Lion Fish has an open wound!

[VannReefer87]

Hey everyone,

I left to go home for the weekend from college. When I left my dwarf fuzzy lionfish had a small white area on his side and when I came back it has progressed into a hole in his side!! I feel so bad for him, what can/should I do? Thanks everyone, I hope he can pull through.

[DementedLullaby]

QT and treat him with antifungal meds.

[VannReefer87]

he's in a tank by himself with me at college, do I still need to QT or will that medication ruin my LR and sand?...thanks DementedLullaby

[Megalomaniac]

if the medications have copper in them then they will kill your lr

[VannReefer87]

http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_R_...ilyID_5706.aspx

 

I was thinking of using this?...what do you guys think?

 

http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_R_...ilyID_5706.aspx

 

I was thinking of using this?...what do you guys think?

 

 

If the stupid link doesn't work, the stuff is called Marycn Saltwater Treatmeant for body fungus and bacterial infections and said doesn't require water changes, PH change, or temp. change if everything is in ideal range.

 

Thanks everyone!

[VannReefer87]

doesn't say it contains copper but who knows...maybe i'll take the main rock out...put in the meds...let it run its course...then do like a 50% water change and put the main rock in, run some carbon and hope for the best...What do you all think?

[idog]

Unfortunately, even medications that are "reef safe" are only ever 99.9% safe. There is always the chance that it may bugger something in your system.

 

The only sure way is quarantine. Dosing any meds in an established tank is somewhat of a gamble.

[Six]

QT and treat him with antifungal meds.

 

fungus is almost never founf in salt water. maybe you meant bacterial infection? they can look similar, but fungus are very rare.

 

you've got a bacterial infection, a bad one. i;d suggest QTing the fish b/c youre going to ned to medicate the fish with a med that will kill bacteria- including your tank's beneficial bacteria.

 

you'll also want to boost the fishes immune system by feeding it vitamins and fresh foods (not live, ideally. unless it wont eat anything else after 4 days of fasting).

 

if you cant QT him, well, youll have to medicate him with a antibacterial medication and it will effect the tank.

 

gl

 

doesn't say it contains copper but who knows...maybe i'll take the main rock out...put in the meds...let it run its course...then do like a 50% water change and put the main rock in, run some carbon and hope for the best...What do you all think?

 

not a bad idea, but this is going to be a longer process than a few days. youre probably talking weeks. where are you going to put the rock? if youre setting upo another tank for the rock, set up a QT tank instead.

 

or put the rock and filter media in a bucket with airation. medicate the fish and do water changes twice a week (50% or so would be great) while medicating. use an airstone of filter to move the water. filter media and bacteria are useless if medicating, so dont worry about that. water changes will keep the ammonia and other toxins in check.

 

hth

gl

[DementedLullaby]

fungus is almost never founf in salt water. maybe you meant bacterial infection? they can look similar, but fungus are very rare.

 

Sorry you're right a duh moment for me . Thinking FW because I've only had to deal with it in FW. I believe they use the same meds to treat fungus and bacterial infections so I guess it's all good.

 

Thanks for pointing that out!

 

I would still buy a small 5-10g and treat him in there. I wouldn't put anything else then I allready have to into my tank but that's just me. Live rock is great at holding onto meds I hear.

 

Best of luck!

[Prowland]

Drop the 10 bucks and get an extra 10gal AGA

 

IMO an extra QT is worth its weight in gold.

[Samoyed]

he's in a tank by himself with me at college, do I still need to QT or will that medication ruin my LR and sand?...thanks DementedLullaby

 

 

You will need a QT....applying most medications (especially with copper) will ruin your whole biological filter....witch is one of the worst things you can do.

 

I need to ask a few questions. How long has your dwarf had the wound? How big is the wound?

 

if the wound is small and he recently got it, it would be best to let it wait out, if it gets any worse....i would set him up in a QT with meds

[VannReefer87]

Well, I'll go to deathco tommorow and pick up some meds and maybe a 5.5 or 10g AGA, I have a spare AC30 layin around the dorm so I'll throw that in there with no media and put established water from the tank he's in now and medicate the water and hope for the best. Thanks to everyone whose helped me out!! I'll let you know what happens but, as of now he's not looking to hot with the hole in his side, poor guy

[Six]

Sorry you're right a duh moment for me . Thinking FW because I've only had to deal with it in FW. I believe they use the same meds to treat fungus and bacterial infections so I guess it's all good.

 

well, i think the problem is that most bacterial infections are called or IDd as fungal infections. fungal infections in freshwater are fairly uncommon too. usually fungal infections stem from neglected bacterial infections. if there's an neglected open wound and the water parameters are poor, the wound stays infected and decays. fungus grow on decaying matter -in the terrestrial world its excretion, leaves, pine nettles, etc. In the aquatic world, it's decaying flesh on a live animal or dead one. as you can imagine, under a scrutinizing eye, fungus rarely becomes an issue. ((if a fish has a fungal infection, look in their tank more often! LOL.))

 

hope that helps clear up the fungus vs bacterial infection debate. most lfs and medications say they are the same thing. they are not and each should be treated differently.

[SaVeThEeELs]

how big is he??

 

less than 4'', put him in a 5 gal bucket w/ light and power head use that as qt....

 

make sure hes eating

 

dose w/ the good stuff......dont be cheap, if an experienced reefer says its the best.... dont skimp out and buy the stuff thats 2 dollars less...

[Prowland]

The 10gal is going to be less than the 5.5 as far as tank cost goes.

[Six]

yea, if the fish has a bac infection, putting him in a bucket where you cant see his progress is a baad idea.

i agree, it would be easy and cheap, but not vigilant enough, IMO

[VannReefer87]

ok picked up a 5.5g today and through on an AC30 with a small heater and filled it with tank water he was in. Throw in some Mardel Maroxy and going to try and find Marcyn Saltwater tonight. Should I lower the temp a bit to slow bacterial growth or speed it up to up the little guys metabolism? Thanks everyone!

[VannReefer87]

ok just got back from deathco, put some marcyn saltwater in with the little guy and I'm thawing some mysid now to see if he'll eat a bit.

[fewskillz]

keep us updated!

[VannReefer87]

alright...well morning update...the little guy is still kicking, the wound doesn't look any worse or if anything looks like its cleaning out a bit..good sign? Well I hope so, little guy still didn't eat so I'll thaw out some food around lunch time to see if he'll munch on somethin. Gets some more maroxy this afternoon and another dose of maracyn tonight. Thanks everyone

[VannReefer87]

Well came back from Molecular Cell Biology Lab today only to find the little guy dead ...sux but nothin really I could do I guess. Will keep his avatar as a remembrance of him. Thanks for everyone who helped me out.

 

-Derek

[Samoyed]

Well, I'll go to deathco tommorow and pick up some meds and maybe a 5.5 or 10g AGA, I have a spare AC30 layin around the dorm so I'll throw that in there with no media and put established water from the tank he's in now and medicate the water and hope for the best. Thanks to everyone whose helped me out!! I'll let you know what happens but, as of now he's not looking to hot with the hole in his side, poor guy

 

don't sweat it....sigh i come home today with my tang lying on its side cause it scatched a rock and left a wound(its a baby 1 in. blue tang) dont get angry ive had it in good health for 6 months....but yea my clam recently died and gave it ich(witch wont last long) and thus causing him to get a small open wound. I'll let it take its course. For some reason he likes to lay against my brain coral, i believe its because it has a soft surface and feels good to the touch possibly.

 

what im trying to say is a flesh wound is a common thing and shouldnt be over reacted too. but if the wound is affecting the behavior of the fish i think you should set up a QT tank(and keep the QT tank around for later use).

 

-its better to underdose than overdose meds, and never use meds in anytank but a QT tank.

 

- i wish your fish the best

 

 

- Samoyed

[Six]

Samoyed- you mean the water quality gave the fish ich, or do you mean the clam itself gave the fish ich? cus the latter isnt possible. im guessing i read your wording wrong.

 

also, the tang is looking for a place to hide and thus is trying to hide in your coral. in wild reefs they dive into acropora colonies to escape predation. i would imagine he's looking for a place to hide. try putting in somethng thick and branchy next time you get a hepatus. adults can do the same thing.

[SaVeThEeELs]

yea, if the fish has a bac infection, putting him in a bucket where you cant see his progress is a baad idea.

i agree, it would be easy and cheap, but not vigilant enough, IMO

 

LOL yeah... i agree about observability.....but thats how a fish emergancy room is made.....this should be a temporary last resort!

gotta isolate him first right??

have the ability to dose w/ proper meds...

 

the bucket method is for someone who is gonna sit next to it and watch it close......

 

watch their breathing.....main problem of bucket method...

watch his gills.....make sure they move regularly....they should be bright red if you can see them, not faded

watch his colors....are they faded?? anything look out of the ordinary?

proper meds.....

 

ive only had to resort to the bucket once or twice......i keep a QT now...