Copperband Butterfly HELP!!

[major_727]

Got my third copperband recently and it finally was a healthy specimen that eats everything I give -mysis, reef frenzy, flakes, everything. Currently my display tank is undergoing fallow period so all my fish are on a 55g QT tank. While everything has been good for 4 weeks of Copper treatment and everyone is healthy and eating and active, I noticed the copper band with skin issue. Is this Uronema? If it is, how can I treat it?
This is a very active and beautiful fish full of personality and I want to do everything in my power to save it. Please help.

 

[Isaac Alves]

Here’s a useful reference thread on Uronema:

Uronema

Uronema marinum (updated Jan 24 2025) What You Need To Know: * Causes red sores most often seen on chromis damsels & anthias (see photos below). Angelfish, butterflies and other fish species are sometimes also affected. * Formalin can be used as a prophylaxis and to limit transmission of...

humble.fish

It definitely could be. I went through a couple CBs a couple years ago that had this issue on their skin.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Got my third copperband recently and it finally was a healthy specimen that eats everything I give -mysis, reef frenzy, flakes, everything. Currently my display tank is undergoing fallow period so all my fish are on a 55g QT tank. While everything has been good for 4 weeks of Copper treatment and everyone is healthy and eating and active, I noticed the copper band with skin issue. Is this Uronema? If it is, how can I treat it?
This is a very active and beautiful fish full of personality and I want to do everything in my power to save it. Please help.

This is not uronema but bruising and not in alignment with typical location and uronema is oval and ciliated. Likely an injury with object and you can safeguard fish using Seachem neoplex in this QT you have running

 

[major_727]

This is not uronema but bruising and not in alignment with typical location and uronema is oval and ciliated. Likely an injury with object and you can safeguard fish using Seachem neoplex in this QT you have running

I am running the QT atm w Copper Power at 2.23. Should I be good to run the medication? Anything else I need to consider?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am running the QT atm w Copper Power at 2.23. Should I be good to run the medication? Anything else I need to consider?

Obviously, keep an aye on area and I assume the mark is on one side of the fish?
Assure appetite is maintained and no heavy breathing and monitor ammonia level with reliable test kit

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Here’s a useful reference thread on Uronema:

Uronema

Uronema marinum (updated Jan 24 2025) What You Need To Know: * Causes red sores most often seen on chromis damsels & anthias (see photos below). Angelfish, butterflies and other fish species are sometimes also affected. * Formalin can be used as a prophylaxis and to limit transmission of...

humble.fish

It definitely could be. I went through a couple CBs a couple years ago that had this issue on their skin.

I wrote a more in-depth article on Uronema, it is here:

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

Your link has one of my pictures in it, so they obviously used my article as one of the sources (grin).

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Got my third copperband recently and it finally was a healthy specimen that eats everything I give -mysis, reef frenzy, flakes, everything. Currently my display tank is undergoing fallow period so all my fish are on a 55g QT tank. While everything has been good for 4 weeks of Copper treatment and everyone is healthy and eating and active, I noticed the copper band with skin issue. Is this Uronema? If it is, how can I treat it?
This is a very active and beautiful fish full of personality and I want to do everything in my power to save it. Please help.

I agree, that is not in the right location to be Uronema. Is it only on the fish's right side, or is there a corresponding lesion on its left side as well?

What other fish are in with it?

The fish is a bit thin, so I would increase the frequency of feeding it.

 

[major_727]

I agree, that is not in the right location to be Uronema. Is it only on the fish's right side, or is there a corresponding lesion on its left side as well?

What other fish are in with it?

The fish is a bit thin, so I would increase the frequency of feeding it.

There is a corresponding one on the left side too. Though the left side is very light and is nowhere similar to the right one -which looks much more severe. Also it slowly seems to be getting worse? Not sure, but it does seems more prominent than what I saw 2 days ago. Does Copper Power tend to be bad on open wounds?

There are many fish in the QT ATM ; Copperband, Longnose, Saddleback, Emperor, Sailfin, Naso, Tomini, Golden Rim, Flame Hawk, 3 Damsels, Midas Blenny, and Starry Blenny. Its a 55G QT. 48x12x18

Is there any immediate dips or actions I can take until the medication arrives (neoplex) later today? I have a 10G and a 20G spare tanks.

 

[Isaac Alves]

I've had great luck with my current butterfly, which I got pretty small but has been with me from around April of 2023, feeding him a mixture of Masstick, Beta 1,3-Glucan Algae Extract, and Selcon --- really bulks him up. You can even mix up powder meds into the mix with some seachem focus to bind.


Link to the Beta Glucan supplement I use: Amazon link

 

[Jay Hemdal]

There is a corresponding one on the left side too. Though the left side is very light and is nowhere similar to the right one -which looks much more severe. Also it slowly seems to be getting worse? Not sure, but it does seems more prominent than what I saw 2 days ago. Does Copper Power tend to be bad on open wounds?

There are many fish in the QT ATM ; Copperband, Longnose, Saddleback, Emperor, Sailfin, Naso, Tomini, Golden Rim, Flame Hawk, 3 Damsels, Midas Blenny, and Starry Blenny. Its a 55G QT. 48x12x18

Is there any immediate dips or actions I can take until the medication arrives (neoplex) later today? I have a 10G and a 20G spare tanks.

One thing to consider - when fish show head lesions that are mirror images of each other, it may be head and lateral line erosion, or a related syndrome called "epithelial thinning". Neither of these issues have a ready treatment, but are also not immediately fatal (if at all).

I'm tending to rule out any sort of infection here because those typically cover the whole fish (like ich, flukes, etc.) or they are focused on a site of an injury (bacteria) and would not be locally mirrored on the other side of the fish.