Anthias red mark

[Luisn17]

Hello,

I need help in diagnosing what could be going on here. I have 5 female Anthias, 1 male, a diamond goby, and a blue star leopard in QT. I have dosed seachem metroplex doses every other day since I received them(12/10) about 7-8 doses have been given at this point, per recommendation to the water volume. Petco broke up my order which is why I dosed this amount. I have dosed in the water column with some dosages in the food (Metro and focus mix). I also took 5 days to ramp up copper due to the leopard.

Right now I have them in copper power at 2.2, eating aggressively, everyone looks fine. I have about 6 days of copper to go. Then they will go into general cure in a new tank in case they have flukes.

I did notice a red mark in one of the female Anthias today. She arrived clean and has been fine, could this be trauma or uronema some how survived all the metro?

Sharing a YouTube video of her:

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hello,

I need help in diagnosing what could be going on here. I have 5 female Anthias, 1 male, a diamond goby, and a blue star leopard in QT. I have dosed seachem metroplex doses every other day since I received them(12/10) about 7-8 doses have been given at this point, per recommendation to the water volume. Petco broke up my order which is why I dosed this amount. I have dosed in the water column with some dosages in the food (Metro and focus mix). I also took 5 days to ramp up copper due to the leopard.

Right now I have them in copper power at 2.2, eating aggressively, everyone looks fine. I have about 6 days of copper to go. Then they will go into general cure in a new tank in case they have flukes.

I did notice a red mark in one of the female Anthias today. She arrived clean and has been fine, could this be trauma or uronema some how survived all the metro?

Sharing a YouTube video of her:

That's internal Uronema. Despite what you may read, it isn't curable. It also isn't contagious (but other anthias in the same group may be harboring it). Metronidazole in the water may kill any external Uronema, but chloroquine is better.

Here is an article I wrote on this issue:

Uronema / Red Band Disease - Hemdal

Red Band Syndrome in Marine Fishes: Caused by the Protozoan; Uronema sp. Jay Hemdal Introduction: This moderately common disease of certain species of marine fish is so often misdiagnosed that most aquarists apply incorrect treatment methods...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Luisn17]

That's internal Uronema. Despite what you may read, it isn't curable. It also isn't contagious (but other anthias in the same group may be harboring it). Metronidazole in the water may kill any external Uronema, but chloroquine is better.

Here is an article I wrote on this issue:

Uronema / Red Band Disease - Hemdal

Red Band Syndrome in Marine Fishes: Caused by the Protozoan; Uronema sp. Jay Hemdal Introduction: This moderately common disease of certain species of marine fish is so often misdiagnosed that most aquarists apply incorrect treatment methods...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you.

Disappointing. I was so happy since this group has been doing great. This is my 3rd attempt and everything was perfect so far. I guess the metro was only able to buy some time but not win the war.

Do you suggest I feed metro on all their feedings or continue adding it to the water or both? I won’t be able to get chloroquine quickly like I do metro.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thank you.

Disappointing. I was so happy since this group has been doing great. This is my 3rd attempt and everything was perfect so far. I guess the metro was only able to buy some time but not win the war.

Do you suggest I feed metro on all their feedings or continue adding it to the water or both? I won’t be able to get chloroquine quickly like I do metro.

Don’t feed metro unless you get the dose right - too little and it won’t help and too much is bitter and the fish won’t eat it.
The proper dose is 1% metro by weight bound in the food….but it won’t cure internal Uronema once the skin lesions are seen.

 

[Luisn17]

Don’t feed metro unless you get the dose right - too little and it won’t help and too much is bitter and the fish won’t eat it.
The proper dose is 1% metro by weight bound in the food….but it won’t cure internal Uronema once the skin lesions are seen.

Jay,

Sorry to bother again. The Anthias looks better, the redness looks less red today. Also the swelling I was seeing in the side of the body is less. Breathing is normal, swimming behavior is normal with the exception at feeding time, she goes away to the stop of the tank to avoid the chaos. She did dart today towards the food when I dropped the first pieces.

Confused if the metro in the water is holding or curing the uronema or this was just an injury? In my novice experience, once I see red the fish dies shortly after. No other fish is showing any symptom, all eating fine.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Jay,

Sorry to bother again. The Anthias looks better, the redness looks less red today. Also the swelling I was seeing in the side of the body is less. Breathing is normal, swimming behavior is normal with the exception at feeding time, she goes away to the stop of the tank to avoid the chaos. She did dart today towards the food when I dropped the first pieces.

Confused if the metro in the water is holding or curing the uronema or this was just an injury? In my novice experience, once I see red the fish dies shortly after. No other fish is showing any symptom, all eating fine.

Tough to say - I've never had metro work against uronema, but maybe? Where are you in the dosing of that?

 

[Luisn17]

Tough to say - I've never had metro work against uronema, but maybe? Where are you in the dosing of that?

I should have finished the metro treatment portion already but have continued because this came up. They have been in metro for 20 days. I complete QT, copper power, this weekend. They will be moved to a new tank.

Today, breathing is normal, swims around normal, not sure if it eats or not. I won’t attack the food like the rest but it hangs around at the same spot during feeding. I noticed the food they don’t eat right away goes into her direction. She could be eating smaller pieces that I just can’t see.

Just confused on what I should do next. They will be added to general cure because I read is safer for wrasses than prazi pro. I have kanaplex.

I took a new video today:

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I should have finished the metro treatment portion already but have continued because this came up. They have been in metro for 20 days. I complete QT, copper power, this weekend. They will be moved to a new tank.

Today, breathing is normal, swims around normal, not sure if it eats or not. I won’t attack the food like the rest but it hangs around at the same spot during feeding. I noticed the food they don’t eat right away goes into her direction. She could be eating smaller pieces that I just can’t see.

Just confused on what I should do next. They will be added to general cure because I read is safer for wrasses than prazi pro. I have kanaplex.

I took a new video today:

That sure does look like Uronema to me, but I can't say why the fish is still alive at this point. Maybe the metro is helping, but I've not had that help in the past for me....

General Cure is a mix of Metronidazole and Praziquantel. The latter is effective against flukes (but I don't see that issue here) and the metro of course, is going to duplicate the Metroplex that you are already dosing it with.

 

[Luisn17]

That sure does look like Uronema to me, but I can't say why the fish is still alive at this point. Maybe the metro is helping, but I've not had that help in the past for me....

General Cure is a mix of Metronidazole and Praziquantel. The latter is effective against flukes (but I don't see that issue here) and the metro of course, is going to duplicate the Metroplex that you are already dosing it with.

Additional update, still confused

Fish is still alive, swims normal, breathing is normal, but still not eating. The mark is still there but it has not grown or looked like my prior positive uronema cases. I moved her to a spare 3 gallon tank with fresh saltwater, appropriate amount of metro, kanaplex, and I also added tropic Marin pro-tect. Supposed to help with stress and healing.

When I took her out of the QT to my surprise the area looks pink and not red. The area is missing all the scales as expected, I think this is normal? Plan to keep her in this tank for 2-3 days, hopefully I see some improvement and she starts eating soon. Can this be healing uronema or a lesion?

I took a much better video.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Additional update, still confused

Fish is still alive, swims normal, breathing is normal, but still not eating. The mark is still there but it has not grown or looked like my prior positive uronema cases. I moved her to a spare 3 gallon tank with fresh saltwater, appropriate amount of metro, kanaplex, and I also added tropic Marin pro-tect. Supposed to help with stress and healing.

When I took her out of the QT to my surprise the area looks pink and not red. The area is missing all the scales as expected, I think this is normal? Plan to keep her in this tank for 2-3 days, hopefully I see some improvement and she starts eating soon. Can this be healing uronema or a lesion?

I took a much better video.

That still looks very much like Uronema, maybe it just is a wound that looks like it, but after seeing hundreds of cases that "looked like wounds, but ended up being uronema", I don't know what to tell you. The not eating is something that a minor wound wouldn't cause, but Uronema would. Maybe the metro slowed down the infection?