Third issue with Lyretail Anthia.

[haleyf1024]

My lyretail has already gone through treatment for ich (hypo), fin rot (Furan 2), and uronema (Metro). He now looks like scales/skin is falling off, and he is not eating much at all, which is why he looks emaciated in the pics. Any ideas? The last treatment he got was the final round of Furan 2 about 5 days ago. Ignore the yellow color of the water, that is from the antibiotics and being taken care of. He is the only fish in the QT.

 

[Humblefish]

Looks like Brooklynella to me. Brook is sometimes misdiagnosed as Uronema. See more info below.

Brooklynella:

Symptoms – This is most often seen in clownfish, but it can afflict any fish. The fish’s skin will appear to be peeling or sloughing off, oftentimes causing excessive white mucous to form around the affected area(s).

Treatment options - Formalin bath, followed by additional formalin baths (as needed - but give the fish a day to recuperate in-between baths). You can use formalin in a QT (at a much lower concentration than the bath), but great care must be taken to provide plenty of gas exchange as formalin will quickly deplete the water of oxygen. For this reason, doing baths is the safer option as the fish can be pulled from the formalin if showing signs of distress. Formalin-MS is preferred, as that contains 37% formaldehyde. However, in a bind, any medication containing formalin (ex. Quick Cure) is better than nothing. Alternative treatments for brook include metronidazole (ex.Seachem MetroPlex) and acriflavine (ex. Acriflavine-MS). A freshwater dip may provide temporary relief if you are unable to locate any of the aforementioned medications right away.

 

[Humblefish]

This website contains pictures & descriptions of both brook & uronema: Marine Fish Diseases and Parasites

 

[haleyf1024]

That mentions metro as a treatment, which he already got. So the Metro didn't work?

 

[Humblefish]

That mentions metro as a treatment, which he already got. So the Metro didn't work?

Metro and acriflavine are mentioned in the literature as alternative treatments for brook, so that's why I included them. However, I personally only have hands on experience using formalin to treat brook. So, I know that works.

 

[Humblefish]

If you choose to do the bath, the fish must be transferred into a "fresh" QT (with all new water/no equipment re-used from the previous QT) following the bath. Just like doing tank transfer method. The reason being is the fish will just keep getting reinfected if placed right back into the original QT he came from.

Formalin: Treats Brooklynella and provides temporary relief for Marine Velvet disease (Amyloodinium). Also may be used as temporary relief, or even as an alternative treatment, for worms such as flukes and black ich.

How To Treat - Formalin is very interesting because its potential is not fully known. It is best administered in a bath solution for 30-45 minutes, following the dosage instructions on whatever bottle you use; or at 150 ppm if using "100% formalin" (ex. Formalin-MS). The bath should be done in a large glass bowl or container, and temperature should match the tank the fish is coming from. A bucket is not advised as plastic may absorb some of the medication and then leach it back out during future use. It is imperative that you heavily aerate the bath solution for at least 30 minutes before and also during treatment to compensate for oxygen depletion. The fish should be placed in a premixed bath solution. DO NOT add more formalin after the fish is already in the bath.

For Brooklynella, multiple baths may be required (so long as symptoms persist), but it’s important to give the fish a day to recuperate in-between baths. Formalin has also been used as alternative treatment for external worms such as flukes and black ich. However, at least 2 baths are required (7 days apart) for the same reason described when using Prazipro. For all of the above, post treatment, the fish should not be returned to the same tank/water he came from to prevent reinfection.

You can dose formalin directly in a quarantine tank, but this can be risky due to the harshness of formalin and how quickly it can deplete the water of oxygen. Providing additional gas exchange to the QT is a must! A fish being treated must be monitored closely and should be removed if showing signs of distress - this applies when treating in QT or in the bath solution.

Pros - Treats or provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases. In some cases, formalin can “buy you more time” until a proper treatment can be done.

Cons/Side Effects - Formalin contains formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Therefore, precautions must be taken when using it. Preventing your skin from coming in contact with it by wearing water proof gloves and not breathing in any fumes by wearing a face mask is highly recommended. Formalin also can be harsh on the fish and will quickly deplete oxygen from the water. In some areas, the purchase of formalin is prohibited.

 

[haleyf1024]

Went to the LFS, they said the company that made Formalin and Quick Cure went bankrupt. I found some in eBay, but they wouldn't be delivered until May 2nd. What now? I refuse to sit back and watch this fish suffer and die, but can't get my hands on Formalin. Any ideas? Would copper work at all? PraziPro?

 

[Humblefish]

Went to the LFS, they said the company that made Formalin and Quick Cure went bankrupt. I found some in eBay, but they wouldn't be delivered until May 2nd. What now? I refuse to sit back and watch this fish suffer and die, but can't get my hands on Formalin. Any ideas? Would copper work at all? PraziPro?

Quick Cure isn't the only product which contains formalin/formaldehyde in sufficient quantity to eradicate brook. Two which may possibly be found at Petco/smart are: Aquarium Solutions Ich-X, Kordon Rid-Ich Plus.

However, the gold standard in formalin for treating brook is this product: Formalin-MS Fish Treatment, External Parasite Ich Fish Medications for Sale Online | PetSolutions

Also very useful to have around in case you ever encounter a fish with marine velvet disease.

 

[haleyf1024]

My LFS didn't have anything with any formaldehyde in it. I am going to call up the other LFS tomorrow, but they are smaller than the one I went to tonight. If he has already had it for a few days, how long will he make it?

 

[Humblefish]

My LFS didn't have anything with any formaldehyde in it. I am going to call up the other LFS tomorrow, but they are smaller than the one I went to tonight. If he has already had it for a few days, how long will he make it?

Brook is tricky. Sometimes it kills in 48-72 hrs; sometimes it takes a lot longer. He probably also has a secondary bacterial infection developing, as that is common in fish with bad parasitic infestations. If you have any Furan-2 left, I would treat with that so you can at least deal with that issue. And continue to treat with metro (you can safely mix it with Furan-2). Perhaps metro does treat brook but you just didn't use it long enough. What do you have to lose?

 

[haleyf1024]

I'm out of both meds. He had the 3 wk treatment with metro that it says to do, and the full course of furan 2 for the bacterial. He has started to eat more, and hasn't taken a turn for the worst yet.