Need help identifying if a fish is actually sick

[arcticbread]

Hello! I'm definitely new to having a saltwater aquarium. My dad has had them for years and has been helping me, but isn't sure what is wrong with my fish. I attached some pictures of the fish itself too. It'll sit in front of my powerhead for a few minutes and will swim for a little bit, and has been itching against the rocks. I'm not totally sure what I should be looking for with what this fish could potentially have.I'd prefer to not put medicine in the tank, but pls help. I'm rlly not sure what to do

Jessica Rose

 

[fishguy242]

hi i do see some spots,lets get some expert help here, #reefsquad

 

[vetteguy53081]

Bicolor angel. A difficult fish in captivity and susceptible to velvet and fungus. This appears to be Lymphocystis which is a somewhat common infectious virus hosted by saltwater fish and causes cells to enlarge many times their normal size. It is usually found in the fish skin and fins. After residing on its host for 4 weeks or more, the Lymphocystis cells rupture or fall off the host, spreading the infected cells in the water. The cells then either sink to the bottom of the tank and lie dormant or reattach to another host via a break in the skin or fins, or in the gills.
Good diet and water quality is the key to fixing this issue.
Anytime a fish hangs in front of a powerhead, its an indicator of something irritating the fish( parasite, virus or velvet) which the current provides temporary relief

 

[GBRsouth]

It'll sit in front of my powerhead for a few minutes and will swim for a little bit, and has been itching against the rocks.

Swimming in front of the powerhead is a unique symptom of velvet which I can see the dusting of on the purple part of the body in this photo.

But agree with @vetteguy53081 that there is lympho present.

 

[nereefpat]

I tried a couple of times with bicolor angels, and never got them to eat. How long have you had it? Does it eat?

I, too, am fearing velvet. Velvet would need copper treatment in a hospital tank, unfortunately.

 

[saltyhog]

Agree with the guys. While there likely is some lympho present, the behavior described and the appearance in that last photo is concerning for velvet to me.

 

[arcticbread]

I tried a couple of times with bicolor angels, and never got them to eat. How long have you had it? Does it eat?

I, too, am fearing velvet. Velvet would need copper treatment in a hospital tank, unfortunately.

I've only had the fish for about two weeks, I've fed them a few times and he has eaten a little bit

 

[vetteguy53081]

I tried a couple of times with bicolor angels, and never got them to eat. How long have you had it? Does it eat?

I, too, am fearing velvet. Velvet would need copper treatment in a hospital tank, unfortunately.

As mentioned, they are carribean fish and very easy to catch why they show up and do not do well in captivity. Eating is the biggest challenge followed by skin reaction. I sold these at my former pet store and quickly found out to stop ordering them. I did get them to eat LIVE foods only

 

[arcticbread]

As mentioned, they are carribean fish and very easy to catch why they show up and do not do well in captivity. Eating is the biggest challenge followed by skin reaction. I sold these at my former pet store and quickly found out to stop ordering them. I did get them to eat LIVE foods only

I actually feed the rest of my fish frozen mysis shrimp and he was eating it too. i also put in those sheets of algae and he was picking at it a little bit. i feel that i haven’t had the fish long enough to judge whether he’s not eating because he’s sick or because of the stress of being moved from the store to my tank

 

[rkpetersen]

I'm not seeing obvious lympho in those pix. If I'm missing something, maybe someone can point out exactly where?

I am seeing fairly subtle small scattered dots, particularly on the flanks. I personally would be concerned about crypto/ich or early velvet. If I was willing to wait and see whether the fish gets worse or improves, I might do that. If I wasn't willing to wait, I'd put it in a qt with chelated copper after an acriflavine and/or freshwater dip.

If it's eating, it might well be worth waiting. Very hard to say. Difficult to get these fish eating, and if you put it in a hospital tank, it'll probably stop.

I haven't tried to keep one of these since the late 80s. I really wanted to keep one then, because I was at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, whose colors are of course - maize and blue! Don't recall having a lot of luck with them though. Haven't seen them in stores at all since I got back into the hobby. Sometimes see them online. Difficult fish.

 

[GBRsouth]

I'm not seeing obvious lympho in those pix. If I'm missing something, maybe someone can point out exactly where?

Either side of the left eye. But agree with you for velvet also.

 

[Idoc]

I really wanted to keep one then, because I was at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, whose colors are of course - maize and blue!

This is the exact reason I would never keep this fish in my aquarium! lol

But as for the disease...as mentioned, I would be very concerned with velvet by the symptoms and appearance of some of those pics.

 

[rkpetersen]

This is the exact reason I would never keep this fish in my aquarium! lol

Oh how I hate
Ohio State!

;Hilarious ;Hilarious ;Hilarious