Sailfin Tang Inflated

[Clownfish2]

i have a Sailfin Tang in a QT tank. Has been in QT for 33 days with copper. Has been eating great....pellets, Nori, live brine shrimp.

The past week his body has inflated. I thought he was just getting fat but I don’t think so. Even his eyes are protruding from the inflated body.

It’s time to get rid of the copper. What medication or food could remedy this issue? He doesn’t seem to be interested in food today.

 

[Humblefish]

Could be an internal infection (bacteria).

Treatment of choice: Metronidazole combined with Neomycin Sulfate in a medicated fish food slurry can be a very good full spectrum internal/gut infection treatment, treating both aerobic and anaerobic bacterium.

Remember, poor water quality can cause/aggravate an internal infection.

 

[Clownfish2]

Could be an internal infection (bacteria).

Treatment of choice: Metronidazole combined with Neomycin Sulfate in a medicated fish food slurry can be a very good full spectrum internal/gut infection treatment, treating both aerobic and anaerobic bacterium.

Remember, poor water quality can cause/aggravate an internal infection.

Is it ok to mix metroplex into the water with copper already in the water ?

My plan is to do a 5 gallon WC today then add in the metroplex. The cupramine level is 0.4-0.5.

I’ve been doing 5 gallon WC every 2 weeks. It’s a 20 gal QT.

 

[Clownfish2]

The Sailfin Tang also has a roommate, a ocelaris clown, who is doing great.

 

[Humblefish]

Is it ok to mix metroplex into the water with copper already in the water ?

Yes

 

[Clownfish2]

Yes

Here are some better pics. He will occasionally eat a brine shrimp or two which is good.

 

[Toofattofish]

Could be an internal infection (bacteria).

Treatment of choice: Metronidazole combined with Neomycin Sulfate in a medicated fish food slurry can be a very good full spectrum internal/gut infection treatment, treating both aerobic and anaerobic bacterium.

Remember, poor water quality can cause/aggravate an internal infection.

I haven't personally ever seen bloat but I'd think adding a medication like cipro or sulfa would be helpful as they are absorbed much more than neomycin.

 

[Clownfish2]

Yes

Good news: Its been a week since I discovered something was wrong with my sailfin tang (bacterial infection). His entire body was swelled up as well as his eyes and he stopped eating. I had to leave for a work trip, but I dosed the QT with metroplex, kanaplex, and furan 2. My wife dosed again while I was gone. Later in the week, his swelling was gone and his appetite returned. Unfortunately, he now has 3 white spots on his tail, a few ragged edges on his sail fins, and he darts around as if he is trying to knock something off his body.

Yesterday, I suspect this is ich, so I immediately added 40 drops of cupramine to the 20 gallon tank. Copper test shows 0.4-0.5. There was already a trace amount of copper in the water from the last copper treatment I performed for 33 days. I am very surprised ich came back to terrorize this sailfin tang after the 33 day copper treatment.

My plan is to perform copper AGAIN for at least 30 days at 0.5 level and dose metroplex and kanaplex for at least 10 days for any lingering bacterial activity.

Any other treatment advice?

 

[Humblefish]

@Clownfish2 I would continue with antibiotic treatment for 10-14 days.

Regarding the white spots on the tail, maybe it's just Lympho?? https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lymphocystis.257461/