Fin rot help please??

joec · Dec 28, 2018

I had a 1" pink streaked wrasse come in this morning and now in QT. I noticed that her back fins and lower tail appeared rotted, and the rotted parts appeared white. It only been a few hours and she's hiding so I have not been able to get a photo yet.

Is that "fin rot"? What antibiotic treatment is best?

I have metroplex

Big G · Dec 28, 2018

There's a couple of things you can do to help the fish. The first and most mild would be to give it a bath in an Acriflavine product like Ruby Reef Rally. It has both antiseptic and antibiotic qualities. The next step would be after the bath to place the wrasse into a QT and treat with antibiotics. White-ish areas should be watched closely as these can be a symptom of bacterial infection. Treating with Kanaplex, or Furan2, or Sulfaplex, or NFG would be a good move as they are all wide spectrum antibiotics that will help the fish's immune system to fight off the infection. They don't cure it; they help the fish's immune system and may take time to work. Allow a good 10-14 days of treatment.

joec · Dec 28, 2018

Just dose in water, not in food with Focus?

I just read a Humblefish post where he said the most broad spectrum approach (he called it the "triple threat") would be to use Metroplex, Kanaplex and Furon 2. I don't mind doing that if it that's the most complete approach??

How would you use all three, at the same time, or one after the next?

Big G · Dec 28, 2018

My only concern would be the small size of the fish to dose with all three meds "if" you think they are not necessary based on the symptoms you actually "see" on the wrasse. But if you feel the fish needs all three, here's the dosage plan for the Trifecta:

Day 1- all three
Day 2- furan-2
Day 3- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 4- furan-2
Day 5- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 6- furan-2
Day 7- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 8- furan-2
Day 9- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 10- furan-2
Day 11- 25% (or more) waterchange

If you need to go 14 days-
Day 11- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 12- furan-2
Day 13- 25% waterchange THEN all 3
Day 14- furan-2
Day 15- 25% (or more) waterchange

joec · Dec 28, 2018

Wow, that schedule is great help.

So I would be using them all of them at full dose, and should have no ill affects on fish?

I would rather try to cover all the bases while she is alone in QT, rather than have something linger and end up in
DT is my thinking.

Can I ramp up and run copper at same time as Antibiotics?

Still trying to get photo

Big G · Dec 28, 2018

Bacterial infections are not usually "catchy"; they are usually the result of something else that stressed the fish: Ich, Velvet, poor water quality, stress from aggression/shipping, etc. that has lowered the fish's immune system to the point where the bacterial infection sets in. So it's not usually something to worry about your other fish catching.
Running both copper and antibiotics can be very risky. The stress on the fish's immune system is compounded by adding copper which in an immune suppressant. Generally don't recommend it unless the fish has both an active case of Velvet/serious Ich and a bacterial infection. Here's a link that discusses the risks: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-bacterial-infection-predicament.310311/#post-3816129

joec · Dec 28, 2018

Big G said:
Bacterial infections are not usually "catchy"; they are usually the result of something else that stressed the fish: Ich, Velvet, poor water quality, stress from aggression/shipping, etc. that has lowered the fish's immune system to the point where the bacterial infection sets in. So it's not usually something to worry about your other fish catching.
Running both copper and antibiotics can be very risky. The stress on the fish's immune system is compounded by adding copper which in an immune suppressant. Generally don't recommend it unless the fish has both an active case of Velvet/serious Ich and a bacterial infection. Here's a link that discusses the risks: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-bacterial-infection-predicament.310311/#post-3816129

I need to get a better look at it. I got another quick glimpse with more light, and it did not look bad. If this is a minor bacterial infection, can I proceed with 30 days copper, GC with Focus in food QT process, and then look at the "infection" later and treat post copper, as necessary? Do I have some time to evaluate?

Big G · Dec 28, 2018

Bacterial infections have a nasty habit of going "sideways" real fast.

joec · Dec 28, 2018

Big G said:
Bacterial infections have a nasty habit of going "sideways" real fast.

Would you use the "trifecta" or just one of antibiotic medications? What do you use?

Big G · Dec 28, 2018

For fin and tail rot, any of the ones listed above usually work well. But my favorite is NFG. It's used by lots of shippers and LFS for treating incoming fish that have been roughed up a bit. NFG is nitrofuracine green powder, and you probably won't find it in stores. It's a good med to add to your fish med kit.