Puple Tang in QT Please Help

[dwest]

Hi all. Am a long time reefer and had a nasty bout with dinos that wiped out many 20+ year old (yes, really) fish in my 180 gallon reef. Since my fish were such long-lived, I really haven't added many fish recently. Anyway, QT'ing new fish since dinos under control. I have a 20 gallon long that am QT 3 yellow tail damsels, 1 PT, 2 YT (all are very small) from LA. QT is bare-bottom with seeded sponge filter, PVC pipes, etc. In the past, I would use copper. This time, I tried NLS ich shield. Here's timeline so far...
Day 1: Started QT
Day 3: Added NLS IS (suspected Ich on PT, Plan was to do NLS IS for 30 days)
Day 9: 50% WC (may have seen slight green on seachem badge, adding more NLS IS to replace)
Day 9: Tang FWB (suspected flukes on PT, FW dip inconclusive for them...)
Day 10: GC round 1
Day 13: 50% WC (more NLS IS)
Day 17: GC Round 2
Day 18: (Today) 80% WC (PT very sick, possible ammonia poisoning symptoms, see pics)

I realize I need to add more biofilter to QT

(I have another 1 week old seeded sponge and some siporax still in DT sump...)Where to go from here? Bacterial infection?

 

[KMench]

Do you have an ammonia alert badge in the tank? If you’re concerned about ammonia, a water change wouldn’t hurt.

 

[dwest]

Do you have an ammonia alert badge in the tank? If you’re concerned about ammonia, a water change wouldn’t hurt.

Yes. I have a badge and just performed an 80% WC. Thanks.

 

[Ranjib]

#reefsquad

 

[Diesel]

How are the damsels holding up?

 

[dwest]

How are the damsels holding up?

They are doing great. However, nothing has really eaten since start of GC treatment (somewhat expected with prazi).

 

[Diesel]

If you have another QT I would remove the PT or leave it but remove the damsels.
Do a fresh water dip on the PT and continue medicate.
If you can do a TTM for the PT I would do that as it require no meds and he might start eating again to get some strength back.

 

[dwest]

Thanks Diesel! I can set up another QT for the PT. I an also do the FW dip. When you said continue to medicate, what do you think the PT has? Am struggling with what to medicate him with. I've never been great at fish diseases, so am unsure if he a bacterial infection or not...I have kanaplex for that if needed, but I know that I only want to add that if necessary. I also have never done TTM, but will read up on that to see if I can do it. If anyone can tell me what they think my PT has based on my pics, I would love to know. Thanks again.

 

[dwest]

Have new QT set up now. Waiting for temperature to stabilize. Plan to FW dip, possibly do a ruby reef bath, then starting TTM tonight. Anyone have any idea if the tang has a bacterial infection based on pics?

 

[Diesel]

I'm working from my first generation IPhone so hard to tell.
After your FW dip we can say more.
Let's see if Bobby wants to chime in on this.
@Humblefish

 

[Humblefish]

That looks like a bacterial infection starting up: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bacterial-infections.191511/

However, I would FW dip that fish for 5 minutes to see if there is another problem (like flukes): https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/

Some monogeneans can be resistant to praziquantel, and the one downside to using GC is it contains less prazi (2.0mg/L) than Prazipro (2.5mg/L).

 

[av8soulfly]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is TTM?
Hope your PT gets well soon dwest.

 

[Diesel]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is TTM?
Hope your PT gets well soon dwest.

Tank Transfer Method.

 

[dwest]

That looks like a bacterial infection starting up: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bacterial-infections.191511/

However, I would FW dip that fish for 5 minutes to see if there is another problem (like flukes): https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/

Some monogeneans can be resistant to praziquantel, and the one downside to using GC is it contains less prazi (2.0mg/L) than Prazipro (2.5mg/L).

Thanks Humblefish. So tonight I will do FW bath and move the PT to a separate QT and medicate with kanaplex. No other meds. Correct? If I see flukes drop in the bath, then I will need to treat accordingly. If no flukes, would you suggest TTM as Diesel mentioned? I think Diesel is right. I need to get him eating....

 

[dwest]

I hope I'm not double posting here...I did the FW bath tonight. I found many things on the bottom of the container. I have no idea if they are flukes or not. I stuck the things between slides and tried to capture the pics below using my toy microscope. I still have no idea if these are flukes or not because I'm not sure what flukes would look like after being in FW for 10-20 minutes then getting squished between 2 slides. Any comments? Currently, my PT is residing in his own QT tank with only kanaplex as a medicine. Planning to do TTM.

 

[WWIII]

Is he eating? Anything else along with the pellets?

Edit - sorry seen answer above. Do you have any other foods? Maybe some high quality frozen?

 

[dwest]

Is he eating? Anything else along with the pellets?

Edit - sorry seen answer above. Do you have any other foods? Maybe some high quality frozen?

I tried rods food a couple of days ago. He has had no interest in eating anything for about a week. I thought it was due to medication, but not any more. He ate everything the first few days...

 

[WWIII]

I tried rods food a couple of days ago. He has had no interest in eating anything for about a week. I thought it was due to medication, but not any more. He ate everything the first few days...

That sucks man. Well that's about all the help I can offer, but you've got the best in the buisness as far as treating sick fish here in this thread to help you out. Really hopes he turns the corner for you and makes a full recovery. The purple tang is a masterpiece of a saltwater fish imo. Fingers crossed for ya!

 

[dwest]

That sucks man. Well that's about all the help I can offer, but you've got the best in the buisness as far as treating sick fish here in this thread to help you out. Really hopes he turns the corner for you and makes a full recovery. The purple tang is a masterpiece of a saltwater fish imo. Fingers crossed for ya!

Thanks WWIII. BTW I bought my original PT at Sandy’s Pet Shop near you about 20 years ago...I live in northern KY.

 

[Diesel]

Give the PT some rest and add a drop or two garlic to the food to soak in or justvin the water.
Sometimes it trigger them to eat.