Naso in QT with white mouth

[KCDaddyof4]

This guy has been in QT for 11 days now. He looked absolutely perfect and was eating in the store when I purchased him but he has not eaten since I got him. He is pretty large (probably 7-8 inches) and is currently in my 40 gal qt with a seeded sponge filter and a 110 hang on filter. There are no medications in the tank as I wanted to get him eating first. Other than the white mouth and not eating, he doesn't show any signs of stress, although he is starting to lose color and get skinny. I do a 25 percent water change every two days and water parameters are perfect. Any ideas what is on his mouth and what I should use to treat it? My research has resulted in mixed and inconsistent results.

I have tried feeding nori, flakes, and a variety of frozen, pe mysis, fish eggs, etc. with garlic and selcon. Thx.

 

[Brew12]

This guy has been in QT for 11 days now. He looked absolutely perfect and was eating in the store when I purchased him but he has not eaten since I got him. He is pretty large (probably 7-8 inches) and is currently in my 40 gal qt with a seeded sponge filter and a 110 hang on filter. There are no medications in the tank as I wanted to get him eating first. Other than the white mouth and not eating, he doesn't show any signs of stress, although he is starting to lose color and get skinny. I do a 25 percent water change every two days and water parameters are perfect. Any ideas what is on his mouth and what I should use to treat it? My research has resulted in mixed and inconsistent results.

I have tried feeding nori, flakes, and a variety of frozen, pe mysis, fish eggs, etc. with garlic and selcon. Thx.

What were they feeding him in the store?

 

[LJLKRL05]

How are you feeding the nori? Try rubber banding it to a small rock attached to a string. For some reason some of my tangs were scared of any clips at first, so I put it on a rock on the bottom and they ate it.

 

[KCDaddyof4]

It was eating PE Mysis and Nori in the store. It has ignored both the clip and the rock with nori. I will use only the rock/band from now on and see if that helps.

 

[Big G]

The white patch on the mouth could be an indicator of a bacterial infection. The refusal to eat another indicator of the same.

 

[Big G]

Let's get the Tang experts for some specific help @4FordFamily, @Maritimer, @GHsaltie

 

[KCDaddyof4]

Thanks for your input.

 

[Big G]

Thanks for your input.

You are very welcome. And welcome to R2R!

 

[Big G]

Do you have access to Ruby Reef Rally? Giving the fish a bath in it is helpful for bacterial infections, fungus infections, and protozoans.

If the infection is more severe here's the advice Humblefish gave for antibiotics for bacterial infections:

Antibiotics: Treats bacterial infections, which are oftentimes “secondary” to preexisting parasitic infestations.

How To Treat - Follow the directions on the label of whatever product you are using. Always use a broad spectrum antibiotic medication i.e. one that treats both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial diseases (very important). Examples of this include Furan-2, Kanamycin aka Seachem Kanaplex, Nitrofuracin Green Powder, Triple Sulfa Powder or a combination of using both Erythromycin & Minocycline. The latter can be accomplished (albeit expensively) by using freshwater Maracyn 1 & 2 and then doubling the dosage for saltwater use. When battling a particularly nasty bacterial infection, combining Furan-2, Kanaplex and metronidazole (ex. Seachem MetroPlex) can be very effective (and safe). Props to “hedgedrew” for enlightening me of this.

Normally you have to do 4 doses to complete a full course of treatment. The instructions may say to dose every 24 hours, and perform water changes at certain intervals. In my experience, you often have to do 2 full courses of treatment (or 8 doses total) before a fish will show signs of improvement (antibiotics are notoriously slow acting with fish). If a fish shows no signs of improvement after the second full course, then it’s time to try a completely different medication. Just like with humans, sometimes a certain fish will respond better to a different antibiotic. You can run activated carbon at any time when you wish to end treatment.

Pros - One of the few medications that can safely be mixed with others. You can use antibiotics in conjunction with just about everything.

Cons/Side Effects - Appetite suppression, depletes the water of oxygen (so provide additional gas exchange).

 

[LJLKRL05]

If it is bacterial, I just had incredible success on a powder blue tang with seachem metroplex and kanaplex. I found kanaplex locally so started with it first, and I think it did more than the metroplex. I was told to dose them both together, along with API furan-2.

^^ looks like me and Big G were typing at the same time. He has given you the same advice I was given. It works wonders.

 

[KCDaddyof4]

Thanks again. I will give that a shot. My online research was leading me to believe it was a fungus of some sort.

 

[Big G]

Thanks again. I will give that a shot. My online research was leading me to believe it was a fungus of some sort.

Best of luck with such a beautiful fish. Sometimes I think that, in my own experience, I've moved a fish from a more stable water environment into a "new" water environment where the "good" bacteria have not fully developed and wham! Bacterial infection. Again, best of luck.

 

[4FordFamily]

Fungus are very uncommon in marine fish, my bet is lymph or an infection, but leaning lymph.

Not eating with naso tangs is usually stress or disease, especially if they ate at the store. Stress could be water chemistry or just small quarters/different environment.

11 days is a long time for serious parasites such as velvet, which are very common now. Nearly every tank in nearly LFS has been exposed to it and likely carries it.

Anyway, any swimming in to powerheads? Hiding? Hiding from light? Heavy breathing? Scratching, flashing, or spots?

 

[KCDaddyof4]

Fungus are very uncommon in marine fish, my bet is lymph or an infection, but leaning lymph.

Not eating with naso tangs is usually stress or disease, especially if they ate at the store. Stress could be water chemistry or just small quarters/different environment.

11 days is a long time for serious parasites such as velvet, which are very common now. Nearly every tank in nearly LFS has been exposed to it and likely carries it.

Anyway, any swimming in to powerheads? Hiding? Hiding from light? Heavy breathing? Scratching, flashing, or spots?

No erratic swimming, he breathes normally, no flashing, no spots, etc. I think he's starting to show signs of malnutrition (fading color, skinny) but otherwise no signs of stress. He is the largest fish I've had in that qt...I've wondered if he's too big for it. I've dealt with lymph in my display tank. It should go away on its own with proper nutrition, right? Unless anyone thinks it could do harm if it's something else, I will try the medication regimen above. Thx again!

 

[4FordFamily]

No erratic swimming, he breathes normally, no flashing, no spots, etc. I think he's starting to show signs of malnutrition (fading color, skinny) but otherwise no signs of stress. He is the largest fish I've had in that qt...I've wondered if he's too big for it. I've dealt with lymph in my display tank. It should go away on its own with proper nutrition, right? Unless anyone thinks it could do harm if it's something else, I will try the medication regimen above. Thx again!

Which regimen?

If lymph alone it usually goes away, but watch the mouth to ensure it doesn’t grow to the point the fish cannot feed or open its mouth. You’ll need to manually scratch it off if this happens with a blade gently.

 

[KCDaddyof4]

Metroplex and Kanaplex?