Royal Gramma is sick! Help!

[pamelahaley]

I've had this royal Gramma for about 7 months and, I don't know how old it is but, he looks pretty seasoned.

When I moved the tank back in January, he ended up with a bubble over his eye for a few weeks that went away. I figured he hurt himself squeezing into a rock trying to hide.

The bubble returned last week after I moved the rock work and yesterday, I noticed white patches and bloody scales on his yellow area. He is hanging out against the back of the tank and squeezed behind rocks, when he really stresses.

I looked for disease possibilities and the closest I found was:
See Monogenean Parasites for an example.
http://www.chucksaddiction.com/disease.html">http://www.chucksaddiction.com/disease.html</a>

I don't see any spots that look to be parasites but, I had for some time written off some spots on the fish as roughed up scales since he also squeezes in the rocks at night. The white patches in the scales are now very prominent.

Considering how stressed he is looking right now, the remedies recommended in this article just sound like making death a certainty through stress alone. Formalin and fresh water dips aren't exactly fun for these guys.

I have a damsel and falco hawk in the same tank and both are behaving normally. All the corals look good. pH registered 8.4. salinity 1.23 Not sure about other params ATM.

Any help or suggestions on treatment? Anyone find this thread with a tendency to take on sick fish which magically heal in their tanks? I'll see how he looks today when I get home but, he was looking pretty beat last night. He has pulled this "stressing to death" act on me several times and bounced back but, this time it looks serious.

 

[jennm]

Sounds like a bacterial infection possibly. If he had a mechanical injury that appeared to heal, that might have opened the door to infection.

If it's still eating, Focus and either KanaPlex or NeoPlex (Kanamyacin and Neomyacin respectively) might work.

OR treating the water in a q-tank with KanaPlex or NeoPlex if he's not eating.

Jenn

 

[pamelahaley]

I'm not a good reef keeper... I have 2 tanks but, neither are QT. What would those supplements have a negative effect on?

He didn't eat last night.

Also worried trying to catch him will do more harm... unless he's slowed down. He was harder to catch than a sixline.

 

[jennm]

Well if it's not eating that's not a good sign. Putting the antibiotics mentioned into the food shouldn't be an issue in a reef tank but you must NOT treat the water (there are two ways to use those meds - in food or in-tank).

Keep an eye on your other fish that this infection (or suspected infection) doesn't spread to your other inhabitants.

I don't know of any "reef safe" treatment for bacterial infections. Since bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics, and antibiotics can kill good as well as bad bacteria, there's no way to discriminate and just have the bad ones killed, while leaving the good species intact.

Jenn

 

[pamelahaley]

I just got home and fed the tank. Was hiding behind the usual rock but, is active and eating. The swelling on the eye has gone down but, it's still a little cloudy. Since he's swimming I now see the extent of the damage and spots on the dorsal fin. His tail is shredded.

I don't like antibiotics, even for me. He's a tough fish indeed. Maybe I'm jumping the gun but, eating and improvement swelling in the eye could be a sign of improvement without treatment. I'm just thinking of the time I went to the doctor and they did not prescribe me anything because the worst was over...

 

[pamelahaley]

I looked around the products, KanaPlex or NeoPlex are both described as safe for the sand bed (blah blah blah I've experienced different from packaging so I'll listen to you, Jen) It says something about a binding polymer for feeding, what would that be?

Could I just soak brine shrimp or pellets?

 

[jennm]

It's never a good idea to medicate a reef tank. There are a couple of exceptions to that but this isn't one of them, in my opinion - not worth the risk.

The polymer for feeding is Focus (also by Seachem, discussed here frequently for use with Metronidazole for ich). It has some antibiotic properties to it also but its main function is to bind the medicine to the food.

Jenn

 

[pamelahaley]

Hey Jenn, I went by a store that is closing since I am low on funds. For $2.50 I got Jungle Antibacterial Medicated fish food. Don't know how that will work but, for the price it was worth a shot. They didn't have the stuff you suggested. The gramma was out swimming when I got home and his eyes are almost completely clear. I'll feed them this stuff for a week anyways.

 

[jennm]

I'm familiar with that stuff - I forget what the active ingredient in but I believe it's one of the ones I mentioned. I've used their anti-parasite pellets - they have Praziquantel in them.

(BTW - what store is closing?)

Jenn

 

[pamelahaley]

sodium sulfathiazole 2.3%
nitrofurazone .13%

It's called Aquarium... very descriptive, lol Aquarium Inc if looking it up on Google. Looks like they lost a bunch of their customers when business partners ousted the former helpful and knowledgeable owner. I bought their last 3 snails today and they couldn't tell me what kind they were...

Edit: BTW, I had to look it up. I gathered they were nerites from the shell shape but, had patterns I was not familiar with. They are Pacific nerites.

 

[jennm]

Yep that might work. (the meds)...

Never heard of the store...

Jenn