Timor Wrasse Diagnosis Help!

[JCas06]

Hello, I have a Timor erase that I’ve had for around two years now and he has been struggling for months now with something I would like help in identifying. He has a large lump on one side of him and what looks to be another lump starting out almost directly on the opposite side along with a tiny white bump more near his anal fin. He has some type of pectoral fin degradation that looks to have white specks near the tips of what’s left. His belly is also sucked in even though he eats like a pig. I will attach pictures and video.

I managed to trap him two weeks ago and did a safety stop bath on him (formalin and methylene blue) but did not seem to do much. I have a full mixed reef tank, and he is still too fast to catch with a net.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello, I have a Timor erase that I’ve had for around two years now and he has been struggling for months now with something I would like help in identifying. He has a large lump on one side of him and what looks to be another lump starting out almost directly on the opposite side along with a tiny white bump more near his anal fin. He has some type of pectoral fin degradation that looks to have white specks near the tips of what’s left. His belly is also sucked in even though he eats like a pig. I will attach pictures and video.

I managed to trap him two weeks ago and did a safety stop bath on him (formalin and methylene blue) but did not seem to do much. I have a full mixed reef tank, and he is still too fast to catch with a net.

This appears to be a cyst and is bacterial related. Safety stop is a bath or in better terms a disinfectant for fish and not deemed a regular treatment in which there are mixed reviews with product. For this, I would get the fish into a quarantine tank and treat instead with Seachem Kanaplex or even neoplex for at least 7 days providing good water quality and added oxygen with an air stone

 

[Jay Hemdal]

The other wrasse is also hassling this one. The fact that it was making passes at it while you were right there taking the video makes me wonder what it is doing with you leave the room?

The slightly "off" appearance of this fish, the length of time you've had it plus the lesions on its body make me think Mycobacterium, fish tuberculosis. That is a chronic, but untreatable internal bacterial disease....positive diagnosis requires a post-mortem, but the basic visual signs are there.

Jay

 

[JCas06]

So I have treated with NFG for a total of 3 weeks. I have seen slight improvement but not much. Wrasse still eats normally. White blotches at the tips of his pectoral fins never went away. Neither did the large lumps on the side of his body. I just stopped treating with NFG and started API General Cure. I have fed pellets with epsom salt and a binder a few times as well. Never have seen stringy white poop. I’m really at a loss of what to do. I feed the fish he is more lethargic and it seems sometimes his belly wants to start floating upwards but as it starts he will start moving again and right himself. Thoughts? Will include new pictures and links to YouTube vids.

 

[JCas06]

I’m addition to post and pictures above here are YouTube video links…

June 16, 2023

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June 16, 2023

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June 16, 2023

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June 16, 2023

youtube.com

June 16, 2023

youtube.com

June 16, 2023

youtube.com

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Visually, this is a pretty classic case of Mycobacterium marinum....fish tuberculosis. The history and symptoms match up, and I don't know of anything else that would match like that.

Here is an excerpt from my disease book about that:

Mycobacterium infection (AKA "Fish Tuberculosis") is a common, yet often misdiagnosed bacterial disease of freshwater and marine fish. It has zoonotic potential as it can infect humans through cuts in the skin.

Symptoms are varied and non-specific, and can include; darkened coloration, emaciation, fin erosion, skin ulcers, and granulomas on the internal organs (which will stain for gram positive, acid-fast bacteria). In most cases, the disease is chronic and slow acting, with most fish succumbing due to "old age". However, in some species, held under crowded conditions, acute Mycobacterium infections have been seen, where a high percentage of the population will die, even at a young age. This has been noted in cichlids, pupfish, pirate perch and zebra danios.

Many treatments for Mycobacterium infections in fish have been proposed, but none work well. Antibiotics that have been used include; erythromycin, kanamycin, and rifampicin. It is probable that any drug used would need to be dosed orally, especially if freshwater fish are being treated. Control is the best course of action; maintain optimal water quality, avoid overcrowding, and remove any dead fish promptly.


Jay