Blenny - what attacked him / is wrong with his side!?

[Polymate3D]

Picture says it all really. Was absolutely fine yesterday and I have had him in my EVO for about 8 months now.

Today I just happen to look at the tank in passing and see him out and not in his rock hole he likes. Have moved him to my QT tank. Everyone else is absolutely fine. Aquarium numbers seem good except low PH (CO2 in house. Aware and working on it).

So has anyone else seen this kind of injury and if so, what caused it. 1st thought was heater but it's barely come on.

- Paul

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

A circular / oval lesion like that indicates a bacterial infection. These can start from a smaller injury, one that you may not have noticed.
Treatment is difficult when such a large area of skin is involved because the fish will have difficulty maintaining proper osmotic balance.
You would need to treat this with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic, in a treatment tank. You should lower the specific gravity of the treatment tank water to 1.020 to help with the osmotic issue.

Picture says it all really. Was absolutely fine yesterday and I have had him in my EVO for about 8 months now.

Today I just happen to look at the tank in passing and see him out and not in his rock hole he likes. Have moved him to my QT tank. Everyone else is absolutely fine. Aquarium numbers seem good except low PH (CO2 in house. Aware and working on it).

So has anyone else seen this kind of injury and if so, what caused it. 1st thought was heater but it's barely come on.

- Paul

 

[Polymate3D]

A circular / oval lesion like that indicates a bacterial infection. These can start from a smaller injury, one that you may not have noticed.
Treatment is difficult when such a large area of skin is involved because the fish will have difficulty maintaining proper osmotic balance.
You would need to treat this with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic, in a treatment tank. You should lower the specific gravity of the treatment tank water to 1.020 to help with the osmotic issue.

Thanks for the reply and insight Jay. Really appreciate it. He is 90% of the time in his hole in my main rockwork, so I only see his little head poking out. Was odd seeing him out like that in the day.

There in a QT tank on there own. Specific Gravity is currently 1.023 so will gradually drop with a drip line.

I have some praziquantel in the house now, and can't make it to a store tonight for anything else. Do you think this would have any benefit to the little guy? He isn't currently acting stressed out but is on the floor flicking his back tail gently and rhythmically and breathing fairly normal. Not fast paced currently.

- Paul

 

[Polymate3D]

Update - He passed today at 7:30PM. Discovered him at 1PM so very quick. He was breathing fairly normally until within the last 30 minutes and then he went from keeping himself in one place, to just letting the flow knock him about.

Thanks again for your help. Caught him too late as you mentioned. Just updating in case someone sees this for there own fish in the future.

- Paul