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Flame Angel Sick, Possible Fin Rot


Samc

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I went on vacation for 5 weeks to europe. When I came back, I had to do some work on the tank to get the sump running again (sump pump burned up). I checked on the inhabitants as best I could, but it was difficult to spot my flame angel. Today I got a good look at him, and most of his tail was gone. I only had a short time till I was leaving again for a week, so I did a quick salt check w/ the refrac, 1.025. I had my mom run a ph test today (at my dads now), its 8.4, in range. The tank didn't have make up water for a week and a 1/2, while the person who was taking care of the fish while I was away was away, and with the sump down= no float switch. That caused the salt to be at 1.028 for a week at least, I got it to 1.025 saturday with the sump needing water, had to add salt. I have NEVER had a problem with ammonia, nitrite or nitrate on this tank. My skimmer is back up and running, not much foam yet (still a relativly new diy remora). I told my mom to add garlic as a first measure, since it has proven succesful for me in the past treating ich. This particular flame angel has been in my care for 5 years without any diease major diease, possibly an outbreak of ich once (all the inhabitants of my 75 gallon had it). Garlic was the leading factor in that cure. I do not have a quarintine tank setup at this moment, and don't feel it will be neccesary since their are no live corals in the tanks, just hermit crabs right now. I have had the light lowered the light to 6 hrs/ day, plus raised the light 6 inches. My feel is the leading factor was an overheat of the tank, even with central air at 76 degrees. I purchased blinds and installed them today to prevent solar heating of the room, and have a large window fan blowing across the tank. Does anyone have any pictures of fin rot, or any suggestions. I personally want to keep this flame for another five years, and am hopeful. I have a 30 gallon tank on hand for an emergency quarintine if needed.

 

Thanks in advance (I know its long),

 

Sam

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Alright, even though you think the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are perfect, bacterial infections like "fin rot" are usually caused by poor water quality.

It certainly does sound like a bacterial infection, unless you can get pics to prove otherwise, we'll say that it's most likely the culprit.

So, let's get a look at your exact water parameters... please test and post the gambit of water tests, including pH and alkalinity, specific gravity and exact temperature. There may be something there that needs fixed. Simple water changes will help sure the problem.

Honestly, if there isn't anything wrong with the water, you may want to QT the fish and treat it there. Medications that will cure/help bacterial infections (garlic helps with parasites and doesn't do much for bacterial infections)are going to be strong antibiotics that can leave residual chemicals in your aquarium. LR can absorb it and it can kill hermits or other inverts, depending on the dose and the product. Plus you don't want to medicate any animal that doesn't need it. Another reason to be sure of your water test, that way you dont have to medicate a fish that may not need it (sounds like you already pretty much know that :) )

 

You're concerned about the temperature? You didn't post what the temp of the tank was...

 

Also, messing with the lighting is going to stress the animal out more than help. Was there a valid reason for changing it? I would change it back to what the fish has been used to for it's 5 years. Kinda like 'fishy jet lag', it's going to be stressful to mess around with the photoperiod of your tank when the fish is already sick.

 

As far as the SG being high, 1.028 isnt too terrible. I'd be more concerned about the lack of oxygen when the pump went out.

 

Contact your local fish club next time you go out of town to see if they offer "fish sitting" services. That way you don't have to leave your pets to "an outsider" LOL.

 

GL.

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I will have the water quality checked asap (I don't have access directly to the tank for a week, makes treating this kind of hard). I understand MOST all fish sickness is caused by something related to water quality; in my 8 years of personal experience, temperature happens to be the leading cause of fish illness, most noticably ich. I had two or three ich outbreaks in my 75 gallon when the seasons were changing; most noticably from spring to summer and summer to fall. This particular fish has lived under three seperate lighting systems; a 110 watt cf plus 80 watt no flo system, just the 80 watt flo (all on the 75), and now under the 150 watt de mh on the 30. He has been under this system in the 30 for almost a year now. The reason for the lighting change is mainly heat; raisng the fixture and shortining the photo period should help in this regard. Also, fish tend to heal better under lower lighting; it helped clear up HLLE in my powder brown tang (the reason for dumping the cfs on my 75 fowlr) and with ich as well. Unfortuanatly, I only have a non digital stick on tank thermo, which is reading in the lower to mid 80's; It was spiking higher before my vacation. BTW, the outsider was my best friend who had detailed instructions; the reason for the mess was a pump failure two weeks for my return. My backup has a 1/2" thread, not a 3/4" thread, and thus couldn't be hooked up without an adapter. He did the best he could under the circumstances (5000 miles of distance doesn't make for easy communications).

 

Sam

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I'm still scatching my head here becasue you never said the fish had Crytocaryon... you said it had "Fin Rot" (which is a bacterial infection).

Does the fish have Crypt?

You didn't state that it did in your post. Crypt (AKA "ICH") is a parasite and "Fin Rot" is a bacterial infection. Totally different diseases and totally different cures.

 

What does the fish have? Crypt? Bacterial infection? Both?

 

You only say the fish has a bacterial infection... but your treating for crypt... we'll need to know what, specificly, the fish has before we can help. If you cant find out, then there's no way we can give good suggestions for treatment.

 

And yes, temperature fluctuations can cause most disease problems... but not usually bacterial problems. Temp can make an initial bac infection progress faster, but usually it isnt a cause of the infection. that would be similar to saying you got an infection from warm weather. it doesnt work that way. you have to have a mode of infection, a wound, lesion, or something effecting the flesh of the animal. ((unless you have flesh-eating bacteria which only shows up on freshly caught wild fish.))

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The fish DOES NOT have ich. I am pretty sure it is fin rot. Most of his tail and his blue is gone. He has white along the outer rim of most of his body. Otherwise, he is eating and acting normal. The other fish in the tank are a false percula clown and a blue damsel. This particular flame angel is the master of the tank; he has been known to harass the damsel, but rarely. The other fish were ignoring him and acting usual. I have never dealt with bacterial problems.

 

According to http://faq.thekrib.com/disease-sw.html, the reconmended medication is Erythromycin, Neomycin. He does not show red spots.

 

Unfortuanatly, I do not know the exact condition this occured under, since I haven't been near the tank in 5-6 weeeks.

 

I understand that most bacterial problems are caused by an open wound of some type. This is not evident at all in this fish. I am taking preventive measures; Treating for ich involves freshwater/formalin baths and a qt with copper possibly. Garlic is not known to actually cure ich. I feel it helps boost the fishs immune system, allowing them to better fight ich and possibly other maladies.

 

Any further info would be appreciated.

 

Sam

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I was just reading about.com. They have a dieases troubleshooter which says frayed fins w/ white patchs is caused by ammonia burn. I will have the water tested fully today. Several gallons of freshly mixed sea water was added to the tank on sunday. A 25% water change is sounding good to me.

 

Sam

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