Whitish Bumps on Fairy Wrasse

tdyrkacz · Dec 5, 2015

Need some help with diagnosis and treatment options.

About 2 weeks ago i received a fairy wrasse from live aquaria. It has been in the QT tank for a copper bath ever since. It seemed pretty active except for the times when it looked like it was resting on the bottom of the tank in one of the PVC pipes i left in there.

About 4 days ago i noticed a bump (potrusion) on the right side towards the back of the fish. Then 2 days later it seemed to no longer eat.... when i put the food in the tank it seems to go looking for it, but it seems like it can't find it and the few times it does it spits it out... today i noticed a new bump on it's head.

I have Furan 2 and would like to know if I should start a treatment. Thanks in advance.

4FordFamily · Dec 5, 2015

We are going to need some photos. Are the bumps like ich? Are they small growths like lymph?

melypr1985 · Dec 6, 2015

Yes.. Pictures are needed please

Humblefish · Dec 6, 2015

^^ Agree with above. Pictures of the protrusion are needed for an accurate diagnosis.

tdyrkacz · Dec 6, 2015

Not too easy to take a pic. This is the best I could do so far. I will try again if it's not enough.

tdyrkacz · Dec 6, 2015

It looks like some sort of slime coming off of the one on the head.

tdyrkacz · Dec 6, 2015

The one on the body which you can see in the reflection appeared first.

Humblefish · Dec 6, 2015

I don't think that's Lymphocystis. I would treat for a bacterial infection; you can dose Furan-2 with copper. You can also add Seachem Kanaplex and Metroplex to this to widen the spectrum of treatment.

melypr1985 · Dec 6, 2015

There's something bacterial going around this weekend it seems. Poor guy. Listen to humble..... great advice as usual.

tdyrkacz · Dec 6, 2015

Thanks. I started Furan 2 last night... but it isn't looking good. today it spent the day laying on the bottom of the tank... i will be surprised if the fish makes it. I think i started treatment too late.

melypr1985 · Dec 6, 2015

tdyrkacz said:
Thanks. I started Furan 2 last night... but it isn't looking good. today it spent the day laying on the bottom of the tank... i will be surprised if the fish makes it. I think i started treatment too late.

Antibiotics are very slow to act. It may be a bit before you see any real improvement. Hopefully it survives long enough for them to take effect. If it's still eating you can try vitamins in his food to help give him that little boost.

Humblefish · Dec 6, 2015

Two things that might be working against you:

Antibiotics are very slow acting in fish. You usually have to begin treatment early on. IMO; Kanaplex is probably the most fast acting, because kanamycin is readily absorbed by the fish's skin.
Gram negative bacterial infections are very aggressive and a death sentence in most cases; even with antibiotic treatment. You have to hope it is a gram positive infection instead, as those can sometimes be fought off naturally by a fish's immune system and antibiotics are just needed to give a helping hand. Some can even be beaten without any antibiotics intervention at all. It has a lot to do with the strain of bacterium you are dealing with and the overall health of the fish.

tdyrkacz · Dec 6, 2015

Do you think it was stress from shipping etc.. which brought out the infection? Should I use antibiotics on every fish i quarantine as a precaution? ... also how to I disinfect my QT after this is a vinegar scrub enough?

Humblefish · Dec 6, 2015

tdyrkacz said:
Do you think it was stress from shipping etc.. which brought out the infection? Should I use antibiotics on every fish i quarantine as a precaution? ... also how to I disinfect my QT after this is a vinegar scrub enough?

Harmful bacterium is almost always present in the water. Most are easily dealt with by a healthy fish's natural immune system. But if a fish gets sicks (because say, it is already battling ich) or if it happens to be a particularly dangerous strain of bacteria, then it can become a problem. Prophylactic use of antibiotics is not usually required but it's also not a bad idea. My old boss used to prophylactically dose (just once) erythromycin & minocycline (or sometimes tetracycline) all new wild caught fish, and I honestly can't remember once ever having to treat his fish for a bacterial infection. So maybe it was a good practice.

A vinegar scrub plus 3 days drying time will sterilize your QT. Or using bleach will do it instantly, but you then need to rise thoroughly.