New Copperband has something

falconut · 07/07/2009, 06:05 AM

I've had him for 6 days. He's eatting live blackworms, frozen mysis and frozen brine. He swims normal, breaths normal and is eatting great.

The day I bought him, I drip acclimated him for an hour. Once I was done dripping him, I removed the drip line and added a drop of Quick Cure (ingrediants: malachite green, formalin) to the container for 5 minutes. This was just a precaution.

His fins and body have been clear until yesterday. When I got home from work, I noticed that his fins were a little cloudy looking. Upon a closer look, there were cloudy whitish spots. Didn't look like the typical salt sprinkle. It appears that they are only on the rear and side fins, but they are the only clear fins.

I scooped him out and added a drop of Quick Cure, this time for 15 minutes. I fed him this morning as usual and he ate with gusto. But I can still see the cloudy spots.

I've had fish with marine velvet and ich in the past, and this looks different. Usually the fins are still clear and the spots are distict. But this time, the spots are harder to see, the fins just appear cloudy. I tried to find photos on the net to positively ID it, but I've had no luck. I couldn't find many good photos of diseases.

My QT tank: NO3: 20 ppm; Salt: 1.024 - The Ammonia and Nitrite are always 0, since the tank is constantly running. I added a 5 gallon tank last night with new water to increase the tank volume.

Anybody have an idea what he might have? Does this sound like flukes? I do have Prazipro that I could use.

Help. I'd hate to loose him, other than this, he is doing awesome.

Gwynhidwy · 07/07/2009, 07:51 AM

It doesn't sound like flukes to me, but I treat all of my fish with Prazipro.

Have you considered a bacterial infection or Lymphocystis?

falconut · 07/07/2009, 08:56 AM

Gwynhidwy - How long do you treat with the Prazipro? Do you do water changes during that period? How do you remove it when you're done?

Doesn't Lymphocystis look like big cottony whitish things hanging off the fins? If so, it isn't that. I'm not sure what a bacterial infection would look like. Can it just be on the fins?

Gwynhidwy · 07/07/2009, 10:02 AM

I treat with the recommended dose for fifteen days. I do a 50% water change on days five and ten, dosing the new water with Prazipro prior to adding to the tank. I then do another water change on the 15th day, but I don't add more Prazipro to that one. After the final water change I run GAC, which as far as I understand will pull the remaining praziquantel from the water.

Yes, bacterial infections can be just on the fins, though it often spreads from the fins to the rest of the fish. I've seen bacterial infections start as cloudy looking fins with stringy edges and some more opaque areas on the fins, though usually the opaque would be most noticeable on the edges of the fins. Usually you only see bacterial infections when water quality is poor or the fish has a previous injury.

After more thought, it could be flukes, but I only have experience with the type of flukes that cause breathing problems as well and that doesn't sound like this.

Lymphocystis can cause large growths, but I've also seen it cause smaller white lumps, somewhat similar to cryptocaryon cysts. The growths that I've seen usually have irregular edges.

Any chance of a photo?

07/07/2009, 06:05 AM	#1
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	New Copperband has something I've had him for 6 days. He's eatting live blackworms, frozen mysis and frozen brine. He swims normal, breaths normal and is eatting great. The day I bought him, I drip acclimated him for an hour. Once I was done dripping him, I removed the drip line and added a drop of Quick Cure (ingrediants: malachite green, formalin) to the container for 5 minutes. This was just a precaution. His fins and body have been clear until yesterday. When I got home from work, I noticed that his fins were a little cloudy looking. Upon a closer look, there were cloudy whitish spots. Didn't look like the typical salt sprinkle. It appears that they are only on the rear and side fins, but they are the only clear fins. I scooped him out and added a drop of Quick Cure, this time for 15 minutes. I fed him this morning as usual and he ate with gusto. But I can still see the cloudy spots. I've had fish with marine velvet and ich in the past, and this looks different. Usually the fins are still clear and the spots are distict. But this time, the spots are harder to see, the fins just appear cloudy. I tried to find photos on the net to positively ID it, but I've had no luck. I couldn't find many good photos of diseases. My QT tank: NO3: 20 ppm; Salt: 1.024 - The Ammonia and Nitrite are always 0, since the tank is constantly running. I added a 5 gallon tank last night with new water to increase the tank volume. Anybody have an idea what he might have? Does this sound like flukes? I do have Prazipro that I could use. Help. I'd hate to loose him, other than this, he is doing awesome.

07/07/2009, 07:51 AM	#2
Gwynhidwy Meat Popsicle Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,511	It doesn't sound like flukes to me, but I treat all of my fish with Prazipro. Have you considered a bacterial infection or Lymphocystis? __________________ -- He who learns must suffer, and, even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. -- Aeschylus

07/07/2009, 08:56 AM	#3
falconut Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Blackwood, NJ Posts: 3,813	Gwynhidwy - How long do you treat with the Prazipro? Do you do water changes during that period? How do you remove it when you're done? Doesn't Lymphocystis look like big cottony whitish things hanging off the fins? If so, it isn't that. I'm not sure what a bacterial infection would look like. Can it just be on the fins? __________________ 180 Gallon FOWLR, 40 Gallon Sump and 10 Gallon Refuge. (2) OceanRevive S026 LEDs, ASM G2 Skimmer & SCA-302 Skimmer. Setup since July 2017.

07/07/2009, 10:02 AM	#4
Gwynhidwy Meat Popsicle Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,511	I treat with the recommended dose for fifteen days. I do a 50% water change on days five and ten, dosing the new water with Prazipro prior to adding to the tank. I then do another water change on the 15th day, but I don't add more Prazipro to that one. After the final water change I run GAC, which as far as I understand will pull the remaining praziquantel from the water. Yes, bacterial infections can be just on the fins, though it often spreads from the fins to the rest of the fish. I've seen bacterial infections start as cloudy looking fins with stringy edges and some more opaque areas on the fins, though usually the opaque would be most noticeable on the edges of the fins. Usually you only see bacterial infections when water quality is poor or the fish has a previous injury. After more thought, it could be flukes, but I only have experience with the type of flukes that cause breathing problems as well and that doesn't sound like this. Lymphocystis can cause large growths, but I've also seen it cause smaller white lumps, somewhat similar to cryptocaryon cysts. The growths that I've seen usually have irregular edges. Any chance of a photo? __________________ -- He who learns must suffer, and, even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. -- Aeschylus