So now both triggers are ill

ngoodermuth · Mar 18, 2019

That’s pretty bad...You could try erythromycin? It works pretty well for eye infections, but you’ll need to run another full course. Do you have a second QT to move the female if she’s doing better?

What about an antiseptic bath? Have you tried giving him a bath in acriflavine?

RMS18 · Mar 18, 2019

Wow yeah thats bad. This is where my knowledge ends. I've never had a eye infection not go away after a weeks of treating.

Lizfrank1234 · Mar 19, 2019

Hello, we havnt got any Erythromycin. All the meds we get,we have to order from the U.S and it takes a couple of weeks. We have got Ruby Reef Rally for the Acriflavine bath. We do have two QT tanks but the other is used for corals/inverts so cant really move the female out. Any advice on the bath? Thanks very much

ngoodermuth · Mar 19, 2019

For the bath, you dose 5ml per gallon. I use a 5-gallon bucket, with an air-stone and small heater. Make sure the bath is up to temp and aerated before adding the fish and for the duration of the 90-minute bath.

It’s pretty well tolerated in my experience, but still check on the fish periodically for signs of stress.

After the bath, I think I’d really try to get him eating before any other treatments. You can continue the epsom salt for swelling, but if he doesn’t start to eat soon I don’t think he will have much of a chance at recovery.

Lizfrank1234 · Mar 19, 2019

Thanks @ngoodermuth,i am going to try a bath as soon as i can grab another small heater. I was going to remove the meds by water changes and carbon and give him a spell med-free to try and get him feeding. As you say, he cant last forever without feeding,i dont know how hes still going to be honest. Can Epsom salt be used continuously? I was kind of under the impression that you just dosed it twice 48 hours apart

ngoodermuth · Mar 19, 2019

Lizfrank1234 said:
Thanks @ngoodermuth,i am going to try a bath as soon as i can grab another small heater. I was going to remove the meds by water changes and carbon and give him a spell med-free to try and get him feeding. As you say, he cant last forever without feeding,i dont know how hes still going to be honest. Can Epsom salt be used continuously? I was kind of under the impression that you just dosed it twice 48 hours apart

After removing all the other meds with waterchanges/carbon, I would dose the epsom salt once more for good measure.

Lizfrank1234 · Mar 22, 2019

So,the trigger has had his Ruby bath yesterday,he came through it ok but the eye is no better. I removed the pipe fittings from the QT tank while he was in the bath in the hope that if he couldnt hide,he might eat something,nope. Left the fittings out overnight and tried to feed again this morning but sadly no interest at all. I think his eye condition,whatever it might be,is just too much for him and im afraid that he is probably way past any sort of recovery. Its very sad but i feel that ive tried as best i can but if he refuses to eat then theres nothing i can do. Ive gave him his pipe back and hes gone straight back in it and hasnt moved. Obviously,i still need to treat the female with copper but i will hold off now until nature takes its course with the male as i dont want to make things even more uncomfortable for the poor fish. @ngoodermuth ,@Bmwm235i ,@HotRocks and anyone else that offered help/advice,thanks very much

Lizfrank1234 · Mar 27, 2019

So @ngoodermuth ,@Bmwm235i ,@HotRocks, the male trigger went 4 weeks and ate once. I really hope its not too late for him but for some strange reason,he has decided to start eating the last three days! Hes only eating flake and a few pieces of mysis a couple of times a day but he is actually interested straight away when i put the food in and he sees it going past his pipe as long as i put enough in that the female cant eat it all before he sees it. His eys doesnt really look any different so im not sure whats changed for him but fingers crossed he keeps eating. As i said, i havnt a clue really whats going on but ill keep posting any developments

ngoodermuth · Mar 27, 2019

His chance for recovery is much better now that he’s eating! There is a good possibility he might lose that eye, But at this point there’s not much else you can do for that and since he is finally eating I wouldn’t want to try another round of medication and risk suppressing his appetite.

If you have vitamins or selcon to add to his food, I would do that to boost his immune system. If he suddenly stops eating again, you might consider another course of antibiotics. Otherwise, just keep offering small amounts multiple times a day, and hope for the best!

Happy for the positive update!

Lizfrank1234 · Apr 14, 2019

Ok just a quick update @ngoodermuth ,@HotRocks ,@Bmwm235i , the male trigger has been eating really well for over two weeks now,mainly pe mysis and raw prawn both soaked in selcon. I have just started to add copper power today. I am going to ramp it up to 2.0ppm over the next 5-7 days and then give them 30 days at the therapeutic level and see how they go. His eye may have improved slightly but not much but at least now its not stopping him eating like a little pig. He is still thin but appears to be gaining weight slowly so fingers crossed they both make it to the DT,i will keep updating any news, thank you