Flame Angel disease contagious?

[AquaAngel]

Recently purchased a Flame Angel and added him to a QT with a Tomini Tang. Both were very healthy for 1 week; eating seaweed, mysis, and pellets, very both active. The Flame developed a white spot on his forehead that turned into a large hole after a week before he died in the QT. I tried Erythromycin in the QT on both fish, based on the LFS recommendations, but no other treatments.

The QT is 5 months old and fully cycled.
Ammonia was 0 measured with Alert Badge
SG = 1.024 measured with refractometer
Tomini and Flame were the only inhabitants added within a day of each other. Other fish have been through the QT previously before going to the DT.
The Flame acted normal (very active) until the day he died. He ate food until 3 hours before he died.

The spot on the forehead took more than a week to progress and kill the fish.

What was this disease and was it contagious? I am concerned about the Tomini and when I can safely put him in the DT.

I really appreciate any insight to this disease so I recognize it and can appropriately treat it in the future as well.

[Triton_Z]

Looks like it could have very well been some sort of bacterial infection and treatment with the antibiotics were too late to get it under control. I would keep the tang in QT and watch for any signs of trouble. I would not break quarantine and introduce your new tang into your DT until the fish looks clean and shows no signs of disease.

Were you able to complete a full treatment of Erythromycin on both fish? I would do a partial water change with some aged saltwater to get some fresh water introduced from the drug treatment.

Keep track of your ammonia levels as the antibiotics can put a hurt on your biological filtration.

Just continue to keep the Tang under close watch for any signs of disease.

[AquaAngel]

I was able to complete one full cycle of treatment with the medication, so 4 doses in 4 days.

Thanks for the reply.

[wooden_reefer]

IMO, whether a antibiotic is effective depends not only on sensitivity but also on the extent of infection.

Generally, a UV when properly set up is effective in reducing the severity and frequency of bacterial infection. But when there is injury, the extent of infection may be far greater. So when I see a significant wound, I opt for antibiotic treatment in QT ASAP.

By the same token, when you have an effective UV setup, the same bacteria that will invade an open wound may not infect another fish that does not have an open wound.

I always plan to have UV set up against bacterial infection. If you have strong interest in fish, IME a UV setup is necessary. I think it reduces incidents of BI by perhaps 80% and reduces the spread of BI.

A tank is a closed system; pathogen concentration may well be very high without the dilution effect of the ocean. A means to reduce waterborne concentration of pathogens is often beneficial. This consideration should be rather comprehensive for most diseases, although for some diseases such as ich this consideration is very strong and decisive.

Erythromycin tends to affect nitrobactor type bacteria more than nitrosonomous type, so there would likely be more problem with nitrite than with ammonia. This is good fortune for the aquarist as ammonia is much more toxic than nitrite.

[AquaAngel]

Originally Posted by wooden_reefer

IMO, whether a antibiotic is effective depends not only on sensitivity but also on the extent of infection.

Generally, a UV when properly set up is effective in reducing the severity and frequency of bacterial infection. But when there is injury, the extent of infection may be far greater. So when I see a significant wound, I opt for antibiotic treatment in QT ASAP.

By the same token, when you have an effective UV setup, the same bacteria that will invade an open wound may not infect another fish that does not have an open wound.

I always plan to have UV set up against bacterial infection. If you have strong interest in fish, IME a UV setup is necessary. I think it reduces incidents of BI by perhaps 80% and reduces the spread of BI.

A tank is a closed system; pathogen concentration may well be very high without the dilution effect of the ocean. A means to reduce waterborne concentration of pathogens is often beneficial. This consideration should be rather comprehensive for most diseases, although for some diseases such as ich this consideration is very strong and decisive.

Erythromycin tends to affect nitrobactor type bacteria more than nitrosonomous type, so there would likely be more problem with nitrite than with ammonia. This is good fortune for the aquarist as ammonia is much more toxic than nitrite.

Thanks for the information. I will look into the UV. I will research this for sure.
Wondering if it is most effective during QT or just the DT or both?
The Tang is still healthy though more timid now that he is alone; I had seen this on his first day in QT when he was alone as well; then more boldness when the other fish was added.

[ReeferGil]

Sorry about the loss. Good thing you QT your fish!!!