Kermit my Green Mandarin

[Zack K]

Noticed a few white spots on Kermit this afternoon. Any ideas?? I read the mandarins are not prone to any diseases so I'm hoping it's just a defect in his coloring or some sand stuck to him. He is more active every day and moves all over the tank and is constantly picking at the sand and live rock.

@Humblefish

 

[Humblefish]

Are you noticing these white spots first thing in the morning? Could just be from excess mucous they secrete at night (defense mechanism).

 

[Reef Ryder]

I've only had my guy for a little while and I've def. noticed growth. I feed Nutramar and PE Calanus. He was advertised as eating Mysis but I've never seen him eat it personally. Maybe offering other types of foods for variety might help your little guy sprout?




Mine comes to the front to wait for food too. He's super friendly. If you look at the fin they "display" you can tell the gender -if it has a point it's a boy.

I actually don't feed anything special, I do feed my nems mysis and everything in my tank goes crazy for them but I never saw the mandarin go after them. I let him just eat the pods that develop in my aquarium. If my wife sees pods all over the glass she would tell me to get rid of the tank or get a divorce. No way I'm ridding the tank and I can't afford a divorce because I put too much money in my aquarium LOL.

 

[Gaines69]

Does Kermit look healthy???

 

[Gaines69]

 

[Gaines69]

Are you noticing these white spots first thing in the morning? Could just be from excess mucous they secrete at night (defense mechanism).

The spots are still there. Haven't grown or multiplied. I'm going to keep a sharp eye on them and see if there are any changes.

 

[Reef Ryder]

Does Kermit look healthy???

IMO yes, Kermit looks healthy (cool nam!) I'm only saying it though because a key factor is their bellies. Round bellies are a good thing. 'Deflated' bellies not so much. As far as the spots, I learned today just as you did that that can be a normal thing, definitely keep an eye on him and make sure he's 'hunting' and eating. Just don't google 'white spots on fish', you'll get 100 articles on ich. I would look up the fish and it's habits and such.

 

[Reef Ryder]

The spots are still there. Haven't grown or multiplied. I'm going to keep a sharp eye on them and see if there are any changes.

From the pic, it looks more like a blemish or 'scrape', not a parasite or anything. It's hard for me to see that well. Need an iPhone upgrade LOL.

 

[Humblefish]

The spots are still there. Haven't grown or multiplied. I'm going to keep a sharp eye on them and see if there are any changes.

The white spots are too large to be a parasite or worm. Cuts/injuries, a bacterial infection, coral stings or even Lympho are all possibilities. Tonight after the lights go out, see where he sleeps. Is he within range of a stinging euphyllia coral with sweepers?

 

[Humblefish]

Could also be that Coral Banded Shrimp attacking him at night.

 

[Gaines69]

The white spots are too large to be a parasite or worm. Cuts/injuries, a bacterial infection, coral stings or even Lympho are all possibilities. Tonight after the lights go out, see where he sleeps. Is he within range of a stinging euphyllia coral with sweepers?

I have a FOWLR tank so no coral. Could the bristle worms be picking on him? I have never seen the banded shrimp near him. The banded shrimp mostly stays in his cave and Kermit sleeps in the back corner by the pod hotel. I do see him swimming all in the rock rubble pile I have in the other back corner. How do I know if it is bacterial infection?

 

[Humblefish]

I have a FOWLR tank so no coral. Could the bristle worms be picking on him? I have never seen the banded shrimp near him. The banded shrimp mostly stays in his cave and Kermit sleeps in the back corner by the pod hotel. I do see him swimming all in the rock rubble pile I have in the other back corner. How do I know if it is bacterial infection?

Could be he's getting too close to bristleworms, but CBS are nocturnal and could easily attack a sleeping Mandy.

 

[Gaines69]

Could be he's getting too close to bristleworms, but CBS are nocturnal and could easily attack a sleeping Mandy.

Darn. I love my CBS. Any ideas on how to see if he is attacking Kermit? The bristleworms come out and eat right beside him so I wonder if they are the problem. I would hate to trade the banded shrimp but I will if I have to. I'll donate him to our classroom tank.

 

[Humblefish]

Darn. I love my CBS. Any ideas on how to see if he is attacking Kermit? The bristleworms come out and eat right beside him so I wonder if they are the problem. I would hate to trade the banded shrimp but I will if I have to. I'll donate him to our classroom tank.

CBS can be belligerent, but generally only pose a danger to small fish they think might make an easy meal. They'll actually "clean" larger fish sometimes.

Do you target feed your CBS every now & then? He might be starving to death and that is part of the problem here.

 

[Gaines69]

CBS can be belligerent, but generally only pose a danger to small fish they think might make an easy meal. They'll actually "clean" larger fish sometimes.

Do you target feed your CBS every now & then? He might be starving to death and that is part of the problem here.

Yes I target feed all of my fish. My CBS is always first. He goes to the top of his rock cave as soon as I turn the filter off. He swims upside down to catch the food as it falls in front of him. He's super funny the way he attacks the food. I make sure he gets plenty of food. Have never seen him bother Kermit when they are both eating. Should I feed him again after lights out?

 

[Gaines69]

The white spots haven't changed. He's still super active and eating like a little pig. Going to continue to keep an eye on him.

 

[Reef Ryder]

I'm doing some research for ya, apparently they are prone to fin rot...

 

[Humblefish]

If this is a bacterial disease, he would probably benefit from some time spent in QT so you could use a mild antibiotic (Kanaplex) on him.

But this would only be feasible if you could feed him in QT i.e. he's eating frozen foods or pellets.

 

[Gaines69]

I'm doing some research for ya, apparently they are prone to fin rot...

Does fin rot effect parts of the body besides the fin? Sorry. Dumb question I know.

 

[Zack K]

Does fin rot effect parts of the body besides the fin? Sorry. Dumb question I know.

I don't think it would be classified as "fin rot" persa, if it was off the fins. That might just fall under "bacterial infection". That's a good question though, definitely sounds possible.