Goner, Infection?

[PR_nano]

Pretty upset with myself thinking I might have cause it. Decided to turkey blast some rocks yesterday before swapping floss and might have cause the Possum to scraped and develop infection at least that is what I'm thinking happened. Totally forgot he might have been in this rock. After reading some of the sticky here are some of the details:

Tank is 1 year 3 month 20 gallons
Ammonia 0
Ph 7.85
Nitrates 12
Salinity 1.025
Tmp 78
Breathing rate around 26 times every 15sec video attached.

I purchased the Possum exactly a week today, no QT direct to DT with firefish 13 months~, Pink Streaked Wrasse 10months~, YWG 5 months~. All eating, swimming and acting normal. Woke up this morning and didn't see the Possum, looked around and he was stuck on ae rock. Lights started to ramp up and thought it was weird since he normally up and swimming around this time. Went to get frozen food defrost and look again he wasn't there or visible in the DT. Look around and found him on the sand bed next to a rock that's when I notice the scrape around his right fin. He launch around a few spots but can barely swim definitely not using his right fin.

Anything that can still be done at this time or is he far too gone and his size probably doesn't help.

 

[fishguy242]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081 ??

 

[vetteguy53081]

I exploded this pic

That peeling skin expresses bacterial issue. Bacterial diseases usually do not kill fish in a couple of days, especially larger ones, but moreover a one to two week period. However, some viral strains may do so. Most bacteria that cause disease in marine fish are gram-negative. Healthy fish have a strong, natural resistance to bacteria and can usually fight it off on their own, but weak, sick and/or stressed fish can be very susceptible to this illness.
As these fish stress easily, it is a possibility but other factors that contribute are:
1- Poor environmental conditions whereas if tank conditions are poor enough, the bacteria can bloom and overrun even the healthiest of fish.
2- Harrassment from a tankmate
3- Injury, such as open wounds, cuts or scrapes

You mentioned rapid breathing. It is one of the symptoms. Others are :

• Loss of appetite.
• Abdominal swelling or bloating. This is usually a sign of a bladder infection
• Open sores on the sides of the body and near the fins.
• Bloody scales at the base of the fins.
• Rapid breathing

In any case, the prompt isolation of infected fish and treatment with an antibiotic in a QT (quarantine tank) is important. Even minor topical infections can progress quickly, and once the disease is in the systemic stage it affects the internal organs. The fish stops eating, the respiration rate increases and the fish eventually lays on the bottom and dies. The proper type of antibiotic is of the utmost importance. For example, gram-positive bacteria are often unaffected by tetracycline and streptomycin, while gram-negative bacteria may be unaffected by ampicillin, penicillin, erythromycin, and sulfa drugs.
Since most bacteria that cause disease in marine fish are gram-negative, and can quickly become systemic, Maracyn 2 would be the most effective choice.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

My take on this is to look at the symptoms: that it's a new wrasse that wasn't put through a QT, is breathing hard and has loose scales/lesion on its side that looks like an injury. Could be an injury, but more likely, it is Uronema. Everyone who sees Uronema thinks either an injury, a bacterial infection, or both. Uronema is actually a bacteria-eating protozoan, that for some unknown reason, becomes parasitic on certain newly acquired fish - chromis, wrasse and anthias. I really hope I'm wrong, because now that chloroquine isn't available, I do not have any treatment to suggest for you. Luckily, if it is Uronema, it is unlikely to carry over to your other fish, since they are not new acquisitions.

Here is an article I wrote on it:

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

Jay