Long nose butterfly, changing blotches on fin

[Kershaw]

I'm posting this for a friend. He recently bought long nose butterfly. That looked amazing in fish store. It was at lfs for over a week. It has been in his tank for about 2 weeks. It eats like a big has even gained a little weight. No signs of being sick but on his tail fin and side fins, had white blotches. Not spots like Ich and they appear to change daily. I have looked at fish and the fins are clear and you can see the lines in tail fin the blotches seem to span accross small parts of tail. Then the next day the blotch moves not spreads. Please advise he did not QT but he has a 30 gal available to use as he just upgraded to a larger tank a few weeks ago. He sent me pictures but you can not see it in pictures.

 

[Humblefish]

Very likely Lymphocystis. I can't remember the last time I had a butterfly in QT that DIDN'T develop Lympho. It usually goes away on its own; soaking fish food in vitamins supplements (Selcon, Zoecon, Vita-chem) seems to help.

Lymphocystis:

Symptoms - Lymphocystis appears as a white or beige colored cauliflower-like growth that usually starts on the fins and spines and sometimes spreads to the body. Initially it may be small (looks like ich), and then grows in size (which is how you know it’s not ich). Lympho is a virus that many fish carry for life. Fortunately, it is rarely fatal or even harmful to the fish, and symptoms will come and go.

Treatment options - No known cure or treatment exists. However, feeding vitamin-enriched foods and maintaining pristine water conditions may expedite the “going away” process.

 

[Humblefish]

CBB with Lympho

 

[Kershaw]

It's more in the center of fin. I have had a fish with that before and it dose not look like that atleast yet. Pictures on line are always way worse

 

[Humblefish]

Another possibility is a bacterial infection of some sort (common in butterflies as well), but I'd need to see a good pic to confirm that.

 

[Kershaw]

I will go there after work and try and get a good pic

 

[Kershaw]

Also I stopped by fish store he got it from, they still had 2 of the 3 that was there when he got his. One has a .5 inch red patch on its side now. I dunno if that is relavent

 

[Humblefish]

Also I stopped by fish store he got it from, they still had 2 of the 3 that was there when he got his. One has a .5 inch red patch on its side now. I dunno if that is relavent

There are many strains of bacterium (Aeromonas, vibriosis) and viruses (hemorrhagic septicemia) which can cause red patches/streaks in fish. If it's a virus, the fish is toast. "Red looking" bacterial infections are often gram negative and those require fast antibiotic treatment in order to save the fish.

 

[Kershaw]

Here is a picture of the fish he sent me. But I will try and get a better one.

 

[Humblefish]

@Kershaw I don't see anything wrong based on that pic. If this does turn out to be a bacterial infection, Nitrofuracin Green powder works great on butterflies.

 

[Kershaw]

Ok thank you. The blotch seems to come and go and change spots.

 

[Kershaw]

Sorry still no picture. But he believed it to be flukes after doing research online. He treated yesterday and now today the butter fly looks covered in Ich or velvate. Has any one ever heard of a break out after prazipro

 

[Humblefish]

Sorry still no picture. But he believed it to be flukes after doing research online. He treated yesterday and now today the butter fly looks covered in Ich or velvate. Has any one ever heard of a break out after prazipro

All medications put stress on a fish, even Prazipro. So it wouldn't surprise me for ich or velvet to "flare up" after dosing Prazi. If he "looks covered" I would assume velvet, and treat with either copper or Chloroquine.

 

[Kershaw]

Thank you. I will relay. If it's velvet dose that mean whole tank now has it and how long must the tank be fish free for it to be safe again

 

[Humblefish]

Thank you. I will relay. If it's velvet dose that mean whole tank now has it and how long must the tank be fish free for it to be safe again

Fallow period for ich is 76 days; 6 weeks for velvet. Your friend is really screwed if he dropped a fish with velvet in his DT. Show him this link: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/defeating-marine-velvet-disease.217570/

Also, if you can get me updated pics of the LNB I might be able to tell you for sure if it's ich or velvet.

 

[Kershaw]

Ok thank you. I know it's hard to help when it's 3rd person

 

[Kershaw]

Took a ton of pics here is a few. I'll put more when I get home

 

[Kershaw]

He said it looks allot better hen this morning

 

[Kershaw]

The fish is jerking it's head randomly.

 

[Kershaw]

Few more