Bacterial infection on flame hawk or abrosions from perching?

Tonycass12 · Mar 19, 2021

So my flame hawk has had a re occurring issue with what looks like a fuzzy white coating near the lower portions and edges of some of his pectoral fins. We have done a shorter then the full recommended treatment with rally pro (only did one days dose rather then the full 3) and it disappeared over the next 36hrs. It stayed clear for about a month and came back. The hawkfish is not rapid breathing and had a great appetite. This is the first hawkfish we have owned as well and the portions of the fins with the white fuzziness to them are the parts he uses to perch on the rocks so not sure if its just an abrasion issue. The 2 clowns in the tank are completly unaffected.

Temp 77-78
Salinity 1.026
Ph 8.0
Amonia 0
Nitrates 10-20

Jay Hemdal · Mar 19, 2021

Looks like thickened mucus. Think about it though - hawkfish spend their whole lives perched on corals, so having any sort of reaction, or injury from that isn't likely.

Why didn't you go with the 3 days of the rally pro? If it showed improvement, I think you should consider repeating that.

How long have you had the hawkfish? This species is prone to a fluke called Neobenedenia. Are its eyes cloudy at all?

Jay

Tonycass12 · Mar 19, 2021

I apricciate the feedback jay!

ive had it for almost 3 months now, eyes are nice and clear hes got a nice gold ring on them but the blue light takes away from it and my camera can't pick it out. Didn't do the 3 days of the rally pro like I should have I know. First time using it and wasn't expecting the amount of tint it added to the water in the tank and it got me a little worried(probably shouldn't have been concerned since this seams to be one of the least harmful medications I could be using). Then with seeing everything dissappear I figured I may have gotten it with the one day does but lesson learned. Sine its coral and invertebrate safe would I be better off dosing in the tank or removing him into quarantine? Just don't want to remove to medicate and then have the problem resurface once he's back in the display because of something that didn't get eradicated from the display tank.

Jay Hemdal · Mar 19, 2021

I'm a bit leery of rally pro - common wisdom is that an effective dose of formalin and acriflavine (Rally Pro ingredients) are NOT reef safe, so how can Rally Pro be so? By lowering the effective dose. I've also had reports that it isn't completely safe in all reefs.

I do think you can rule out Neobenedenia here. That leaves possible bacterial issue. What about a Rally Pro dip? I don't have the dose, but I think you can find it here. My recollection is that it is a higher dose, given for three hours in an aerated/heated bucket of tank water.

Jay