Gem tang fins

[Lizalots]

Just trying to stay ahead of issues -
My beautiful gem tang is doing well in QT. He’s actually my only fish that even took to nori in WT. he is in a 20g by himself for the process.

I noticed his fins seems a little munched. Not sure what he could be injuring them on, just two pieces of large PVC, a sponge filter and an HOB.

He IS currently at therapeutic copper power at 2.10 for day 3 of 30. I do a 14 days GC/metroplex treatment as well and so far we’ve dosed GC once, the fin issue was going on prior to GC.

His food is brine shrimp soaked in the three vitamins pictured. He’s also on a small piece of nori every few days Ana pellets daily.

Salinity is 1.023. Tank fully cycled ammonia reading 0.

Is he just brushing against something? I have not witnessed flashing or scratching.

This isn’t my first fish through This QT regiment. I’ve put about 30 fish through it, usually multiple at a time. I’m wanting to make sure this isn’t something else going on to watch for. Thank you!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

That is weird - with no other fish in the tank, difficult to account for that. Yellow tangs sometimes get scalloped fins as a symptom they show when they get HLLE. I've seen it in purple tangs also. Since all three fish are in the same genus, I wonder if that could be it?

Brine shrimp isn't a super-nutritious food, but the pellets ought to augment that. If he is eating nori well, and it is air dried, not roasted, I would give him some everyday, after getting pellets.

If the scalloping gets worse, you should probably treat with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic, just to cover all bases.

Jay

 

[Brian_68]

How did the fins look when you put him in originally? They seem deformed to me and less of a disease.

 

[Lizalots]

How did the fins look when you put him in originally? They seem deformed to me and less of a disease.

here he is as LFS less than a week ago. He got a little chunk taken out from the first day I saw him to when I bought him, so it is definitely getting worse.

 

[Lizalots]

here he is two days ago

 

[Lizalots]

That is weird - with no other fish in the tank, difficult to account for that. Yellow tangs sometimes get scalloped fins as a symptom they show when they get HLLE. I've seen it in purple tangs also. Since all three fish are in the same genus, I wonder if that could be it?

Brine shrimp isn't a super-nutritious food, but the pellets ought to augment that. If he is eating nori well, and it is air dried, not roasted, I would give him some everyday, after getting pellets.

If the scalloping gets worse, you should probably treat with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic, just to cover all bases.

Jay

I will continue continue to rotate nori and start treating the pellets with vitamins. I was using the brine to get him eating and pack with the vitamins. Do you think I should deter course if the CP or continue on? I can also cut the copper a little down to 2.0.

he is actively eating everything I throw in there. I decided to start the 15 day GC/metro treatment as he was doing well and I’ve always done this combined with copper, but maybe I should back off and treat this separately at the end?
Thank you!

 

[Ocelaris]

My $.02, copper suppresses their immune system, both my yellow tang and sailfin had bacterial infections similar to the above going through copper. Never again would I do that. I'll do chloroquine every time with my tangs. It's brutal, but the yellow tang was stuck to the overflow, and stuck him in a tank with chloroquine and he bounced back. But I am very hesitant to use copper these days after that experience. Personally, I'd lower the copper, but I am no expert, but I was checking copper daily with a hanna checker and still turned out poorly for me.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Copper has some degree of effect on them but not an effect that would cause their fins to look bitten. This is wierd. I thought maybe the PVC tubes but these look like bites from aggression.
Great to see you are using supplements. Offer it as I do mine. . .

LRS Herbivore diet
Formula 2 flake and frozen
mysis shrimp
small plankton
Nori seaweed basted with garlic

Add the supplements to the foods

 

[Lizalots]

My $.02, copper suppresses their immune system, both my yellow tang and sailfin had bacterial infections similar to the above going through copper. Never again would I do that. I'll do chloroquine every time with my tangs. It's brutal, but the yellow tang was stuck to the overflow, and stuck him in a tank with chloroquine and he bounced back. But I am very hesitant to use copper these days after that experience. Personally, I'd lower the copper, but I am no expert, but I was checking copper daily with a hanna checker and still turned out poorly for me.

I put a sailfin, chevron, purple, two nasos, mimic, and kole tang through this exact treatment with no issue. Which is why I’m scratching my head. I also use copper power which is supposed to be a less harsh form of copper. I’ll definitely lower the dose.

 

[Lizalots]

Copper has some degree of effect on them but not an effect that would cause their fins to look bitten. This is wierd. I thought maybe the PVC tubes but these look like bites from aggression.
Great to see you are using supplements. Offer it as I do mine. . .

LRS Herbivore diet
Formula 2 flake and frozen
mysis shrimp
small plankton
Nori seaweed basted with garlic

Add the supplements to the foods

Should I try to power through my copper treatment or halt it? I’m in day three. I can attempt a ttm on day 14 instead of the full 30.

 

[Tamberav]

Looks like a bacterial infection. You can do 30 min bath's in something like NFG at double dose for 7-10 days. It cleared my yellow tang right up.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I will continue continue to rotate nori and start treating the pellets with vitamins. I was using the brine to get him eating and pack with the vitamins. Do you think I should deter course if the CP or continue on? I can also cut the copper a little down to 2.0.

he is actively eating everything I throw in there. I decided to start the 15 day GC/metro treatment as he was doing well and I’ve always done this combined with copper, but maybe I should back off and treat this separately at the end?
Thank you!

I always treat with GC after copper, not at the same time.
Jay

 

[Lizalots]

I always treat with GC after copper, not at the same time.
Jay

Thank you. Got away lucky before, though this was developing prior. I will put off that treatment until after the 30 days or 14 if I attempt ttm.

 

[Lizalots]

Looks like a bacterial infection. You can do 30 min bath's in something like NFG at double dose for 7-10 days. It cleared my yellow tang right up.

Should I remove the fish from the copper and do the bath in the side?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Should I try to power through my copper treatment or halt it? I’m in day three. I can attempt a ttm on day 14 instead of the full 30.

Continue to 14 day and as Jay stated- switch then to general cure- Do not mix them

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you. Got away lucky before, though this was developing prior. I will put off that treatment until after the 30 days or 14 if I attempt ttm.

So - did the scalloped fins show up before the copper? I think that the copper is a red herring, I've dosed hundreds of tangs and never saw this happen (not gem tangs of course).

Jay

 

[Lizalots]

So - did the scalloped fins show up before the copper? I think that the copper is a red herring, I've dosed hundreds of tangs and never saw this happen (not gem tangs of course).

Jay

He had one when he first went in. I’ve had him for 5 days so it’s been progressive.

“blue” image last Wednesday at LFS. They were there but not as obvious and didn’t seem out of the ordinary considering he was with some larger fish.
Second picture today, so 5 days later.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Well, copper is a red herring then. You should probably consider treating with antibiotics at this point.
Jay

 

[Lizalots]

Ok I’ll read up to see what’s safe. Would you do the dip or in the water column? I have CP in the WC. I have kanaplex on hand but can get pretty much everything else tomorrow

Well, copper is a red herring then. You should probably consider treating with antibiotics at this point.
J

 

[Lizalots]

I want to thank EVERYONE who has responded to this thread! I about got roasted on Facebook for even considering pretreatment for a fish that wasn’t showing symptoms. I’ve put over 30 fish through QT including sensitive wrasses and copper bands and this is the first issue I’ve had a little panic on. So thank you all!!