Vanderbuilt chromis with uronemia?

[adittam]

I’m looking at the raised pinkish dot under his chin, slightly left of midline. Uronema?

2 vanderbuilt chromis came home from LFS today, both went into my 10g QT tank and are already eating very well. The other one looks perfect, but they both came from the same tank at the LFS, and are now together in my QT tank, so if this is uronema, I should proceed with treatment of both of them, right? Thanks for the help!
Matt

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[adittam]

Well, after reading “Red Band Syndrome in Marine Fishes:
Potentially Caused by the Protozoan; Uronema sp.”, it looks like there is no effective treatment for uronemia. Do I need to rush to set up a second QT system so I can separate these two chromis? I have the equipment on hand to do so, but want to find out the recommended coarse of action from the experts before I do so, especially if it’s already too late for these guys since they’ve been together for an extended period already.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I don't see much. But you could try some antibiotics if its not uronema....

God knows I've played this game...

Prolonged uronema?

Hey so i have bought a few chromis, before knowing about uronema. They were all put in quarantine tanks with other fish and i did not pay any special attention to them. The quarantine tanks were treated with copperpower for about 40 days, then prazi, and then metro in water and with food and...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I’m looking at the raised pinkish dot under his chin, slightly left of midline. Uronema?

2 vanderbuilt chromis came home from LFS today, both went into my 10g QT tank and are already eating very well. The other one looks perfect, but they both came from the same tank at the LFS, and are now together in my QT tank, so if this is uronema, I should proceed with treatment of both of them, right? Thanks for the help!
Matt

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

That isn't the classic location for Uronema, but it could be. If so, there really isn't a treatment for it now that chloroquine isn't available. I wonder though - this fish has some torn fins, maybe it has just gotten banged up a bit?

Jay

 

[adittam]

That isn't the classic location for Uronema, but it could be. If so, there really isn't a treatment for it now that chloroquine isn't available. I wonder though - this fish has some torn fins, maybe it has just gotten banged up a bit?

Jay

Thanks, Jay.

So, I’m thinking that I’ll do a course of Metroplex first, to combat any possible infection this guy might have, then move onto copper power after that is complete. Is that how you would proceed with these chromis?

Matt

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks, Jay.

So, I’m thinking that I’ll do a course of Metroplex first, to combat any possible infection this guy might have, then move onto copper power after that is complete. Is that how you would proceed with these chromis?

Matt

I’d skip the metroplex, it just isn’t really effective for treating external protozoans, and those are the issue your fish will likely see first. Metronidazole has some limited affect on anaerobic bacteria, but by virtue of these being external, they are aerobic.
Jay

 

[adittam]

I’d skip the metroplex, it just isn’t really effective for treating external protozoans, and those are the issue your fish will likely see first. Metronidazole has some limited affect on anaerobic bacteria, but by virtue of these being external, they are aerobic.
Jay

Is there a better antibiotic option then?

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

try some broad spectrum... see the thread i had going and humblefish website

 

[adittam]

It looks a lot better after one day of doing nothing. Obviously a good sign, and maybe it was just damage from from rough handling, as @Jay Hemdal mentioned...

 

[adittam]

Revising my plan and will be starting 30 days of copper treatment as soon as I pick up a couple PVC elbows this afternoon to throw in the QT tank instead of the clay pots. If anyone would recommend a different plan, let me know please!

 

[adittam]

Updated pics on 6/6. The pink mark under its chin is completely healed, and its fin damage is in the process of healing as well. However, it has a new reddish-pink mark on the left side of its body, just posterior to its gill. Fish is eating well and active. We are currently on Day 4 of treatment with Copper Power at 2.5 ppm in 10g QT tank. Ammonia alert badge shows <0.02, air stone in tank, T=78*, filtration is HOB aquaclear 70 filter with mechanical filtration only.

 

[vtecintegra]

Photo from another thread discussing uronema. Looks like it to me.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

If urenoma, the fish would probably be dead by now is my understanding as it kills quickly... make sure water quailty is good. I think that antibiotics may be a better bet and clear that up before stressing fish with copper, unless u see ich or velvet, etc.

Verify the above, as its just my initial thought and i am not an expert...

 

[adittam]

@Jay Hemdal can I/should I treat with anything else right now in addition to the copper power?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Is it by itself? If so, that isn’t an injury then. I would continue the copper, adding an antibiotic would be an option
Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

While you await answer from Jay, one of the best treatmentt is a formalin bath (Quick Cure), in a sterile QT. Once in QT, repeat treatment to ensure all of the parasites have been rid of. This can be done also by dosing and soaking food metronidazole ( Seachem Metroplex) for 10 days. There is no fallow period for Uronema, so once a tank has Uronema, it must be assumed that the disease will survive .

 

[adittam]

Is it by itself? If so, that isn’t an injury then. I would continue the copper, adding an antibiotic would be an option
Jay

It’s in the 10g QT tank with one other vanderbuilt chromis. The one in question is the slightly larger and more aggressive of the 2. The smaller one has never shown any signs/symptoms of disease or injury.

 

[adittam]

While you await answer from Jay, one of the best treatmentt is a formalin bath (Quick Cure), in a sterile QT. Once in QT, repeat treatment to ensure all of the parasites have been rid of. This can be done also by dosing and soaking food metronidazole ( Seachem Metroplex) for 10 days. There is no fallow period for Uronema, so once a tank has Uronema, it must be assumed that the disease will survive .

I have another sterile 10g tank I could set up for QT; should I do so now? I will if it will help the fish, but I don’t want to contaminate a whole duplicate system if I can help it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have another sterile 10g tank I could set up for QT; should I do so now? I will if it will help the fish, but I don’t want to contaminate a whole duplicate system if I can help it.

Follow recommendation from Jay and use this as option B

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have another sterile 10g tank I could set up for QT; should I do so now? I will if it will help the fish, but I don’t want to contaminate a whole duplicate system if I can help it.

At this point, if the lesion is growing, I would treat with copper and an antibiotic. If it isn't growing, I'd stick with just the copper.

Uronema grows intercellularly, so there really is no effective treatment once it gets going. While it is pretty common in new chromis, it also is ubiquitous, it can be isolated from many aquariums. It normally just feeds on bacteria. For some reason, it becomes an internal parasite to new chromis, wrasses and anthias. It isn't anything you need to tear a tank down about, just avoid the problem species for some time.

In terms of antibiotics - you want to use a broad spectrum, gram negative one, like Neoplex or Furan-2.

Jay