One spot foxface developing brown patches

[Herbie's Reef]

Over the past few days my one spot has been developing brown patches on his body. At first I thought they were just stings from a coral. But now they seem to be getting bigger and I’m worried that it may be bacterial. Photos are listed below. I am able to transfer him to a quarantine tank tomorrow if need be. Attached below are the photos.

His behavior is still normal as he chows down on algae and eats like a pig. No other fish are currently having any issues. No recent fish livestock have been added. The most recent additions are a couple sps corals that were added after symptoms and a sand sifting star added a couple weeks before symptoms (brown patches).
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 1
Phosphate: 0.03
Alkalinity: 8.3
PH: 8.2
He eats spirulina mysis in the morning, tdo pellets halfway through the day, lrs reef frenzy at night. Nori is fed every 2-3 days. Selcon is added to the food 2 times per week.
my current medications on hand include:
Formalin
Cooper power
Prazi pro
Metroplex
Focus
Nitrofurazone
An ID would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

- Jake

 

[KrisReef]

That fish is just stressing over something. The Foxes are notorious for this kind of behavior. Keep feeding him and tell him to calm down and I think it will be ok. I have a couple of these and they should be called Cameleon-Face based upon their color changing behavior, ime. HTH!

Let's see if anyone has a differing opinion regarding the Foxface?

 

[Herbie's Reef]

That fish is just stressing over something. The Foxes are notorious for this kind of behavior. Keep feeding him and tell him to calm down and I think it will be ok. I have a couple of these and they should be called Cameleon-Face based upon their color changing behavior, ime. HTH!

Let's see if anyone has a differing opinion regarding the Foxface?

Thanks for the response!
He has been in my tank for months now. He does change color when stressed and as you can se in the photo he is a little stressed as his back is slightly dark. But I believe these spots are entirely different as they do not change and remain constant no matter how stressed he is or whether he is full bright yellow. Even when he sleeps and his body turns almost full white these spots are still present.

 

[Troylee]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[MnFish1]

If indeed the spots are 'getting bigger' - or there is any kind of other abnormal behavior - I would treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic in a hospital type tank - otherwise - it seems like your original comment and @KrisReef s comments are correct - and injury or sting from something. Getting bigger in size or other symptoms would IMHO dictate a treatment. Hopefully Jay will weigh in.

 

[KrisReef]

If indeed the spots are 'getting bigger' - or there is any kind of other abnormal behavior - I would treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic in a hospital type tank - otherwise - it seems like your original comment and @KrisReef s comments are correct - and injury or sting from something.

Here’s a quick photo of my foxface and the horrible discoloration that it has settled upon. I have had others in that had vibrant yellow and only got discolored now and again but this one is always sporting a brown dingy color, who knows why?

Not the OP’s fish (just to avoid confusion!)

 

[vetteguy53081]

Over the past few days my one spot has been developing brown patches on his body. At first I thought they were just stings from a coral. But now they seem to be getting bigger and I’m worried that it may be bacterial. Photos are listed below. I am able to transfer him to a quarantine tank tomorrow if need be. Attached below are the photos.

His behavior is still normal as he chows down on algae and eats like a pig. No other fish are currently having any issues. No recent fish livestock have been added. The most recent additions are a couple sps corals that were added after symptoms and a sand sifting star added a couple weeks before symptoms (brown patches).
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 1
Phosphate: 0.03
Alkalinity: 8.3
PH: 8.2
He eats spirulina mysis in the morning, tdo pellets halfway through the day, lrs reef frenzy at night. Nori is fed every 2-3 days. Selcon is added to the food 2 times per week.
my current medications on hand include:
Formalin
Cooper power
Prazi pro
Metroplex
Focus
Nitrofurazone
An ID would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

- Jake

These look like stings from an anemone or other coral such as euphyllia and possibly an urchin. Keep an eye on area for development of infection in the event that occurs. Having seachem Kanaplex on hand may be warranted.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I agree, these are not symptoms of any of the contagious parasite diseases. Probably stings from something, or random bumps. I don’t see any signs of bacterial infection/inflammation.
Unless you see some additional symptom/change in behavior, I wouldn’t treat right now, just keep an eye on it.
Jay

 

[Herbie's Reef]

Thanks for the responses. For now I will just assume that it was stung by a hammer or torch maybe another coral. Will be sure to keep an eye on this issue and look for further symptoms. Attached below are the photos of the progression of these spots.

First two photos were taken a couple of days ago vs now:

My main concern is the fact that these spots are getting larger and more irregular shaped.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the responses. For now I will just assume that it was stung by a hammer or torch maybe another coral. Will be sure to keep an eye on this issue and look for further symptoms. Attached below are the photos of the progression of these spots.

First two photos were taken a couple of days ago vs now:

My main concern is the fact that these spots are getting larger and more irregular shaped.

They may be getting infected. Often they look like bruises. In your tank you can safely use ruby rally pro otherwise if any worse, kanaplex as mentioned

 

[rsaylor3]

Mine would panic on occasion and just run into the rock work or corals. Just my two cents but it might be just abrasions as my guy would get them and I always figured it was from hitting a sharp part of the rock work or coral. It would take several days for the wounds/spots to heal over. As long as he is eating well and acting otherwise completely normal, I would just monitor him carefully and see if they heal up I’ve the next few days.

 

[Herbie's Reef]

They may be getting infected. Often they look like bruises. In your tank you can safely use ruby rally pro otherwise if any worse, kanaplex as mentioned

Gonna assume infected just to be safe and place him in qt with ruby rally or kanaplex. Will order both and decide if he is getting better or needs the kanaplex. Thank you

 

[vetteguy53081]

Gonna assume infected just to be safe and place him in qt with ruby rally or kanaplex. Will order both and decide if he is getting better or needs the kanaplex. Thank you

Ruby rally can be used in-tank as its reef safe

 

[Herbie's Reef]

Ruby rally can be used in-tank as its reef safe

gonna go ahead and use it out of tank just to be safe. seeing mixed reviews with some people saying its reef safe and have had no problems and others complaining about dead corals. Could just be that they used it past its shelf life though, but better to be safe than sorry.

 

[KrisReef]

Mine would panic on occasion and just run into the rock work or corals. Just my two cents but it might be just abrasions as my guy would get them and I always figured it was from hitting a sharp part of the rock work or coral. It would take several days for the wounds/spots to heal over. As long as he is eating well and acting otherwise completely normal, I would just monitor him carefully and see if they heal up I’ve the next few days.

I’m thinking that the discoloration is not going away/heal at all. I think these fishes live with the issue (disease, condition, blemish…) and in my experience they don’t seem to ever get “better.”

I have had other foxface fishes that were beautiful yellow and others that were not. No explanation for why, I hope that it can be fixed but unfortunately why they manifest this condition is unknown as far as I can tell.

If there is good news it is that the condition is not fatal ime.

 

[Herbie's Reef]

They may be getting infected. Often they look like bruises. In your tank you can safely use ruby rally pro otherwise if any worse, kanaplex as mentioned

Update. The foxfaces spots are still increasing in size and almost look like buldges or bumps on his body. The inner area of these is turning white and there seems to be a clear slime coming out of one of them. I dont currently have the medication on me and it wont be here for a few days. What should I do?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Update. The foxfaces spots are still increasing in size and almost look like buldges or bumps on his body. The inner area of these is turning white and there seems to be a clear slime coming out of one of them. I dont currently have the medication on me and it wont be here for a few days. What should I do?

Increasing size implies growth, so that usually means an infection. However, fish produce granulation tissue when healing injuries, so it could be that:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granulation_tissue

Is the fish showing ANY new symptoms? Rapid breathing, not eating, etc.?
Do you have a treatment tank at your disposal?

Jay

 

[Herbie's Reef]

Increasing size implies growth, so that usually means an infection. However, fish produce granulation tissue when healing injuries, so it could be that:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granulation_tissue

Is the fish showing ANY new symptoms? Rapid breathing, not eating, etc.?
Do you have a treatment tank at your disposal?

Jay

He is more disinterested in food then usual. Gone from being the most aggressive eater to my tank to just passing over a lot of food. he still eats but not as much as he was over the past few days and months. He also does appear to be breathing more rapidly than normal. I do have two empty 20 gallons and enough saltwater on hand to set them up if need be right now. I was planning to wait until the medication was delivered in the coming days but I can change him over to a new sterile treatment tank in the next few hours if need be.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

He is more disinterested in food then usual. Gone from being the most aggressive eater to my tank to just passing over a lot of food. he still eats but not as much as he was over the past few days and months. He also does appear to be breathing more rapidly than normal. I do have two empty 20 gallons and enough saltwater on hand to set them up if need be right now. I was planning to wait until the medication was delivered in the coming days but I can change him over to a new sterile treatment tank in the next few hours if need be.

Moving it without having a medication to treat it with probably isn't a good idea. You other fish have already been exposed (if it is a contagious issue - doubtful). then, moving it increases stress, and with no treatment, it will just add to the stress of the disease.

You should probably set up the tank now to get it running, and then move the fish over and dose it with antibiotics at the same time.

Jay

 

[Herbie's Reef]

Moving it without having a medication to treat it with probably isn't a good idea. You other fish have already been exposed (if it is a contagious issue - doubtful). then, moving it increases stress, and with no treatment, it will just add to the stress of the disease.

You should probably set up the tank now to get it running, and then move the fish over and dose it with antibiotics at the same time.

Jay

Will do. setting up the qt now, should have the medication in 2-3 days