Blonde Naso skin discolored

[jbaur]

Hello. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for taking the time to read this....

I have a blonde naso that I purchased yesterday. I kind of went against logic with this one as he had some noticable discoloration to some small areas, wasn't eating and is a bit thin. I got him at a good price and I thought I gave him the best chance to survive, so I picked him up.

He was in 1.020 and I acclimated him over 1.5hrs to 1.025 (less than ideal, I know, but I couldn't change the sg in the qt tank as it already had another fish in it).

After acclimating he was given a 5min FW dip. I noticed some thick white mucus (like a wrasses slime coat) which I believe was excremented, in the dip container. I also noticed the same thing in the qt tank shortly after placing him in.

He's currently in 2.5ppm copper power tested with a Hanna checker along with a cleaner wrasse.

The things that worry me the most is his coloration and the best way I could describe it, his apathy. He isn't showing distress, seems to be breathing fine, but I feel like I could reach in there, grab him and he wouldn't care. He doesn't attempt to hide at all and seems a bit lethargic.

Im thinking something bacterial might be going on. I have expired meds on hand which includes metro+ and em erythromycin.

Should I start treating with the expired meds or better to wait to tomorrow to pickup new stuff?

As far as foods tried... Live brine shrimp, spectrum pellets and algae sheets.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hello. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for taking the time to read this....

I have a blonde naso that I purchased yesterday. I kind of went against logic with this one as he had some noticable discoloration to some small areas, wasn't eating and is a bit thin. I got him at a good price and I thought I gave him the best chance to survive, so I picked him up.

He was in 1.020 and I acclimated him over 1.5hrs to 1.025 (less than ideal, I know, but I couldn't change the sg in the qt tank as it already had another fish in it).

After acclimating he was given a 5min FW dip. I noticed some thick white mucus (like a wrasses slime coat) which I believe was excremented, in the dip container. I also noticed the same thing in the qt tank shortly after placing him in.

He's currently in 2.5ppm copper power tested with a Hanna checker along with a cleaner wrasse.

The things that worry me the most is his coloration and the best way I could describe it, his apathy. He isn't showing distress, seems to be breathing fine, but I feel like I could reach in there, grab him and he wouldn't care. He doesn't attempt to hide at all and seems a bit lethargic.

Im thinking something bacterial might be going on. I have expired meds on hand which includes metro+ and em erythromycin.

Should I start treating with the expired meds or better to wait to tomorrow to pickup new stuff?

As far as foods tried... Live brine shrimp, spectrum pellets and algae sheets.

Hi,

Well, you're doing the best you can with the fish I think, but the prognosis is guarded to poor. For some reason, blonde nasos have become very delicate. It may not be a disease, it may stem from changes in the supply chain. I just wrote an article on "fishes to avoid" and it made the list:

Blonde Naso tang, Naso elegans – For unknown reasons, this species has shown declining durability in the past four or five years. What happens is the fish arrive and either do not start feeding, or begin feeding, but die from unknown causes in a few weeks to months.

Jay

 

[jbaur]

Any additional advice for this one?

I realize that what I'm dealing with might be beyond anyones control. I just want to make sure I'm not standing by at idle if something else should be done.

He's still not eating. He's not even taking the slightest interest in food and just kind of sitting there treading water.

Would kanaplex and metro be worth a shot?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Any additional advice for this one?

I realize that what I'm dealing with might be beyond anyones control. I just want to make sure I'm not standing by at idle if something else should be done.

He's still not eating. He's not even taking the slightest interest in food and just kind of sitting there treading water.

Would kanaplex and metro be worth a shot?

I would skip the metro, it overlaps with copper, just isn't as good. I don't see any signs of a bacterial infection, but you could try Kanaplex.

What foods have you tried with this fish?
Water is testing good, no ammonia?

Jay

 

[jbaur]

Thanks again Jay for the response.

I believe the water should be okay... In all honesty I threw out my test kit which was expired around the week ago and forgot to order a new one. Its a 20g tank which had a 100% water change the day of adding him (Wednesday). I've been using a turkey baster to suck up uneaten food and been cleaning the screen on the pump. It's due for a change tomorrow, which I'll be doing. The cleaner wrasse tank mate is acting normal and extremely active.

As far as foods I've tried, with and without garlic...

-Live brine shrimp
-Hikari mysis shrimp
-LRS reef frenzy
-Two little fishes algae sheets which I've tried using a clip as well as rubber banding to a rock
-I'd like to get a hold of some live black worms but I have not been able to find a source

 

[Jimbo327]

Yes, I picked up a small naso, and it doesn't seem that energetic. I'm doing GC and Kanaplex at the moment.

 

[jbaur]

Well I'm keeping my fingers crossed. He perked up when I put the clip in this time. The wrasse has been feeding at it and it looked like the Naso might have ate a few small pieces as they drifted by. I was standing at a distance, so I can't be 100% on that, but I definitely saw him eat and spit out some. Progress!

 

[RaisingKane]

I have a similar issue, I'm wondering if anyone can diagnose. My Naso is about a week old. Looked perfect when I got him, was a good eater at the LFS. He had a few stress spots on him after acclimating. Those stress spot grew into big blotches all over his body. He still eats great and is very lively - just full of blotches. There was a Scopas tang in the tank that was tearing up my sail fin so he was removed but it's been about a week and the blotches are not going away. Bacterial? And I have to mention - what looks like white dots is just leftover food floating in the column, there are no white dots on either fish. Thank you!!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I have a similar issue, I'm wondering if anyone can diagnose. My Naso is about a week old. Looked perfect when I got him, was a good eater at the LFS. He had a few stress spots on him after acclimating. Those stress spot grew into big blotches all over his body. He still eats great and is very lively - just full of blotches. There was a Scopas tang in the tank that was tearing up my sail fin so he was removed but it's been about a week and the blotches are not going away. Bacterial? And I have to mention - what looks like white dots is just leftover food floating in the column, there are no white dots on either fish. Thank you!!

Yes, at first glance, the white spots make it look like both fish have ich!

I presume the blocthes are on both sides of the fish, not just its left side?

Could the scopas tang have attacked the naso and you are just seeing bruising/damage from that?

Jay

 

[RaisingKane]

Yes, at first glance, the white spots make it look like both fish have ich!

I presume the blocthes are on both sides of the fish, not just its left side?

Could the scopas tang have attacked the naso and you are just seeing bruising/damage from that?

Jay

Yes, blotches on both sides. It's possible that the Scopas attacked the Naso. He was more interested in the Sailfin though, tore his fins to shreds. But maybe. That Scopas turned into a devil fish. The sailfin is almost 100% healed. The Naso is just not getting better. The three tangs are doing great otherwise. No aggression and swim together all the time. Here's a video. You can see all the white stuff floating in column. It's not on the fish.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Yes, blotches on both sides. It's possible that the Scopas attacked the Naso. He was more interested in the Sailfin though, tore his fins to shreds. But maybe. That Scopas turned into a devil fish. The sailfin is almost 100% healed. The Naso is just not getting better. The three tangs are doing great otherwise. No aggression and swim together all the time. Here's a video. You can see all the white stuff floating in column. It's not on the fish.

The big step would be to move the naso to a treatment tank and dose with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic. Trouble is, this species doesn't do well in small treatment tanks. I have to wonder if just keeping it in this tank and feeding it well (lots of fats and proteins) might be the best course of action?

Jay

 

[RaisingKane]

The big step would be to move the naso to a treatment tank and dose with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic. Trouble is, this species doesn't do well in small treatment tanks. I have to wonder if just keeping it in this tank and feeding it well (lots of fats and proteins) might be the best course of action?

Jay

Thanks for your input. He's eating well so I guess I'll just wait it out. Been soaking the mysis and nori in vitamins. Crossing fingers.

 

[jbaur]

Just an update on my fish...

On Saturday and Sunday he was continuing to look lethargic and wasn't chasing after food as much as he was Friday night, so on Sunday I decided to start kanamycin treatment.

Today he's seems more active. Rather than treading water, he's actually moving about the tank. Hiding when I enter the room. He'll chase after a bit of food from 1/2 way across the tank. I even saw him tear some off from the clip.

I'm not sure if it's the antibiotics or just the small bits of nourishment he's now getting that's helping him turn the corner.

One thing I feel strongly about though is having that cleaner wrasse in the tank with him helps. I feel like having another fish in there that is active, eating and not bullying is a huge help to him.

I'm going to keep up with the kanamycin treatment for at least another round.

Hopefully he continues to get his strength back and improve.