lateral line infection?

[morty343]

Hello, too bad my first R2R post is about a sick fish, but what can you do.

The situation: I recently purchased a small tomini tang from an LFS which has a good reputation for a thorough QT process. After getting the fish home and acclimated, I did not notice anything unusual the first day. After a day or two, I noticed some raised whitish "dots" that were isolated to its left lateral line, and perhaps a scrape mark in the same area that it got from being skittish and hiding. I have 20+ years in the hobby and have experience with all manner of fish diseases, including ich. Although it looked similar to ich, because it was isolated to its lateral line and the spots were not random this made me suspect it was an injury/infection instead. I took several photos, and decided to move the fish to QT and take a couple closer photos in the process. (I was able to use a macro lens.) In the close up photos, it does not exactly look like ich cysts to me but instead almost like little dots of lymphocytis (even though I know this usually appears on thin fin tissue). I do not see any other spots elsewhere on the fish (maybe something by its left eye) and it otherwise seems healthy. No spots are appearing on any other fish. It was in the tank for around 8 days...

Here are some photos and I'm wondering if anyone else has an opinion.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello, too bad my first R2R post is about a sick fish, but what can you do.

The situation: I recently purchased a small tomini tang from an LFS which has a good reputation for a thorough QT process. After getting the fish home and acclimated, I did not notice anything unusual the first day. After a day or two, I noticed some raised whitish "dots" that were isolated to its left lateral line, and perhaps a scrape mark in the same area that it got from being skittish and hiding. I have 20+ years in the hobby and have experience with all manner of fish diseases, including ich. Although it looked similar to ich, because it was isolated to its lateral line and the spots were not random this made me suspect it was an injury/infection instead. I took several photos, and decided to move the fish to QT and take a couple closer photos in the process. (I was able to use a macro lens.) In the close up photos, it does not exactly look like ich cysts to me but instead almost like little dots of lymphocytis (even though I know this usually appears on thin fin tissue). I do not see any other spots elsewhere on the fish (maybe something by its left eye) and it otherwise seems healthy. No spots are appearing on any other fish. It was in the tank for around 8 days...

Here are some photos and I'm wondering if anyone else has an opinion.

I agree on it being infected. This has likely stemmed from prior tank conditions with poor water quality as simple as elevated nitrate or ammonia, high use of carbon, and inadequate/poor diet. It is not life threating in any way but offers secondary infection in some cases.
Maintaining GOOD water quality and diet are often the fixes and with severe cases, some healing.
Some foods to feed tang are :
LRS herbivore diet
Formula 2 flake and frozen
TDO Pellets
small plankton
Hikari Marine cuisine
Ocean nutrition veggie diet
spirulina brine shrimp
mysis shrimp
Prime reef
Nori seaweed basted with garlic extract

Add selcon vitamins to foods occasionally

If it does not improve you can treat with seachem neoplex

 

[MnFish1]

It seems like an injury - above the lateral line - has caused a bacterial infection. Which may then have spread along it. I would use a broad spectrum antibiotic in a hospital tank. I would suggest that IF its a bacterial infection (which based on the timing - thats what's suggested) - if within the nervous system - may be quite difficult to clear -- However - if the fish is doing ok - treat it.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I think these are mucus plugs arising from the lateral line pores. I’ve seen this before, sometimes due to unknown stress, but in this case since it is on one side only, I’d say from a scrape injury. In the cases I’ve seen, this is just mucus with no bacterial infection associated with it.
It could be infected, but I don’t think so. It could become infected down the road though.
Jay

p.s. - I think you win the prize for longest being a member before you first post - welcome!

 

[morty343]

Thanks all!

At this point I've moved the 2" fish into 10g isolation w some PVC fittings for cover, a heater, and a power head for gas exchange. I had considered doing 72h transfer method out of caution but it sounds like the consensus is that it's not cryptocaryon? Best to just observe for a few days, and feed quality food (i.e. mysis, enriched artemia, Hikari seaweed extreme etc.)? Only broad-spectrum medication if things worsen?