Kole tang dorsal fin problem

[Kershaw]

hello my kole tang has something wrong with his dorsal fin. I have had him for about 9 months always eats. But he only eats a few bites of nori and purple seaweed. He eats mainly rods food and flake food. Eyes are clear and I don't see anything on his skin, or any weird behavior

 

[Humblefish]

Looks like a little bit of fin rot; he's probably battling a mild gram positive bacterial infection. I would start soaking his food with vitamin supplements (exs. Selcon, Zoecon, Vita-chem) to give the immune system a boost. I don't think it's serious enough to warrant antibiotic treatment at this time.

 

[Kershaw]

how long do you soak food in silcon for? Also is this normally contagious? And what type of antibiotics are used for this if it gets worse? And do I need to do it in a QT. because setting up a QT is not an option for me. The significant other is not exactly supportive of this hobby.....

 

[Kershaw]

Just so they are here I did a full panel of peramiters yesterday.
Salinity 1.025
Ph8.0
Temp 77
Nitrate 1.0
Phosphate 0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Kh 7.5
Mag 1380
Cal 490

I don't think my phosphate and nitrate are accurate. I have some algae on sand. I have been feeding a little heavy lately to help out my purple tang. So I just started running some gfo

 

[Robink]

I soak the food (frozen) in selcon for 10-15 minutes. Sometimes longer when I forget what I was doing. Feed the whole tank with it. I do it twice a week, sometimes more if someone looks off.

 

[Humblefish]

how long do you soak food in silcon for? Also is this normally contagious? And what type of antibiotics are used for this if it gets worse? And do I need to do it in a QT. because setting up a QT is not an option for me. The significant other is not exactly supportive of this hobby.....

You just add some drops to the food and let it soak for around 30 mins before you feed.

Most bacterial infections are contagious, but a healthy fish's immune system will usually keep it at bay. Bacterial infections are very different from parasites/worms, as there is no "egg stage" to worry about. If a fish's natural immune system can successfully overcome the infection that is usually the end of it, as the fish now possesses the antibodies needed to fight off that particular strain of bacterium in the future. Typically, only gram negative bacterial infections are lethal to fish and those can kill in just a matter of days. However, gram negative infections are most often seen on newly acquired fish; whereas gram positive are more common in established fish.

The best antibiotics IMO to use on SW fish are Kanaplex and/or Furan-2.

 

[Robink]

Humblefish is the expert and he's saying at this point you don't need to quarantine. Hopefully the vitamins will boost his immune system and he will fight off the problem. I notice my tangs always look better when they eat well. They love seaweed. You can soak that too.

 

[Kershaw]

Thanks for reply. I have been doing it about once a week but I only let it soak till all the food is melted.

 

[Kershaw]

Yea for some reaso. Up until I got the purple tang my wrasse ate the most sea weed. I just the Kole tang some purple seaweed and he ate more then normal.

 

[Kershaw]

Ok quick update. Tangs fin seems to have stopped rotting. the spot where it was now looks like the rest of fin but with just a different shape. Almost has normal fin color where the rotting was.

 

[Zoey]

Glad to hear that! Lovely looking fish!