whats wrong with my purple firefish?

[TehBrainz]

Noticed tonight my purple firefish was eating voraciously tonight. Moreso than usual. Under close inspection it's body has some weird look to it.

What do you think this is? Should I be worried for the rest of my inhabitants?

 

[TehBrainz]

 

[TehBrainz]

Looks like a red lesion has appeared on the left side of the body today. Some small spots on the right side too. Still has a great appetite.

Thinking its maybe a small bacterial infection from darting under the rocks and scraping itself perhaps...still not sure though. It's not "flicking" like it usually does though which I'd a little concerning

 

[Sharkbait19]

#fishmedic

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Looks like a red lesion has appeared on the left side of the body today. Some small spots on the right side too. Still has a great appetite.

Thinking its maybe a small bacterial infection from darting under the rocks and scraping itself perhaps...still not sure though. It's not "flicking" like it usually does though which I'd a little concerning

In the video, the firefish is breathing fast/deep. That is a sign of either a water quality issue, or a systemic parasite. Since the corals look good, I'd say a parasite. In the last picture above, its right pectoral fin has some damage. What other fish are in with it? Self-inflicted injury is unlikely, these fish are designed to live in reefs, they aren't likely to injure themselves on rocks. In the first photo, there are three spots that I can't rule out as being ich.

Jay

 

[TehBrainz]

In the video, the firefish is breathing fast/deep. That is a sign of either a water quality issue, or a systemic parasite. Since the corals look good, I'd say a parasite. In the last picture above, its right pectoral fin has some damage. What other fish are in with it? Self-inflicted injury is unlikely, these fish are designed to live in reefs, they aren't likely to injure themselves on rocks. In the first photo, there are three spots that I can't rule out as being ich.

Jay

2 ocelaris clowns
2 lyretail anthias
1 blue damsel
1 lawnmower blenny
1 yellow coris wrasse

210 gallon system

Firefish was the last to go in with the coris wrasse...back in October.

I've been traveling this month so I'm behind a water change and carbon change, but parameters aren't bad. Phos is a little higher than normal as a result, but not by much.

If its aggression, I'm thinking it could be the one lyretail. It actually bullies my clowns some but they hold their own

 

[TehBrainz]

In the video, the firefish is breathing fast/deep. That is a sign of either a water quality issue, or a systemic parasite. Since the corals look good, I'd say a parasite. In the last picture above, its right pectoral fin has some damage. What other fish are in with it? Self-inflicted injury is unlikely, these fish are designed to live in reefs, they aren't likely to injure themselves on rocks. In the first photo, there are three spots that I can't rule out as being ich.

Jay

Ich wouldn't explain the newly formed red lesion though would it? That was a surprise to me when I inspected it today

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Ich wouldn't explain the newly formed red lesion though would it? That was a surprise to me when I inspected it today

No, I'm thinking the red lesion is less of an issue that the rapid breathing. Kind of like a person who has a blister, but also has heart failure....I just don't have a clear diagnosis for you about that though, sorry.

Jay

 

[TehBrainz]

No, I'm thinking the red lesion is less of an issue that the rapid breathing. Kind of like a person who has a blister, but also has heart failure....I just don't have a clear diagnosis for you about that though, sorry.

Jay

Ok that totally makes sense. I snagged some more videos and pictures during the 2nd pellet feeding for today. His fins also look damaged...could he be getting nipped at also?


If it is ich, would that explain the labored breathing?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

If there is some ich, it is minor/early in the infection. That wouldn't cause labored breathing until much later on.

None of the other fish have symptoms?
Do you have a small treatment tank available?

Jay

 

[TehBrainz]

If there is some ich, it is minor/early in the infection. That wouldn't cause labored breathing until much later on.

None of the other fish have symptoms?
Do you have a small treatment tank available?

Jay

Nothing else has any physical or behavioral symptoms at all. All normal, fat, and happy.

I've got an empty 20g Long I could make into a treatment tank. I don't have any supplies to get it up and running tonight though, but I should be able to get it going tomorrow. At minimum Ill need a heater, filter media (I've got marine bio balls in sump), pvc for hiding, powerhead for flow. Anything else? What would you recommend for treatment plan at this stage or just observation?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Nothing else has any physical or behavioral symptoms at all. All normal, fat, and happy.

I've got an empty 20g Long I could make into a treatment tank. I don't have any supplies to get it up and running tonight though, but I should be able to get it going tomorrow. At minimum Ill need a heater, filter media (I've got marine bio balls in sump), pvc for hiding, powerhead for flow. Anything else? What would you recommend for treatment plan at this stage or just observation?

You'll need a lid to keep it from jumping out.

I think you need to treat it - I would start with coppersafe and prazipro.

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looking at pics, there Is a presence of ich

 

[TehBrainz]

You'll need a lid to keep it from jumping out.

I think you need to treat it - I would start with coppersafe and prazipro.

Jay

It ended up being cheaper to buy a 10g "kit" at petco than find a lid, heater, powerhead separately so that's what I did. Picked up coppersafe and prazipro will be delivered tomorrow. Now the trick will be to catch it in this massive tank. Funny though, he's looking a little better today. Still rapid breathing though.

Looking at pics, there Is a presence of ich

So my understanding of ich is that its either been in my tank from earlier fish or came in with him in October and just now pooping up as a result of some stresser. Either way, only treating him won't do anything for the organism in the DT and other inhabitants, correct? If it's ich and remains "minor" and he starts to get better do I reintroduce the stress by chasing him around a 6 foot tank?


taken just a few mins ago.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The ich, if it is there, is secondary to the real issues - the rapid breathing and weird mark on its body.

Here is the thing - it is easy for me to say, "treat the fish in a hospital tank". Catching it is going to be difficult in that size tank. I've seen people literally kill fish trying to catch them. There are all sorts of tricks you can try - when I catch fish out on the reef, I don't swing my net at them - that never works. What I do is stand a net up around a blind corner and then chase the fish into it. Using two nets helps, you *might* have some luck trying at night.

Jay

 

[TehBrainz]

The ich, if it is there, is secondary to the real issues - the rapid breathing and weird mark on its body.

Here is the thing - it is easy for me to say, "treat the fish in a hospital tank". Catching it is going to be difficult in that size tank. I've seen people literally kill fish trying to catch them. There are all sorts of tricks you can try - when I catch fish out on the reef, I don't swing my net at them - that never works. What I do is stand a net up around a blind corner and then chase the fish into it. Using two nets helps, you *might* have some luck trying at night.

Jay

I attempted to catch the fish and he proved to be too fast, even with baiting and waiting until lights were darker. I feared I would stress him too much or the other fish.

He started to look better for a couple days as I was observing him and then yesterday he took a turn for the worse. I found him in the claws of a hermit, he'd been dead for awhile. Monday and and Tuesday the "spots" had disappeared and he actually had started to flick his dorsal fin again, although, his breathing was still rapid.

I'm keeping a close eye on the rest of my fish. I've always wanted a firefish ever since seeing them for the first time, I'll replace him, but not anytime soon.

Thanks for your help.