Tail rot

[SeaJay]

I had what I believed to be velvet in my DT, which I was unprepared for. While acquiring the necessities to QT and Medicate I lost 3 fish, but this green wolf eel seemed unaffected. I moved him to QT and treated with prazipro and then copper power for 30 days at 1.8ppm. At the end of the treatment I did a large water change in the QT thinking I was past the worst part and that he would just ride out the remainder of the fallow period in QT. Within a day or so of ending treatment and wc I noticed a whiteish spot on his tail about the size of a pea. Seemed in line with bacterial infection which I read are common in their weakened state as a result of copper treatment. All I could get my hands on at the time was some erythromycin from petsmart, so I dosed that. In about 3 days I had kanaplex, metroplex and Furan 2. His tail had gotten significantly worse so I dosed the trifecta. His tail continued to rot and he quit eating. Every day I come home to check on him and see if it’s time for a fishy funeral, but today I found him rather active and he finally ate. However, his tail is still getting worse. Is there any hope for this fish? Should I repeat any of the treatments beyond the recommended?

This is his tail today.

He hung out on the bottom for a while, then moved to the top near the aerator and heater and camped out there for a few days. Very surprised to see him out and about today.

 

[EmdeReef]

How many days did you treat with antibiotics? They can take a while to work.

Acriflavine/ruby rally baths could help too to slow the infection.

You could try changing abx and trying NFG.

 

[Big G]

How many days has the "Trifecta" been in the QT with the eel?

 

[SeaJay]

How many days did you treat with antibiotics? They can take a while to work.

Acriflavine/ruby rally baths could help too to slow the infection.

You could try changing abx and trying NFG.

I just followed the instruction on the boxes. I believe it was 2 doses 24 hours apart, water change, two more doses 24 hours apart on the erythromycin. Then I got the trifecta and I believe the dosing is the same on the furan 2. Daily on the Metroplex for a little over 2 weeks. Every two days on kanaplex for a total of 3 doses.

 

[SeaJay]

How many days has the "Trifecta" been in the QT with the eel?

Been a little over two weeks.

 

[Big G]

Glad your eel is eating. But it does appear that it's immune system is having a hard time.
Let's get more eyes on this:

@Bob Loblaw

 

[SeaJay]

How many days did you treat with antibiotics? They can take a while to work.

Acriflavine/ruby rally baths could help too to slow the infection.

You could try changing abx and trying NFG.

I do have ruby rally but wasn’t sure about using that in conjunction with the other meds or if I should treat the qt vs doing baths. Also trying to avoid anything super stressful like catching him for a bath.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

...

 

[SeaJay]

He’s eating again today and acting a bit less strange. Tail doesn’t seem to have gotten any worse. Maybe he’ll be ok. I started another round of metro and kanaplex.

 

[SeaJay]

He’s been eating regularly and active, but today I noticed him shaking. Not sure what this means.



My DT was fallow for 78 days. His tank mates have been returned to the DT following prazipro and copper treatment. The sand was added to the qt to help maintain bio filter and to make my red coris wrasse more comfortable while they rode out the remainder of the fallow period following treatment.

At this point I think he’d fare better in the DT as the water quality and environment in the QT is difficult to maintain after almost 3 months. I’m not willing to chance reintroducing anything to the DT, but I would like to break this qt down and sterilize for my next additions to the DT.

I did dose ruby rally, water change and dose the trifecta again this week. Kinda feel like I should cool it on the medication and just wait and see.

Any thoughts on this? At this point, should I reintroduce him to the DT and see if he recovers better there with better water quality andnhiding places, etc., or should I play it safe and keep him in qt?