Trigger Coloring

[Reefer5640]

So I’ve had this pink tail for almost two weeks and he is at the end of the TTM. After the first transfer he got these tan patches all over kind of like camo. At first I thought it was ich or velvet but he’s doing great. I would have thought if it were velvet or something else the others would have started to show some signs of something by now but everyone is looking better than they ever have. His coloring is not great and his tail isn’t really pink anymore. I was wondering if he’s just stressing from the TTM and not being able to establish a home maybe he’ll color up and the patches would go away once he’s in the display? I’ve gone to great measures to QT all my fish and ran my DT fallow for 3 months and I really don’t want to chance it (he’s with the last batch of fish to QT before I start adding fish to the DT. Almost 6 months total of QTing fish and coral) He’s had a fresh water dip and no sign of flukes. I’m feeding him metro and focus because some of the tank mates had white poop. He will go through another two weeks of prazipro and observation before he gets added to the holding tank. Sorry for the long post, any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[drstardust]

Huh, this is intriguing. I have not seen this before. It does not look like any classic infectious fish disease I have seen. I suppose it could be a bacterial infection, but this is really widespread which would be strange. I would expect him to be doing worse (if alive at all) if that were the case. I suppose it's possible that this is a stress reaction or a reaction to medication.
Curious what others have to say @4FordFamily @HotRocks @Big G

 

[HotRocks]

I would treat this with Metroplex + Kanaplex + Furan-2 for 10-14 days in QT.

I'm not completely sure what it is. It could be bacterial, it could also be brooklynella. This treatment would have you covered either way.

Also we used to suggest gapping the dosing of these 3 meds. Recently learned that Furan-2 and Kanaplex should be dosed together for maximum effectiveness, then you can dose Metroplex either 30 minutes before or after the combo.

 

[4FordFamily]

I would treat this with Metroplex + Kanaplex + Furan-2 for 10-14 days in QT.

I'm not completely sure what it is. It could be bacterial, it could also be brooklynella. This treatment would have you covered either way.

Also we used to suggest gapping the dosing of these 3 meds. Recently learned that Furan-2 and Kanaplex should be dosed together for maximum effectiveness, then you can dose Metroplex either 30 minutes before or after the combo.

Agree entirely. I suspect velvet or severe ich was present previously and the insertion points are infected.

 

[drstardust]

That sounds like a reasonable plan. I certainly support "when in doubt, broad spectrum treatment."

 

[azbigjohn]

I am glad to hear that he is eating and doing very well, despite the unusual color pattern. I certainly defer to all of the experts here on any treatment. When you said this started after the first transfer, my first thought was the color changes we often see in a fish that is feeling stressed out, but, in this day and age, it is always better to be safe than sorry, and treat it as a disease...

 

[Big G]

I've seen them discolor when being harassed a bit by a cleaner wrasse that just would not stop cleaning the Trigger.

 

[Reefer5640]

I would treat this with Metroplex + Kanaplex + Furan-2 for 10-14 days in QT.

I'm not completely sure what it is. It could be bacterial, it could also be brooklynella. This treatment would have you covered either way.

Also we used to suggest gapping the dosing of these 3 meds. Recently learned that Furan-2 and Kanaplex should be dosed together for maximum effectiveness, then you can dose Metroplex either 30 minutes before or after the combo.

Thank you guys for your responses, I’m a fan of prophylactic treatments. I have all those antibiotics on hand already so I should be able to get right after it. If it were brook wouldn’t the other fish in QT with the trigger be showing similar signs though?

Agree entirely. I suspect velvet or severe ich was present previously and the insertion points are infected.

Thank you for your time. He did have ich at the beginning of the TTM so that could definitely be a possibility. I should mention though that they do get lighter and darker throughout the day. Not sure if that changes anyone’s theories... Also two other things I thought to mention was his diet, he’s always eating the nori for the tangs and being a carnivore I wasn’t sure if that could cause discoloring? The other thought was ammonia exposure. Ammonia has been a battle during TTM. I test for ammonia and run a seneye as well and do at least a 50% water change every day in between the transfers. In the beginning of this batch of fish/TTM we had a death in the family and the ammonia got pretty high somif it was that it would have been then which is right around when I noticed the change as well (could have just been a contributing factor to allow the ich an easier target). I will plan on following the treatment you’ve all suggested. Can I dose prazi at the same time as those other three or is that too much? I normally treat with prazi after the TTM is complete while observing for ich.

 

[4FordFamily]

Thank you guys for your responses, I’m a fan of prophylactic treatments. I have all those antibiotics on hand already so I should be able to get right after it. If it were brook wouldn’t the other fish in QT with the trigger be showing similar signs though?


Thank you for your time. He did have ich at the beginning of the TTM so that could definitely be a possibility. I should mention though that they do get lighter and darker throughout the day. Not sure if that changes anyone’s theories... Also two other things I thought to mention was his diet, he’s always eating the nori for the tangs and being a carnivore I wasn’t sure if that could cause discoloring? The other thought was ammonia exposure. Ammonia has been a battle during TTM. I test for ammonia and run a seneye as well and do at least a 50% water change every day in between the transfers. In the beginning of this batch of fish/TTM we had a death in the family and the ammonia got pretty high somif it was that it would have been then which is right around when I noticed the change as well (could have just been a contributing factor to allow the ich an easier target). I will plan on following the treatment you’ve all suggested. Can I dose prazi at the same time as those other three or is that too much? I normally treat with prazi after the TTM is complete while observing for ich.

I wouldn't add prazi initially. You can do a prazi bath after the last transfer. It won't clear them all up but it'll knock it down (if it applies) and in the other meds flukes wont be able to "take over". Then, at the conclusion of the other treatments, do the prazi treatments in QT 5-6 days apart.

I utilize prazi baths for suspected flukes when I don't want to dose due to other meds being in the QT water. More meds at a time = more risk. Oxygen depletion, and a risk of bacterial blooms pose high risks the more meds you add.

 

[Reefer5640]

I wouldn't add prazi initially. You can do a prazi bath after the last transfer. It won't clear them all up but it'll knock it down (if it applies) and in the other meds flukes wont be able to "take over". Then, at the conclusion of the other treatments, do the prazi treatments in QT 5-6 days apart.

I utilize prazi baths for suspected flukes when I don't want to dose due to other meds being in the QT water. More meds at a time = more risk. Oxygen depletion, and a risk of bacterial blooms pose high risks the more meds you add.

Okay great! Yeah it seemed like a lot of meds to be happening all at once... are you saying give it a 5-6 day break without any meds after the antibiotics or do a 5-6 day treatment after the antibiotics?

 

[4FordFamily]

Okay great! Yeah it seemed like a lot of meds to be happening all at once... are you saying give it a 5-6 day break without any meds after the antibiotics or do a 5-6 day treatment after the antibiotics?

For the Prazi, after copper and all— dose Prazi pro 5-7 days apart to kill the “eggs”.

 

[Reefer5640]

Got it thanks again

 

[Reefer5640]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all the advice. The trigger’s coloring is coming back, the white patches are gone, and he is in the display tank. I didn’t notice an improvement after antibiotics. The Prazipro is what seemed to help. Could be the antibiotics gave him time to fight it off and the timing of Prazi was just a coincidence or a combination of both I’m not certain. But he showed no sign of improvement until the end of the first dose of Prazi. After the end of the second dose he was pretty much spot/patch free. I left him in the holding tank after Prazi was complete and his abdomen got super swollen and he couldn’t swim or eat. I thought he was a goner. I added some epsom salt hoping it was constipation and within a couple hours he started to release a ton of gas and poop. The next day he was swimming around and eating again. I’ve made sure to ad some source of fiber to his diet along with everyone else. I’m curious to hear your thoughts as to what it could have been and which treatments helped. Thanks again to everyone. (The white specks are debris floating in the water not ich)

 

[drstardust]

Glad to hear it!