White stuff on on pbt fins

prsnlty · Jan 29, 2014

My pb has some sort of white stuff on his fins. Wasn't there yesterday. Just completed cyno treatment with chemiclean and 3 day black out 2 days ago. What is this? He has been healthy for almost a year. Should he go in the qt with coppersafe again?

Reefing Madness · Jan 30, 2014

I'd not go stressing him out, may just have gotten it on a rock. Keep an eye on him, but don't go moving him unless its needed. Looks harmless to me.

prsnlty · Jan 30, 2014

THANK YOU :) It's on both fins and he's been placing himself in front of the return flow like when he gets sick. He has been with stress parasites on and off for the first 6 months or so after I purchased him. He has been doing great for about a year and now this.

Reefing Madness · Jan 30, 2014

That sucks. Just keep em fattened up, he should be ok.

Eienna · Jan 30, 2014

Reefing Madness · Jan 30, 2014

Are the fins on his other side as tattered as the ones that are pictured? If they are ,then Im going still going with what I said. He looks like he's been playing around hard.

NC2WA · Jan 30, 2014

agreed...I wouldn't push the panic button yet..just watch it over the next wk or so...I would have a QT tank ready just in case u need to move it quickly.

prsnlty · Jan 30, 2014

The white stuff is on the top side of each side fin only. They look ok from underneith. It looks kind of fluffy. I did set up fresh qt water and it's ready if needed. He is eating flake but is disinterested in the nori (which he normally lays claim to) and he has eaten some frozen.

Catching him will be the trick if I have to, lol. This is one very smart fish. He seems to know I'm hovering for a reason. I can walk by, stand in front of and even reach in and he hangs out by me like we're buds. The minute I look like I'm going to climb on the stool or sofa he heads for the rocks in a hurry.

Reefing Madness · Jan 30, 2014

Fluffy you say. Well that ain't good.
Sounds like Lymphocystis

NC2WA · Jan 31, 2014

if lympho, then there is no cure for it...just give good quality water, feed well, and reduce as much stress as possible..should go away on its own...I have a blue ring angel in QT that had it for almost 2wks..it eventually went away on its own...the only issue is when it affects the mouth and inside of mouth which prevents it from eating...may be to cut it out which means use some type of calming agent to do...

it is a virus, and is contagious but doesn't mean all fish will get it...if immunity of other fish is high, they may not be affected...just watch it closely.

prsnlty · Jan 31, 2014

:( I hope he will be ok. He has been through a lot but for a year has been super healthy. The tank is very clean and good readings. Had some cyano that for some reason my tank gets this time of year. Treated that and all is good again. No new fish had been added in some time as well. Do you know what causes this virus?

Mike J. · Jan 31, 2014

Lymphocytosis is a virus that's usually caused by poor water conditions. While it is contagious, it's not easily spread to other fish. Like said before, fed it quality foods and give it a clean environment and it will usually go away on it's own within a month. Soaking food in garlic or selcon might help.

And, yes, they are very smart fish.

prsnlty · Jan 31, 2014

I wonder if killing aptasia could have caused this. I had a huge outbreak of them and went on a joes juice killing spree. I never used joes juice and it works great compared to the others I have used. Maybe I went overboard. I did change 25% of the water the next day because of it.

prsnlty · Jan 31, 2014

Thanks for all the help :) I keep few fish in the 125g. This guy is 5-6", yt at 4", coral beauty at 3", 1 yellow and 1 blue chromis at 2", 6 line wrasse, pair of osc clowns at 3" and 3 dispar anthias. All are fat and very healthy until now. They also all get along. However the yt and pbt used to fight in the beginning and the pbt was always sick. Only thing that worked for him was coppersafe. He was nearly a gonner a couple of times too.

Reefing Madness · Jan 31, 2014

Should be ok. Like stated keep an eye on em, and make sure he continues to eat.

prsnlty · Jan 31, 2014

Will do, thanks :)

prsnlty · Feb 14, 2014

Update: the pb is doing well. His fins are completely clear now. However I am missing 2 dispar anthias :( Idk if it was a combination of the cyano treatment an war on aptasia or just a sickness that caused all the problems.... and Joes Juice isn't really killing them anyway. They shrink up, spread and come back double. The tank is doing beautiful with that exception.