Needing help….

[Elude82]

Hi, everyone! Maybe someone can help me identify this mark on my Pink Tail Triggerfish? They are eating and swimming around as normal. They have been in the DT for almost three weeks. My only thought is there is a bump out in the rock formation at the cave they like to sleep in. So, maybe it’s from them constantly wedging themselves against that at night. It slowly has appeared the last few days. It’s the only spot on them as well. No other fish has any signs of anything. Thank you in advance.

 

[Elude82]

Hi, everyone! Maybe someone can help me identify this mark on my Pink Tail Triggerfish? They are eating and swimming around as normal. They have been in the DT for almost three weeks. My only thought is there is a bump out in the rock formation at the cave they like to sleep in. So, maybe it’s from them constantly wedging themselves against that at night. It slowly has appeared the last few days. It’s the only spot on them as well. No other fish has any signs of anything. Thank you in advance.

Here’s a closer shot.

 

[Elude82]

This is where they sleep. You can see the rock bump out in the middle.

 

[Fish Fan]

Maybe the R2R #fishmedic crew will be able to help here; good luck!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Here’s a closer shot.

That's a bacterial infection. Colonies of bacteria tend to grow in circular fashion (like they do on a petri dish). However, this is a really large lesion.

I doubt it is from the rock, sleeping at night - these fish have very tough skin, and their natural habit is to wedge themselves in rock crevices at night.

Is the fish showing any other symptoms? Rapid breathing, not eating well, scratching its body on surfaces?

The only treatment is to move the fish to a hospital tank and dose it with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic like neomycin or kanamycin.

 

[Elude82]

Maybe the R2R #fishmedic crew will be able to help here; good luck!

Thank you!

 

[Elude82]

That's a bacterial infection. Colonies of bacteria tend to grow in circular fashion (like they do on a petri dish). However, this is a really large lesion.

I doubt it is from the rock, sleeping at night - these fish have very tough skin, and their natural habit is to wedge themselves in rock crevices at night.

Is the fish showing any other symptoms? Rapid breathing, not eating well, scratching its body on surfaces?

The only treatment is to move the fish to a hospital tank and dose it with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic like neomycin or kanamycin.

Thank you for your response. I have a few questions:
If the trigger has it, should I just dose the entire tank as there are five other fish?
Will it kill all the beneficial bacteria if I do does the whole tank?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you for your response. I have a few questions:
If the trigger has it, should I just dose the entire tank as there are five other fish?
Will it kill all the beneficial bacteria if I do does the whole tank?

Yes, it can kill the nitrifying bacteria, so don’t use it in your display.

Almost 100% of marine aquarium bacteria that causes issues are found in all tanks. They get into a fish through a scratch in the skin, then sort of take over. So - you don’t need to treat fish that aren’t showing symptoms.

 

[Elude82]

Yes, it can kill the nitrifying bacteria, so don’t use it in your display.

Almost 100% of marine aquarium bacteria that causes issues are found in all tanks. They get into a fish through a scratch in the skin, then sort of take over. So - you don’t need to treat fish that aren’t showing symptoms.

Thank you Jay! I appreciate it! And I appreciate you always helping us on R2R! I have the Trigger in the QT now, and have what you recommend for medicationin it.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you Jay! I appreciate it! And I appreciate you always helping us on R2R! I have the Trigger in the QT now, and have what you recommend for medicationin it.

Just be sure to monitor the ammonia level in the QT!