Sick fish help

[SoggyBoi]

Over the past week I have noticed that my flame angel, who was recently added, has lost some of its color and its fins have become torn up. There are no other fish in the tank. It seemed fine when I put it in but its condition has quickly deteriorated. Not sure if this is a bacterial infection or something else. I am thinking about pulling him out into QT but am unsure of what to medicate or if I should medicate at all. Anything helps.

 

[4FordFamily]

Over the past week I have noticed that my flame angel, who was recently added, has lost some of its color and its fins have become torn up. There are no other fish in the tank. It seemed fine when I put it in but its condition has quickly deteriorated. Not sure if this is a bacterial infection or something else. I am thinking about pulling him out into QT but am unsure of what to medicate or if I should medicate at all. Anything helps.

We will need photos to best aid you.

Two things that cause this most commonly:

1) Bacterial infections

2) Flukes - this is more likely than infection although both are "common".

So we can properly ID, can you tell us of other behavior? Any twitching? shaking head? scratching? flashing? swimming in to powerheads? spots? "dusting", cloudy eyes, red marks, wounds?

 

[SoggyBoi]

We will need photos to best aid you.

Two things that cause this most commonly:

1) Bacterial infections

2) Flukes - this is more likely than infection although both are "common".

So we can properly ID, can you tell us of other behavior? Any twitching? shaking head? scratching? flashing? swimming in to powerheads? spots? "dusting", cloudy eyes, red marks, wounds?

Thanks for the response! There was a small white dot on it's head before any of this started happening but it went away after a day so I didn't think anything of it. It was twitching quite a bit but seems to have stopped. I have noticed that it has been swimming in the power head stream a lot too. I haven't noticed and scratching or wounds. I will try to get a good pic sometime today

 

[4FordFamily]

Thanks for the response! There was a small white dot on it's head before any of this started happening but it went away after a day so I didn't think anything of it. It was twitching quite a bit but seems to have stopped. I have noticed that it has been swimming in the power head stream a lot too. I haven't noticed and scratching or wounds. I will try to get a good pic sometime today

Swimming in to the powerhead is a symptom almost exclusively associated with velvet, which is a fast-acting parasite that kills fish quickly. It's possible you have multiple ailments. I'd get the fish in copper for right now, what else you use will depend on the photos.

Use a QT tank with biospira (to help battle ammonia), a seachem ammonia alert badge, and a hanna copper checker. I'd use copper power, you'll want 1.75 PPM copper concentration. You'll need to treat any and all fish this fish has been in contact with.

 

[4FordFamily]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/

 

[ngoodermuth]

+1 and I would definitely do a freshwater dip in transit, both to provide relief for the possible velvet as well as check for flukes.

 

[4FordFamily]

+1 and I would definitely do a freshwater dip in transit, both to provide relief for the possible velvet as well as check for flukes.

Good point/catch!

 

[SoggyBoi]

We will need photos to best aid you.

Two things that cause this most commonly:

1) Bacterial infections

2) Flukes - this is more likely than infection although both are "common".

So we can properly ID, can you tell us of other behavior? Any twitching? shaking head? scratching? flashing? swimming in to powerheads? spots? "dusting", cloudy eyes, red marks, wounds?

Here are some pictures that will hopefully help.

 

[4FordFamily]

Here are some pictures that will hopefully help.

Pics aren’t clear enough to be sure of anything but I can see it’s labored in swimming, and a bit off-color. The fins don’t look bad other than they’re laying down on the fish because he is weak. Likely weak from velvet.

I also notice that your tank is very new, based on the appearance of the rock and new tank syndrome. How long have you had the tank?

Centropyge are immensely sensitive to ammonia, and new tanks don’t convert it fast enough to nitrite and on through the nitrogen cycle. This will also cause quick deterioration.

Have you tested ammonia? Do you have an ammonia alert badge? I’d recommend adding one if not since this is a new tank.

 

[4FordFamily]

To clarify — when I say the photos aren’t clear enough to ID velvet this is beaches the parasite insertion points are often so small that the fish needs to be in focus 100%. It is often described as a “dusting”.

Another thing that helps if you have the capability is to turn off the whites and leave the blues/purples on and observe the fish. These “dustings” are often more noticeable in this lighting to you, less so to us due to bluewashed photos.

 

[SoggyBoi]

To clarify — when I say the photos aren’t clear enough to ID velvet this is beaches the parasite insertion points are often so small that the fish needs to be in focus 100%. It is often described as a “dusting”.

Another thing that helps if you have the capability is to turn off the whites and leave the blues/purples on and observe the fish. These “dustings” are often more noticeable in this lighting to you, less so to us due to bluewashed photos.

The tank has been running since the first week of February and I haven't noticed and "dusting". I will test the water tonight.

 

[SoggyBoi]

Pics aren’t clear enough to be sure of anything but I can see it’s labored in swimming, and a bit off-color. The fins don’t look bad other than they’re laying down on the fish because he is weak. Likely weak from velvet.

I also notice that your tank is very new, based on the appearance of the rock and new tank syndrome. How long have you had the tank?

Centropyge are immensely sensitive to ammonia, and new tanks don’t convert it fast enough to nitrite and on through the nitrogen cycle. This will also cause quick deterioration.

Have you tested ammonia? Do you have an ammonia alert badge? I’d recommend adding one if not since this is a new tank.

As far as trouble swimming, I haven't noticed anything like that.

 

[4FordFamily]

As far as trouble swimming, I haven't noticed anything like that.

The position of the fish in the photo indicate to me it’s a weak swimmer. Can you post a video?

In all honesty, if velvet as I suspect, you may only have 24 hours left with the fish if untreated.

 

[SoggyBoi]

The position of the fish in the photo indicate to me it’s a weak swimmer. Can you post a video?

In all honesty, if velvet as I suspect, you may only have 24 hours left with the fish if untreated.

I don't believe it is velvet as it is not showing any signs of the symptoms I have read.

 

[4FordFamily]

I don't believe it is velvet as it is not showing any signs of the symptoms I have read.

Swimming in to powder heads is almost exclusive to velvet. Other ailments that damage gills can lead to the same. In centropyge angels, ammonia burn in the gills can on occasion.

If ammonia is present a methelyne blue bath will provide relief.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Have you done a freshwater dip yet? Flukes can sometimes cause ragged fins, and gill damage.

I agree with @4FordFamily though... swimming into powerheads and pale/washed out colors say velvet to me, more than anything. Bacterial infections are commonly secondary to parasites, even though we don't always see the typical "symptoms" of the parasites themselves.

 

[SoggyBoi]

Have you done a freshwater dip yet? Flukes can sometimes cause ragged fins, and gill damage.

I agree with @4FordFamily though... swimming into powerheads and pale/washed out colors say velvet to me, more than anything. Bacterial infections are commonly secondary to parasites, even though we don't always see the typical "symptoms" of the parasites themselves.

I haven't been able to do a freshwater dip yet as I didn't have time during lunch. How do I do a freshwater dip and what am I looking for? Also, is there something that I can medicate with generally until we determine what it is exactly?

 

[ngoodermuth]

Excellent video explaining what to do and showing what to look for:

 

[ngoodermuth]

If no flukes, starting copper and a wide-spectrum antibiotic (like kanaplex and/or furan-2) would be a good idea...

 

[SoggyBoi]

If no flukes, starting copper and a wide-spectrum antibiotic (like kanaplex and/or furan-2) would be a good idea...

Both copper and the antibiotic together?