Sore on Tomato Clown's Chin

[sbash]

Hi Everybody,

I just got a pair of tomato clowns in (ordered, not local pickup), and the female has a nasty looking sore below her mouth. Normally, my fish provider wouldn't send sick fish, and if they are injured they discount it (torn fin, for example). So I would guess they didn't notice it or it was caused by catching and shipping. Regardless, I have this fish and want it to heal well.

She is still active and seems to be eating. Sorry for the potato-quality images, but they are the best I can take in this QT tank. It is a very very old tank and the glass is messed up (hence being a qt).

I have many medications on hand, furan 2, metroplex, kanaplex and so on. Where should I begin?

 

[Flippers4pups]

#reefsquad.

Looks bacterial to me. Result from an injury most likely.

 

[dbl]

That would have been my guess...possible injury, but I'm not the best at fish issues.

 

[EmdeReef]

Any chance of a better picture? Any other symptoms?

Do you have triple sulfa?

If not, start with furan-2, kana and metroplex and try to get triple sulfa which usually works better for infections around mouth.

 

[sbash]

Any chance of a better picture? Any other symptoms?

Do you have triple sulfa?

If not, start with furan-2, kana and metroplex and try to get triple sulfa which usually works better for infections around mouth.

Great, thanks, can all four be safely used at one time? (I'm thinking dose the whole tank accordingly).

What about the affect on biological filtration? Will a simple API ammonia test still work properly with these meds in the tank?

Unfortunately, unless I take the fish out of the water, I won't get a better picture. I spent close to an hour and those two were the best. No other symptoms so far...

I might have tiple sulfa, if not, I'll pick some up after the long weekend (Canada Day, everything is shut down)...

 

[EmdeReef]

I wouldn’t dose all 4 together.

Furan, kanaplex and metroplex can be dosed together. Check this for more: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-the-trifecta.386582/#post-4690865

For triple sulfa, just follow manufacturer’s recommendation.

 

[4FordFamily]

I wouldn’t dose all 4 together.

Furan, kanaplex and metroplex can be dosed together. Check this for more: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-the-trifecta.386582/#post-4690865

For triple sulfa, just follow manufacturer’s recommendation.

Agreed.

An acriflavine dip wouldn’t hurt, prior to treatment in either. It will give a quick “head start” to fighting off whatever nasty infection bugs you’ve got there!

 

[Big G]

Triple sulfa + Neoplex works real well for these external type of injury/infections.

 

[sbash]

Furan, kanaplex and metroplex can be dosed together. Check this for more: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-the-trifecta.386582/#post-4690865

This is far beyond the manufacturers instructions... Not sure how I feel about that...

 

[sbash]

This is far beyond the manufacturers instructions... Not sure how I feel about that...

After more carefully reading the instructions, this is almost in line with the recommendations by the manufacturer... But still over dosing the medications. Overdosing antibiotics can have harmful effects on the patient.

Furan 2 is daily with a water change every 3 days (essentially) up to a maximum of of 8 doses (i.e. 8 days).

Kanaplex is every two days, to a maximum of three dosings (i.e. 6 days).

Metroplex is every two days to a maximum of three weeks; so this one is the only one that fits in the posted link.

Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the help. Without it, I would probably only be using Furan 2; and knowing I can use all three will increase the odds of this little guy's survival. However, it is very important that we as hobbiests and forum participants understand that most of the information passed around on here is anecdotal, not scientific and some advice can do more harm than good. For example, the poster mentions it 'took a while to find the info', while it is literally on the packaging for the medications.

That said, if she is not showing signs of improvement by the end of the 8 days, the medication is not likely working well enough.

 

[4FordFamily]

I’ve used the three antibiotics concurrently several times with success, for what it’s worth. As had @HotRocks

 

[sbash]

I’ve used the three antibiotics concurrently several times with success, for what it’s worth. As had @HotRocks

Thanks, I hope it works for me. She is looking a bit worse and didn't eat today, but we're just over the 24 hour mark from the first dose; so hopefully we see an improvement soon! I would have loved to do more (i.e. the dip you suggested), but most of the medications suggested aren't available in stores, so I have to wait until tomorrow for things to ship! (holiday weekend)

 

[EmdeReef]

I understand your concerns but rest assured that the use of multiple antibiotics in human and animal medicine is not that uncommon. Also, triple sulfa for example is sold as 1 but is in fact a mix of 3 sulfonamides. In the ideal world we'd know the pathogen and have good research to attack it with specific meds, but that's tough with people let alone fish.

I've used the 3 (furan-kana-metro) and a combo of other antibiotics many times and in general the worst side effect I've observed were environmental - water cloudiness etc. Sometimes fish don't make it but I highly doubt that it was due to an antibiotic overdose, considering the dosages we use, half life, and many other quirks around antibiotic toxicity in saltwater.

I'm on day 12 of treating a very stubborn pop eye induced infection in a clown and I've tried 6 different antibiotics alone and in various combos. The clown is doing ok, but not seeing much progress.

Good luck and hopefully your clown pulls through!