Input on Fin Rot and 2 White Spots

Willow59 · Dec 7, 2020

I noticed a white spot on my Sailfin tang’s tail two weeks ago that hasn’t changed since it showed up. Later he showed signs of fin rot which I have had affect two Foxface in this same QT tank. The first died and the second I treated with KanaPlex and watched him heal for 2 weeks before moving him to my DT, where he has shows small signs again but seems to be recovering on his own.

I treated this tang as well, and he just hit day 8 since the treatment with 3 KanaPlex doses began. The rot on the rear of his dorsal fin seems to have healed, but I think I should watch the spots on the top and bottom of his tail fin a little longer before move him to my DT.

So, my primary question is what are these two white spots on his tail (just noticed the second), and does his rot look to be healing as I believe it is?

nano_ryan · Dec 7, 2020

ich usually will explode all over the fish like a mist of white paint. Small sailfins get sick very easily IMO. It doesn’t look very bad, but it could be fin rot like you said.
1-2 dots= Scratch, torn fin, fin rot
Multiple dots all over= Ich, velvet, or flukes

Reef Tripp · Dec 7, 2020

It doesn't look like cryptocarion (ich) to me, it looks like a parasite to me, they tend to come loose by themselves I wouldn't worry, the fin also regenerates itself.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 7, 2020

Looks like Lymphocystis, if so, no treatment needed, but it may get worse before it gets better. That isn't to say this fish doesn't have ich and is just not showing it yet. Are you planning to prophylactly treat with copper before moving it to your DT?

Jay

Willow59 · Dec 7, 2020

Jay Hemdal said:
Looks like Lymphocystis, if so, no treatment needed, but it may get worse before it gets better. That isn't to say this fish doesn't have ich and is just not showing it yet. Are you planning to prophylactly treat with copper before moving it to your DT?

Jay

Thank you all for your feedback. @Jay Hemdal I was wondering if it might be Lymphocystis based on some other posts you've responded to that I read. The fish has been in QT for 31 days now and those are the only two spots I've seen the entire time. Nothing else popped up and they haven't really changed other than going from one spot around day 15 to two this past week. At this point I wasn't planning to treat prophylactly with copper unless it seemed I should.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 7, 2020

Willow59 said:
Thank you all for your feedback. @Jay Hemdal I was wondering if it might be Lymphocystis based on some other posts you've responded to that I read. The fish has been in QT for 31 days now and those are the only two spots I've seen the entire time. Nothing else popped up and they haven't really changed other than going from one spot around day 15 to two this past week. At this point I wasn't planning to treat prophylactly with copper unless it seemed I should.

Well, I would hold the fish under observation for a very long time if you aren't going to treat with copper. No less than 45 days, and many people would say 75 days in order to ensure the ich parasites have died off. The trouble is - moving the fish to your DT is going to cause it some stress. That stress can cause the ich parasites to break out in an infection. So many times I hear, "the fish was fine until I moved it and then everyone got ich". That really is pretty common!

Jay

Willow59 · Dec 8, 2020

That makes sense. Two quick follow up questions:
1. What target PPM to you use when treating with Copper (I have Copper Power)?
2. Do you have experience with or thoughts on prophylactic treatment with MetroPlex?

Jay Hemdal · Dec 8, 2020

Copper Power is usually dosed at 2 ppm, but I think the manufacturer says you can go up to 2.50 ppm.

I would say there is some overlap between the diseases that copper is effective against and those that Metroplex treats. I wouldn't dose them at the same time. I think that APIs General Cure would be a better follow up to copper, because it has praziquantel as well as metronidazole in it.

Jay