Pakistan Butterflyfish with weird thing on its tail

[cody hendrix]

I just introduced this Pakistan Butterflyfish into my DT after a month of QT. It was put through CP and two rounds of general cure. The fish was very active and eating well when I moved it into the display tank. Also the DT was a fresh set up. The rock all came from dry rock that I cured myself, so I know there wasn't anything in the take when it when it. The fish is still very active but did not eat today or yesterday. The thing on its tail appeared 3 days ago. There is also a zebra eel and Marine betta in with it. They are both eating like champs and very active.

Thanks in advance

 

[Humblefish]

Probably Lympho: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lymphocystis.257461/

Butterflies are very prone to having that virus.

 

[cody hendrix]

Probably Lympho: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lymphocystis.257461/

Butterflies are very prone to having that virus.

Thanks I had never even heard of that. I see that it said if it makes it past 7 days it is Lympho. Is there any possibility that it could be velvet or ick after the month in qt?

 

[Humblefish]

Is there any possibility that it could be velvet or ick after the month in qt?

Velvet would be pretty unlikely after a month in QT... However, symptoms of ich can occur at any time (unless you already prophylactically treated for that.)

 

[4FordFamily]

That looks like lympho to me as well.

Keep water clean, feed varied, healthy foods soaked in selcon, zoecon, or vita chem to help the immune system and improve nutrition

 

[cody hendrix]

So update, when I got home last night the butterfly was stuck to the side of the mp40 and nearly dead. This morning it is dead. Should I be worried about putting new fish into this tank. This is the first time I have been able to qt every signal fish that is going into this tank. I have fish that have been in qt for a month now doing great but I am worried that what the butterfly had will transfer to them and weaken them. I have never had a strong healthy fish get stuck to a power head. Should I add something else to my qt proceed? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Humblefish]

@cody hendrix First off, I am very sorry for your loss. I'm a big butterflyfish fan, and Pakistans are one of my favorite.

How difficult would it be to break your QT down, sterilize everything with bleach and restart from scratch? When I have an unexplained fish death in QT, that's usually what I do just to play it safe.

 

[cody hendrix]

Thanks I lost a Saddleback a few months back that came in with Velvet. I am just having very bad luck with butterfly. Any recommendations on one that is very hardy and a good eater. They all seem to be a little hard to get eating well.

The qt wouldn't be that difficult as its just a 40 breeder with some hang on the back filters.

What I'm really concerned about is my new DT. Its been up now for about 3 months. I'm worried that what the butterfly had is in the tank. That tank would not be an easy tank to take down and clean. I would also not have anywhere for those fish to go. Plus I have more fish coming this week that I already paid for. They are very expensive and hard to find fish. Two of them have already gone through QT at the sellers facility. I was going to just go strait into the DT with them and the other three were going to go into my QT setup.

So I'm kinda at a loss as to what I should do. I do also have a 20 gallon innovation marine tank that I could use as a qt set up. But the fish that Im getting in are kinda big for that set up. They are all 4 plus inches.

 

[Humblefish]

@cody hendrix All you can do is wait & see what happens now in your DT. Hopefully it was something other than a transmissible disease that killed the Pakistan.

I personally would put the new fish you are getting in at least an observation tank for 2-4 weeks.

 

[cody hendrix]

Well I am definitely going to do that with 3 of them. I do trust this guy. I hand picked the 2 fish 7 weeks ago and they have gone threw copper genal cure. I could out them in the 20 but they are both high energy fish and both 5 plus inches. Do you think they would be ok. Australian Harlequin tusk Quay parrot fish.


Thanks

 

[Humblefish]

How big are they? (I'm guessing both are large specimens.) That would be tough to do in just a 20 gal.

 

[cody hendrix]

The tusk is just over 5 inches and the parrot is 5 3/4. Yea that's why I asked him to qt them for me there.

 

[Humblefish]

The tusk is just over 5 inches and the parrot is 5 3/4. Yea that's why I asked him to qt them for me there.

Yeah, you'd need at least a 40 breeder for both of those.

 

[cody hendrix]

So I know they are coming healthy, its just that fact that I dont know what going on in my DT. How long would you wait to be sure there is nothing in there?

 

[Humblefish]

How long would you wait to be sure there is nothing in there?

The most serious diseases (e.g. velvet, gram negative bacterial infection) will usually show up within 2 weeks; however I've seen it take as long as 30 days in a few rare cases.

 

[cody hendrix]

The most serious diseases (e.g. velvet, gram negative bacterial infection) will usually show up within 2 weeks; however I've seen it take as long as 30 days in a few rare cases.

So if after a month I see no symptoms of anything and and all the fish are eating and active I should be pretty safe?

 

[Humblefish]

So if after a month I see no symptoms of anything and and all the fish are eating and active I should be pretty safe?

I would still black molly test your DT just to be sure: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-black-mollies-vs-marine-fish-diseases.312166/

That will let you know for sure whether or not Crypto (or some other disease) is lurking in there.

 

[cody hendrix]

Wow mind blown!!!!! I have never heard of that before. That's is the best thing since sliced bread hahaha