work.

Yes - methylene. Treated the wrasse w/ it when it got some ammonia burn. These poor little guys have been going through the wringer - but they seem pretty tough. Methylene blue bath starting in a few minutes.

 

[Steve Jones]

I don't think he's going to make it...

 

[Steve Jones]

We got about 5 minutes thru the Methylene blue bath and he really started struggling. Swimming erratically, sticking nose out of water, thrashing. Very stressed. Pulled him out and put him back in hospital tank. He swam near the top for a few minutes looking like gasping. Now he's been doing this for about 7 minutes. This can't be good. And it's killing me to see this. This guy was my first fish in my tank and has been thru hell and back. He ain't gonna be able to do this much longer.

 

[melypr1985]

I'm sorry sweetie. This blows

 

[Humblefish]

Maybe its just me, but that eye looks cloudy too.

 

[Humblefish]

If he dies, drop the body in FW for 5 mins just to be sure no flukes are present:

Freshwater Dip: Provides temporary relief for Brooklynella, Flukes & "Black Ich", Marine Velvet disease (Amyloodinium); possibly even Ich & Uronema marinum (both unproven). Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes.

How To Treat - Fill a bucket with RODI water, and use a heater to match the temperature to the water the fish is coming from. Aerate the water heavily for at least 30 minutes prior to doing the dip, then discontinue aeration while performing the dip. Fish aren’t overly pH sensitive for short durations like this, but you can squirt a little tank water into the dip just before the fish goes in to help bring it up.

Place the fish in the freshwater (FW) dip and observe closely. It is not unusual for them to freak out a little at first. Also, tangs are notorious for “playing dead” during a FW dip. The important thing is to watch their gills; they should be breathing heavily at all times during the dip. If breathing slows, it’s time to exit the dip. Dip the fish for no longer than 5 minutes. Multiple dips may be done, but it’s important to give your fish a day to recuperate in-between dips.

For flukes, use a dark (preferably black) bucket so you can see if tiny white worms fall out of the fish (especially out of the gills) at around the 3-4 minute mark. The worms will settle to the bottom, so you can use a flashlight to look for them there as well.

Pros - Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases in a chemical free environment. Can “buy you more time” until a proper treatment can be done.

Cons/Side Effects - Not a permanent “fix” for any disease, as FW dips are not potent enough to eradicate all of the parasites/worms afflicting the fish. Some fish can have an adverse reaction to a FW dip by appearing unable to maintain their equilibrium once returned to the aquarium. If this happens, hold the fish upright (using latex, nitrile or rubber gloves), and gently glide him through the water (to get saltwater flowing through the gills again). It is also a good idea to place the fish in an acclimation box until he appears “normal”.

 

[melypr1985]

Maybe its just me, but that eye looks cloudy too.

Not just you.... the video makes him look way worse than the pictures did.

 

[Steve Jones]

Update. He was still the same this AM. Pointing up and gasping. Went to the closest LFS (30 min away - the next is 2 hours). They don't have a lot but had Furan-2 and Tetracycline. Dosed the tank and we'll see how it goes.

The Coral Beauty is now hovering at the intake to the hang on filter in the Hospital Tank. I think he is using the suction to hold himself there so he doesn't have to exert himself to stay "swimming". He's still gasping pretty bad. Should I just let him stay there? He hasn't eaten in several days and was trying to swim up all last night so he has to be exhausted. At the filter intake he's gasping but at least not struggling to swim. The intake isn't blocked - so that's not a problem. (Also, I removed the carbon from the filter).

 

[Steve Jones]

And on a "dark humor" note - I just looked down and realized this was the book I started reading 2 days ago. Hope the title and cover art aren't a premonition.

 

[Steve Jones]

Another update. Coral Beauty is doing better but still a long way from well. I did a 50% water change as ammonia was going up and want to keep it as low as possible so one less issue to deal with. Then redosed the meds. Water change made him go away from the intake. After water change he was at bottom of tank leaning against glass wall not moving and just gasping. Thought he didn't have long. Came back a couple hours later and now he's up swimming a few inches off the bottom. Just kind of hovering around. Not very active. But a lot more than he was right after water change. Still looks like hell, though. And still not eating which may be the ultimate problem.

One a related note, I'm done having sick fish and no real meds within a 2 hours drive - and then only if the LFS has it in stock. So I bit the bullet and ordered about $150 in meds online. Should all be here in a few days. So I'll have my own dispensary in-house.

 

[Steve Jones]

@Humblefish, @melypr1985

The Coral Beauty seems to be stable for now. All three of the tank inhabitants have been through a 50 minute Formalin-M bath in case it is Brooks showing up again. The CB was in a Methylene Blue bath for only 5 minutes yesterday before he started really stressing. Right after that is when he started behaving as in the last video - nose in the air at water surface. Later he was at bottom of tank, leaning against glass wall, barely moving and gasping. I did a 50% water change since ammonia was going up a little. After that he appeared "better" (see immediate previous post). Attached is video of him this AM. Not moving a lot - but also not gasping and struggling. You can see that the skin on his "forehead" is peeling off. Also, the hospital tank has been dosed with Furan-2 and Tetracyclene for the last 12 hours. Any suggestions on how to proceed? (Video in following post - had a problem trying to upload in this one).

 

[Steve Jones]

Video in this post.