Spring Damsel being eaten by something?

GoodKat · Feb 4, 2019

Hey guys,

See attached and background. Can anyone weigh in on what's going here with my damsel. I am completely stumped. It looks like he had a run in with a powerhead but my power head is completely netted off and there is no way he could have swam into it. The return is also blocked off and there's no way he would have sustained that much damage on his own.

He really looks like something is taking bites out of him but I spend multiple hours by the tank doing law school homework and I have not seen any aggression from any of the fish towards each other. My gut says it's the hawkfish but I haven't seen him so much as bother any of the other fish in the tank.

Today he was worse and I think I may have lost him :(. Any reef dectective think something could be framing the hawkfish)

Background:
Completely new tank. Cycled for 5 months. Dry sand. Dry live rock.

Two nights among I added my Sringer Damsel, royal gramma, and fire fish into the tank.

The firefish and damsel where previously housed in the same tank and we're best friends. I know it's uncommon, but the damsel is very very docile. He's never once bothered another fish.

The Gramma was moved to the new 20g from a different tank at the same time.

The hawkfish has been in the tank a week.

That fish are the only living creatures in the tank as far as I can tell.

Apart from the obvious (which is one of the other fish is attacking him when I'm not there) is there any way this could be a parasite fluke or fungus? The damage seems to have accorded rapidly.

Thank you to the community for any input. I am pretty sad about this.

JasonK84 · Feb 4, 2019

Looks bacterial to me.

GoodKat · Feb 4, 2019

Thank Jason, I think the damage has been done too rapidly to be bacteria.

I am probably ignoring the obvious, its almost surely the falco. They have a semi aggressive reputation. Some people keep them with success but it seems hit or miss.

I guess I will need to rehome him :(

GoldeneyeRet · Feb 4, 2019

Hard to say for certain from those pictures, but I agree it looks like a bacterial infection. They can, and frequently do, decimate a fish within hours.

GoodKat · Feb 5, 2019

Golden can you tell me anything else about a bacterial infection? Can they really spread that fast?

GoldeneyeRet · Feb 5, 2019

Yes they can. Infections, particularly fast moving gram negative Infections, are pretty common on newly shipped fish. Treatment is difficult as the infections move fast but antibiotics work slow. My best success treating these has been using NFG in a qt at first sight of infection.

Hawkfish can be a little aggressive but a healthy damsel should not be vulnerable to them.

Furthermore, the bulk of the damage appears to be on the ventral regions of the fish. Hawkfish would generally attack from above. If it is from an attack I would suspect something like a CBS or crab but I really think it's a bacterial infection.

GoodKat · Feb 5, 2019

I am beginning to think you are right, it looks like negative gram bacteria BUT none of the fish are new. I have had the Gramma, Damsel, and Firefish almost 8 months. and the hawkfish about 1 month. They are just finally all in their new tank.

I really don't think I can save him given how fast it spread. :( My last concern is are my other fire vulnerable. I may just take him out now and put him in my QT tank with copper. I don't have any of the recommended meds right now.

GoldeneyeRet · Feb 5, 2019

Copper is an immunosuppressant so if it is bacterial it will do more harm than good.

On the other hand, the fish likely wont survive, so copper could help on the off chance its something else such as a parasite.

Personally, I would remove it to help prevent it spreading. If you want to try to save it you could try a rally bath followed by antibiotics. Kannaplex, furan 2 and metro in combo would be a second choice that is more readily avaiable

Fish disease is certainly frustrating, sorry you are dealing with this.

GoodKat · Feb 5, 2019

Wow thank you! I just remembered I have a bottle of Rally. I am going to try that.

GoldeneyeRet · Feb 5, 2019

Best of luck to you. Even if the fish doesn't make it you should feel good about your efforts to save it. You are doing more than many would do for a little damselfish, good for you!