Is this a head injury or infectious disease on my Royal Gramma

[The Coug]

I’ve had this royal gramma in my quarantine tank for about 2 weeks under observation. I started noticing these discolorations on its head a few days. Can anyone ID if this is a treatable disease? At first I thought it was just scrapes from hiding among the decorations. It is the only fish in the tank. It’s swimming and eating well.

 

[JGT]

I’ve had this royal gramma in my quarantine tank for about 2 weeks under observation. I started noticing these discolorations on its head a few days. Can anyone ID if this is a treatable disease? At first I thought it was just scrapes from hiding among the decorations. It is the only fish in the tank. It’s swimming and eating well.

Looks diseased. Clamped fins. Feel like I see some white spots on the tail. How is its breathing?

 

[The Coug]

Breathing seems normal, not super fast at least. I don’t have experience with a gramma before though.

 

[HotRocks]

Could possibly be the beginning of brook. I have seen this before on gramas.

Brooklynella

Brooklynella hostilis What You Need To Know: * This is most often seen in clownfish, but it can afflict any fish. The fish’s skin will appear to be peeling or sloughing off, oftentimes causing excessive white mucous to form around the affected area(s). * Treatment of choice is a 45 minute...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Have you been doing observation only, or have you been treating prophylactically with anything? Can you post your water parameters, especially ammonia. Diffuse white patches, 2 to 4 weeks after acquisition are often a sign of flukes. The clamped fins but still eating well also point to that.
Jay

 

[The Coug]

I have just been in observation with this fish. The qt tank has been up several months with a few other fish going through it. I’ve got zero ammonia on API kit and the ammonia badge is still non-responsive. Salinity is 1.026

I’ve got general cure (with focus) and copper to use. Should I start general cure with food?

I don’t have formalin for a bath but could try to get today.

 

[The Coug]

Could possibly be the beginning of brook. I have seen this before on gramas.

Brooklynella

Brooklynella hostilis What You Need To Know: * This is most often seen in clownfish, but it can afflict any fish. The fish’s skin will appear to be peeling or sloughing off, oftentimes causing excessive white mucous to form around the affected area(s). * Treatment of choice is a 45 minute...

www.reef2reef.com

Reading up on brook treatments it mentions to put fish in sterile QT tank after a formalin bath. Is there a best way to sterilize my QT tank in that short time period? I’ve been doing a light bleach bath and longer than 3 days air bath to sterilize the tank when I’ve had it out of commission for longer time periods. I could grab a second tank if needed but would rather not.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

IMO- if this was any protozoan infection, the fish would stop eating and be breathing fast.
It always makes me very nervous to leave a fish like this in observational quarantine for beyond the 72 hours I wait when fish first arrive - I begin treatments right after that. What about General cure in the water? It has prazi for flukes and metronidazole in case I’m wrong about the protozoans and.
Jay

 

[The Coug]

That’s a good idea, General Cure does mention in the water treatment options.

I haven’t found a supplier of the 37% formalin solutions yet, hoping some of the local fish stores might have something when they open.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Give it a freshwater bath and then daily dips in formalin using either ruby rally pro or general cure

 

[The Coug]

Here’s a video of the this. Still active and eating. Heading to the LFS in a bit to see what they have for dip options.

 

[OneSlyFox]

Here’s a video of the this. Still active and eating. Heading to the LFS in a bit to see what they have for dip options.

How's it going now The Coug? I've got a royal gramma that I've had for several months now with these patches, but she's only recently gone downhill.

 

[The Coug]

How's it going now The Coug? I've got a royal gramma that I've had for several months now with these patches, but she's only recently gone downhill.

Hi! I ended up treating her with General Cure (mixed with Focus). She kept spitting out the food though so I ended up doing the whole packet systemic water treatment (followed pkg recs). The patches cleared up within a couple days. So, I think it was some sort of parasitic infection. I’ve still got it in the QT tank, I think I’m gonna wait another 4-6 weeks and may do another round of treatment before I move her to the display.

 

[Fish_Sticks]

As with all diseases, they are generally allowed to occur by stress, as a fish weakens...

Maybe increase feeding, vary the foods, or a higher quality feed. A flake with garlic is good at boosting immune systems, like ocean nutrition formula two flakes, fed alongside normal frozen preps. Is he getting pushed around at all? I also assume you run lights on a timer?

Lower the stress and his/her immunity system will skyrocket.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi! I ended up treating her with General Cure (mixed with Focus). She kept spitting out the food though so I ended up doing the whole packet systemic water treatment (followed pkg recs). The patches cleared up within a couple days. So, I think it was some sort of parasitic infection. I’ve still got it in the QT tank, I think I’m gonna wait another 4-6 weeks and may do another round of treatment before I move her to the display.

General Cure has metronidazole in it and fish find it very bitter, so I typically treat as a bath in the water, or I mix in cod liver oil to try and mask the taste. Sounds like you are being good and cautious! I always wait a minimum of a month after the last symptoms have abated before I even consider moving a fish into a DT....I've been down that road so many times I just won't risk rushing them...

Jay