Pygmy Angelfish spot

[jpontier212]

My pygmy Angelfish has a spot on his head he never had before. It looks like the scales have come off possible anenome sting, possible scrape from rocks or a disease?

. Sorry android phone.

 

[michellejy]

It's hard to tell from the photo. Are you sure it is missing scales, or is there a lump? Have you noticed any behavior changes?

 

[jpontier212]

It's hard to tell from the photo. Are you sure it is missing scales, or is there a lump? Have you noticed any behavior changes?

No behavior change at all. No lump. Just missing scales. It almost look like a bite. That's why i thought anenome sting

 

[michellejy]

My guess would be that he scraped it on a rock when something startled him since that is the only symptom you are seeing. You can add something like vitachem or selcon to the food just to keep him healthy and hopefully avoid an infection.

 

[jpontier212]

I'm a little concerned because the spot has gotten bigger. Maybe scratching it or clownfish bitting it, or banded coral shrimp getting him?

 

[jpontier212]

I'm a little concerned because the spot has gotten bigger. Maybe scratching it or clownfish bitting it, or banded coral shrimp getting him?

 

[michellejy]

My phone is being stupid and won't play the video. I will tag the disease experts.

@Humblefish
@melypr1985

 

[Humblefish]

It looks like a cut that has gotten infected. Can you QT & treat? I feel he needs Kanaplex dosed directly into a QT, so his skin can absorb the medication.

 

[jpontier212]

It looks like a cut that has gotten infected. Can you QT & treat? I feel he needs Kanaplex dosed directly into a QT, so his skin can absorb the medication.

I will go get what i need but how do i catch him without stressing him it and destroying my tank in the meanwhile?

 

[jpontier212]

I will go get what i need but how do i catch him without stressing him it and destroying my tank in the meanwhile?

He's super skiddish

 

[Humblefish]

I will go get what i need but how do i catch him without stressing him it and destroying my tank in the meanwhile?

I've had pretty good luck catching fish by building one of these: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15902634&postcount=10

 

[melypr1985]

I agree with humble. QT, Kanaplex and vitamins in the food (if your not already adding them to his food). If the kanaplex doesn't quite knock it out then you may want to look at getting Furan 2 and metro to mix in with it. That's not something you have to do right away though.... just something to remember for later.

 

[jpontier212]

I agree with humble. QT, Kanaplex and vitamins in the food (if your not already adding them to his food). If the kanaplex doesn't quite knock it out then you may want to look at getting Furan 2 and metro to mix in with it. That's not something you have to do right away though.... just something to remember for later.

If i can't catch him, will the kanaplex be safe for my maroon clownfish and my reef? I have 3 zoas, 1 frogspawn, 1 hammer and a condy anenome.

 

[Humblefish]

If i can't catch him, will the kanaplex be safe for my maroon clownfish and my reef? I have 3 zoas, 1 frogspawn, 1 hammer and a condy anenome.

No, you'd have to soak it in food to make it reef safe. Also using Seachem Focus to bind the medication to the food to prevent it from leaching out into the water column and harming your corals. But this approach may not be "potent enough" if the cut/infection is as bad as it looks. Dosing Kanaplex directly into a QT forces the skin to absorb the antibiotic and provides more immediate relief.

 

[jpontier212]

No, you'd have to soak it in food to make it reef safe. Also using Seachem Focus to bind the medication to the food to prevent it from leaching out into the water column and harming your corals. But this approach may not be "potent enough" if the cut/infection is as bad as it looks. Dosing Kanaplex directly into a QT forces the skin to absorb the antibiotic and provides more immediate relief.

Ok. I'm going to try the bottle method fish trap. I have my hospital tank already set up. Hopefully i can catch him. He's really small. I would say he's about an inch and a half and the spot on his head is about 20% of his head.

 

[jpontier212]

Guys I'm seriously concerned. I have set 2 traps out to catch him and haven't had any success. the spot has now gotten bigger. He hasn't changed eating habits or been less active but i don't want to lose him. What other option do i have?

 

[melypr1985]

I had to remove all the rock and most of the water from my 75 gallon tank to catch the pygmy angel I used to have. He was the hardest to catch including my yellow coris wrasse. He never fell for the traps and even with all the rocks out and only 2 inches of water in the tank it still took me an hour to catch his fool butt. They are crafty and fast.... good luck

 

[Humblefish]

I had to remove all the rock and most of the water from my 75 gallon tank to catch the pygmy angel I used to have. He was the hardest to catch including my yellow coris wrasse. He never fell for the traps and even with all the rocks out and only 2 inches of water in the tank it still took me an hour to catch his fool butt. They are crafty and fast.... good luck

^^ This. Only other option is to start soaking his food with antibiotics and hope that is good enough. But if the infection is spreading rapidly, he needs skin exposure to the meds ASAP. Do you have corals/inverts in your tank?

 

[jpontier212]

^^ This. Only other option is to start soaking his food with antibiotics and hope that is good enough. But if the infection is spreading rapidly, he needs skin exposure to the meds ASAP. Do you have corals/inverts in your tank?

Yes i do.

 

[Humblefish]

Yes i do.

Dosing antibiotics directly into the water column of your DT (to help the fish) would likely damage your corals/inverts. :(