Wounded Coral Beauty Angelfish?

[Dutch_Mill]

Hello Everyone,
Today after feeding my fish I noticed this wound/skin affliction on my juvenile Coral Beauty Angelfish (2").

It's the largest fish in my reef so I am a bit puzzled wether this could be a bite from a reef mate or a sudden disease? And whichever it is, what would be the treatment? Leave it alone? Or capture it and try to QT with antibiotics?

Fellow tank mates that could maybe inflict damage would be (all these following fish are between 1" and 2" or smaller);

Tailspot Blenny
Clowns fish
Benggai Cardinalfish
Royal Gramma (<1")

Emerald Crab (<1")

Rest are tankmates that could not damage another fish even if they tried such as Neon Gobies, Bluestripe Pygmygobies and other small Goby species (although my Yasha has a Pistol Shrimp).

Tank is next to my desk and I've probably been spending at least 3 hours up near my tank frequently watching my fish. After the last feeding was the first time I noticed the wound even though the fish generally is swimming in the open.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Mill

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

That does look like too large of a wound to have been caused by any of the fish you listed. The fast development does indicate some type of injury though. Did the fish feed for you o.k.?

This isn't a sign of any specific disease, but could be a bacterial infection. If it grows larger, or if the fish stops eating, you would need to move it to a treatment tank and dose it with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic.

Jay

 

[Dutch_Mill]

Thank you for your quick reply.

Fish seemed to behave as always and as far as I can recall did join in on the feeding during the last feeding before lights off. I'll pay extra attention to it's appetite in the morning.

Antibiotics are hard to come by here as all sale is restricted without prescription (including for veterinary use). Might be able to get my hands on Metronidazole or Ciprofloxacin though through. Which of the two would be the preferred go to if the condition worsens?

And thank you for the welcome!

Kind regards,

Mill

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you for your quick reply.

Fish seemed to behave as always and as far as I can recall did join in on the feeding during the last feeding before lights off. I'll pay extra attention to it's appetite in the morning.

Antibiotics are hard to come by here as all sale is restricted without prescription (including for veterinary use). Might be able to get my hands on Metronidazole or Ciprofloxacin though through. Which of the two would be the preferred go to if the condition worsens?

And thank you for the welcome!

Kind regards,

Mill

Metro is really only good for treating a few anaerobic bacteria - since this lesion is bathed in oxygenated water, it won't be those. Cipro is used by a lot of people, I use enrofloxacin, but as I understand it, that is metabolized to cipro inside the fish.

Jay

 

[Dutch_Mill]

Wound looks exactly the same as last night before lights went off (over 12 hours ago). Appetite is still top of the reef only challenged by the two Clownsfish and the larger Cardinalfish.

My guess for now is that something startled him yesterday making him bump against a sharp piece of rock. I'll have Cipro ready by tonight but won't use unless the wound worsens or he stops eating.

Thanks for the advice and help @Jay Hemdal !

(ps: There is a very strong UV filter on the tank so I hope/assume the chance of bacterial infection will be minimized).

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Wound looks exactly the same as last night before lights went off (over 12 hours ago). Appetite is still top of the reef only challenged by the two Clownsfish and the larger Cardinalfish.

My guess for now is that something startled him yesterday making him bump against a sharp piece of rock. I'll have Cipro ready by tonight but won't use unless the wound worsens or he stops eating.

Thanks for the advice and help @Jay Hemdal !

(ps: There is a very strong UV filter on the tank so I hope/assume the chance of bacterial infection will be minimized).

Good luck!
Bear in mind that the UV will have zero effect on an active skin infection as none of those bacteria would get exposed to the light since they never leave the fish.
Jay