Fin Rot Issues

[Spicoli]

I have a Moorish Idol through QT and doing quite well, except he has a severe case of fin rot. It seems odd to me that all fins are affected except his pectorals. He is eating like a pig, and acting normally, so he can make it through more treatment. I've already put him through the proper protocol of Maracyn 1 and then Maracyn 2. I've also tried Kanaplex, in the water, Kanaplex and Focus in the food. Nothing seems to work and it has been 2+months of these various treatments.

After lots of experience with parasites, this is my first case of fin rot in 6 years and this bacterial infection seems impervious to treatment. He went through Copper Power no problem, along with all the rest listed above.

• Temp 82
• Salinity 1.021
• Cycled QT seems stable now (Maracyn 2 killed that a bit and had to water change and add Prime with new bacteria)
• He's alone in the QT. This is not from any attacks from other fish
• Is fin rot contagious? Can this fish be transferred to another tank to try and give him a chance to get in a better environment? Nothing seems to work in this QT
• Can this be from ammonia? API test shows ammonia at 0 currently, and no breathing difficulties

I'm afraid this tough dude doesn't have many more chances and I need to try something effective. Maracyn 2 seems to be the most recommended, but I'm hesitant to try it again, since it wrecked the cycle and didn't work the first time.

What ever happens, how do I make this QT safe again if he does not make it? I'm not putting another fish in the QT until I nuke this fin rot.
Does anyone have experience clearing this up?
Thanks.

 

[mcarroll]

From reading bacterial issues are often exacerbated with higher temperatures.

I wonder if the treatments you've been putting him through are partly responsible for this situation?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a Moorish Idol through QT and doing quite well, except he has a severe case of fin rot. It seems odd to me that all fins are affected except his pectorals. He is eating like a pig, and acting normally, so he can make it through more treatment. I've already put him through the proper protocol of Maracyn 1 and then Maracyn 2. I've also tried Kanaplex, in the water, Kanaplex and Focus in the food. Nothing seems to work and it has been 2+months of these various treatments.

After lots of experience with parasites, this is my first case of fin rot in 6 years and this bacterial infection seems impervious to treatment. He went through Copper Power no problem, along with all the rest listed above.

• Temp 82
• Salinity 1.021
• Cycled QT seems stable now (Maracyn 2 killed that a bit and had to water change and add Prime with new bacteria)
• He's alone in the QT. This is not from any attacks from other fish
• Is fin rot contagious? Can this fish be transferred to another tank to try and give him a chance to get in a better environment? Nothing seems to work in this QT
• Can this be from ammonia? API test shows ammonia at 0 currently, and no breathing difficulties

I'm afraid this tough dude doesn't have many more chances and I need to try something effective. Maracyn 2 seems to be the most recommended, but I'm hesitant to try it again, since it wrecked the cycle and didn't work the first time.

What ever happens, how do I make this QT safe again if he does not make it? I'm not putting another fish in the QT until I nuke this fin rot.
Does anyone have experience clearing this up?
Thanks.

What other fish are in with it as I suspect aggression as a contributor. If rot which is hard to tell from pictures is in play… start with water quality looking at your filers…. Raise specific gravity to 1.024 and what test kits are you using?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I have a Moorish Idol through QT and doing quite well, except he has a severe case of fin rot. It seems odd to me that all fins are affected except his pectorals. He is eating like a pig, and acting normally, so he can make it through more treatment. I've already put him through the proper protocol of Maracyn 1 and then Maracyn 2. I've also tried Kanaplex, in the water, Kanaplex and Focus in the food. Nothing seems to work and it has been 2+months of these various treatments.

After lots of experience with parasites, this is my first case of fin rot in 6 years and this bacterial infection seems impervious to treatment. He went through Copper Power no problem, along with all the rest listed above.

• Temp 82
• Salinity 1.021
• Cycled QT seems stable now (Maracyn 2 killed that a bit and had to water change and add Prime with new bacteria)
• He's alone in the QT. This is not from any attacks from other fish
• Is fin rot contagious? Can this fish be transferred to another tank to try and give him a chance to get in a better environment? Nothing seems to work in this QT
• Can this be from ammonia? API test shows ammonia at 0 currently, and no breathing difficulties

I'm afraid this tough dude doesn't have many more chances and I need to try something effective. Maracyn 2 seems to be the most recommended, but I'm hesitant to try it again, since it wrecked the cycle and didn't work the first time.

What ever happens, how do I make this QT safe again if he does not make it? I'm not putting another fish in the QT until I nuke this fin rot.
Does anyone have experience clearing this up?
Thanks.

Can you post a clearer picture? I’m trying to see the margin of the fins more clearly.

How long has the fish had this fin damage? How did it progress, rapidly or gradually over time?

Maracyn 2 is minocycline and that doesn’t work well in seawater because it reacts with calcium in the water. NEVER mix kanamycin into the food unless you use a gram scale and dose it properly (on the order of 40 mg per kg of fish weight). If you overdose it, you can nuke the fish’s kidneys.

If it does end up being bacterial, neomycin would be a good choice.

Bacterial fin issues are not considered contagious.

 

[Spicoli]

Thanks Jay. I have Neoplex on order, and will try that. I just saw it listed as effective.

What other fish are in with it as I suspect aggression as a contributor. If rot which is hard to tell from pictures is in play… start with water quality looking at your filers…. Raise specific gravity to 1.024 and what test kits are you using?

He's alone, and has been since this has gotten worse and worse over the past 2 months, through antibiotic treatments.

 

[Spicoli]

Can you post a clearer picture? I’m trying to see the margin of the fins more clearly.

How long has the fish had this fin damage? How did it progress, rapidly or gradually over time?

Maracyn 2 is minocycline and that doesn’t work well in seawater because it reacts with calcium in the water. NEVER mix kanamycin into the food unless you use a gram scale and dose it properly (on the order of 40 mg per kg of fish weight). If you overdose it, you can nuke the fish’s kidneys.

If it does end up being bacterial, neomycin would be a good choice.

Bacterial fin issues are not considered contagious.

 

[Spicoli]

I haven't been home when the lights are on lately. Let me know if those pics are better.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

The scalloped edges of some of the fins looks like an atypical head and lateral line erosion that is sometimes seen. That would explain the antibiotics not working and the long term of the issue.

 

[Spicoli]

Is this sort of HLLE considered contagious? I'm thinking of reintroducing him to genpop in the DT. He is strong and eating well.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Is this sort of HLLE considered contagious? I'm thinking of reintroducing him to genpop in the DT. He is strong and eating well.

No - HLLE isn't contagious per-se, but the root cause is often environmental (carbon use mainly) so that can affect other fish in the same tank, but only those species prone to HLLE in the first place.

 

[Spicoli]

I run no carbon in the DT. I had run carbon in the QT, but pulled it out when I dosed the medications. Thank you!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I run no carbon in the DT. I had run carbon in the QT, but pulled it out when I dosed the medications. Thank you!

I'm a bit uncertain as to the diagnosis here - I've never had Moorish Idols show HLLE like this, but tangs do, and idols are closely related to tangs. I was guessing that excessive carbon use (which I never use) could have caused this. Since you didn't use carbon, then things a bit less clear for me....