Sick Melanurus Wrasse and Yellow Tang

[HumuhumuFan]

Tank: 75g FOWLR, Eheim Cannister running just filter pads.
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 74.6
Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: Trace

Background: Tank has been up and running for at least 2 years. Fish have been mine since 2015 and 2016 respectively. I have been away on Army training for a few months. I had someone feeding the fish every other day while I was gone and a maintenance service. A week and a half before I returned (this past Friday) the light failed due to the power supply. The room gets a good amount of indirect natural light so I don't think this is at play but don't want to leave out any possible clues.

When I was home for Christmas I noticed the wrasse looked a little thin, and had my parents feed a little more but didn't think it was a huge deal. I was more concerned about overfeeding. When I got home I noticed the yellow tang was very faded and hid in a cave all day. The wrasse still looked thin and swam lethargically. Tang would not eat nori anymore but would eat brine shrimp and flakes. Wrasse was eating but looked like he spit almost everything back out. I also noticed a strange faded looking spot on the wrasse and the tang's dorsal fin is receding.

I tried researching the issue and started to suspect flukes due to the lethargy, hiding, appetite loss and the strange spot on the wrasse. This morning I did a 5 minute freshwater dip with both of them. I've attached pictures, of what was left in the bin afterwards.

And to make matters worse, when I was rearranging everything after the capture operation, the wrasse was briefly pinned between a piece of live rock and the sand bed. I feel awful that I may have injured him. ;Sorry SInce the bath the yellow tang looks okay although breathing rapidly, the wrasse I don't think is going to make it. He was lying on his side and head shaking. I will post the pictures ASAP.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Here's a picture of the spot on the wrasse, it only seems attached at one end. I figure it either has to be a fluke or a loose scale from the rock incident.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

In the picture I noticed a straight line of slightly miscolored spots.

I managed to get a picture of it dangling.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Here are the picture of what was in the bin. I figure these have to be flukes unless there was a little sand in the net.

 

[ngoodermuth]

I don't see any photos attached, but this is what flukes will look like in a freshwater dip:

To me, it sounds as though you might be dealing with bacterial infections... possibly secondary to flukes. Pictures of both fish would definitely be helpful to confirm. Also, have you seen any white-stringy poop from either fish? Some of those symptoms are also consistent with internal parasites, although that wouldn't explain the mark and eroding fin... but stringy-white poop is the indicator.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Another shot of the side spots.

And here is the tang.

I'm absolutely gutted.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Ok, I see the pictures... those do look like flukes. Treatment for flukes would be two doses of praziquantel, 5-7 days apart with a 25% water change before the second dose.

For the secondary infections, I would do the following:
-Give the fish a 90-minute bath in a product containing acriflavine, like ruby reef rally or API fungas cure. I do this in a 5-gallon bucket, with a small heater and airstone.
-Transfer to a hospital tank, and dose with Metroplex+Kanaplex+Furan-2. I would use this combination for 10 days, except replace two of the metroplex doses (5-7 days apart) with General Cure, since it contains both metronidazole and praziquantel. You'll still need to treat your remaining fish in the display with praziquatel as well. Prazipro is safe for use in display tanks with inverts,etc.

Make sure the hospital tank is heavily aerated, plenty of flow from powerhead(s) and an airstone.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Ok, I see the pictures... those do look like flukes. Treatment for flukes would be two doses of praziquantel, 5-7 days apart with a 25% water change before the second dose.

For the secondary infections, I would do the following:
-Give the fish a 90-minute bath in a product containing acriflavine, like ruby reef rally or API fungas cure. I do this in a 5-gallon bucket, with a small heater and airstone.
-Transfer to a hospital tank, and dose with Metroplex+Kanaplex+Furan-2. I would use this combination for 10 days, except replace two of the metroplex doses (5-7 days apart) with General Cure, since it contains both metronidazole and praziquantel. You'll still need to treat your remaining fish in the display with praziquatel as well. Prazipro is safe for use in display tanks with inverts,etc.

Make sure the hospital tank is heavily aerated, plenty of flow from powerhead(s) and an airstone.

Since both sick are fish should I transfer one or both to the QT, or just treat them in the display tank? I don't think the wrasse is going to survive the day. He's laying on his side on a rock now. dangit, I'm so mad at myself about the rock accident.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Is it just those two fish? I don't think it's advised to treat with antibiotics in a display tank with live rock, and especially if you have CUC inverts, etc. You could try just treating with prazipro and see if they can fight off the remaining infection on their own. Soak their food in vita-chem or selcon and see how they respond? You could also do the acriflavine bath for good measure, if you decide not to set-up a treatment tank.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Is it just those two fish? I don't think it's advised to treat with antibiotics in a display tank with live rock, and especially if you have CUC inverts, etc. You could try just treating with prazipro and see if they can fight off the remaining infection on their own. Soak their food in vita-chem or selcon and see how they respond? You could also do the acriflavine bath for good measure, if you decide not to set-up a treatment tank.

Yes, just the two of them, plus some snails and hermits. The QT is already setup and empty but it is only a 20g high. I'm guess I'm wondering if the stress of moving them is worth having a smaller tank to treat.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

How did they get flukes? What was introduced to the tank? And when?

 

[ngoodermuth]

Well, since you won't be able to treat for infection in the display... you can just treat the flukes and see if that gets them eating more and recovering. If not, or if they start to decline further... you'll have to get them into the QT quickly to treat with anything else.

Considering the accident with the rock, the wrasse (if he makes it that long) could probably use the antibiotics in any case... a bath in methylene blue could also be helpful in place of the acriflavine, for injuries sustained.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Yeah I was planning on putting the wrasse in, the tang was the one I wasn't sure about it, but better safe than sorry. I'll treat the display for flukes just in case.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

How did they get flukes? What was introduced to the tank? And when?

There hasn't been a new fish added to the tank since the tang in 2016. The only other new residents have been hermits and snails. I always drip acclimate them and discard the store water. Cross contamination by the cleaning service while I was gone? I'm pretty dumbfounded.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Yeah I was planning on putting the wrasse in, the tang was the one I wasn't sure about it, but better safe than sorry. I'll treat the display for flukes just in case.

You can treat the display, or if you'd rather not... the fallow period for flukes is only 4-weeks so you could just keep them in QT for that long and the display will be good to go. Either way.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Well, since you won't be able to treat for infection in the display... you can just treat the flukes and see if that gets them eating more and recovering. If not, or if they start to decline further... you'll have to get them into the QT quickly to treat with anything else.

Considering the accident with the rock, the wrasse (if he makes it that long) could probably use the antibiotics in any case... a bath in methylene blue could also be helpful in place of the acriflavine, for injuries sustained.

You've been so helpful, thank you. One question I have from your instructions though, can I use the Prazi in the hospital tank with the other medications you listed (Furan 2, Kanaplex, Metroplex)?

 

[ngoodermuth]

Sometimes, if the fish are healthy enough... they can live for some time with flukes without being overly symptomatic. Especially skin flukes vs. gill flukes. Often, it's the secondary infections that actually cause the most harm.

 

[ngoodermuth]

You've been so helpful, thank you. One question I have from your instructions though, can I use the Prazi in the hospital tank with the other medications you listed (Furan 2, Kanaplex, Metroplex)?

I like to use the general cure, just because it seems to be a bit easier on the fish than prazipro. But, yes as long as you are providing PLENTY of aeration (to the point where you think it could be overkill) they are fine together.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

How did they get flukes? What was introduced to the tank? And when?

I think some flukes can hand around in low numbers for a long time and not really cause fish harm or to express symptoms until their immune system or health deteriorate.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Update: I was able to find General Cure locally and had Furan-2 on hand. Going to have to Amazon the kanaplex and PraziPro for the display tank. The wrasse was still alive when I got home, but buried himself while I was dosing the QT.