New perc. eating but skinny, fin damage and spots of ruff scales?

[FreakShow]

I purchased a pair of true percs about two weeks ago. I will admit that they came out of a disgustingly neglected tank at the LFS. The water was almost green. They both appeared to be healthy and swam only together in the tank. They had been there for about a month. One was a little bigger than the other.

 

After the first night in my 12 NC DX, I noticed that the smaller one no longer had a tail! it looked pretty beat up and was hanging out at the top of the tank. I never witnessed the larger one attacking it but figured that is what happened. It also looked a little skinny.(I had not noticed that at the store.)

 

It has been eating, and not just playing with the food, I watch that it doesn't spit anything out.

 

Symptoms:

1. It appears very thin.
   
2. Its color appears to be faded.
   
3. It appears to be breathing rather rapidly and hangsout towards the top more than the healthy looking perc.
   
4. I recently noticed a spot on its side where its scales are discolored and ruffled looking.
   

I have been using Vita-Chem with each water change and soaking the mysis and marine fish pellets in it as well. I have been feeding about 5 days a week and watching to be sure it eats.

 

I still have not seen the larger perc show any aggression and they do swim around together.

 

My tank parameters have been fine. 0 on ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. pH 8.2

temp is running a little warm change from aproximately 80.5 -82. SG 1.025

 

THere are no crabs in my tank except for one small blue leg.

 

Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong and if there is a treatment I should start.

 

I have included a couple of pictures of the sick perc.

[Six]

first of all, you didnt do yourself or the fish a favor by buying the animal. when you buy animals from a neglectful store, youre only showing them that they are able to get in, ill care for, and still sell fish. if a store can cut corners in care and still sell fish, they are not going to improve anything.

 

That being said, the fish should have been QT in a 10g (at least) for a month to watch for any signs of disease. After all, you knew the tank they were in was not managed well, which means the fish could very well be infested with some disease. Buying them and plopping them into your main tank could very well add something disease wise that 1) you cant cure in that type of tank (a reef with inverts) and you'll need to QT anyways and 2) introduce something that could effect other fish.

 

It sounds like you bought a couple fish who were pairing up, but when you brought them home the female (larger fish) began to pick on the smaller one. This could be because the tank is too small for them to get away from eachother when they feel aggesssive, or she may realize this male is sick and not a worthy mate. Thus she intends to drive him out of her territory (females hold territory) and search for a new, less diseased mate.

 

Treatment? Quarentine the fish together (or you will lose any sort of pair bond after the QT period). Feed frozen foods or freeze dried foods with selcon or another GOOD vitamin supplement everyday. Do water changes each week (25%). Proper water quality and good foods will increase the fish's immune system, fatten them up, and begin the long tedious road to recovery.

 

Seriously consider finding a new place to buy your fish. Letting stores like that profit from that type of care is going to do the next customer and next fish a great diservice.

[FreakShow]

Six:

 

Thanks for the advice. I guess my description made me come across as a dirt bag reefer buying from places like Deathco, but I assure you that this isn't the case. I was looking for suggestions on the actual illness more than on ethical buying practices; but I share your distain for poorly operated pet stores. I guess I didn't provide all of the background information and opened myself up to a lecture as it would seem that I used very poor judgment, and may still have.

 

As for the LFS, the owner (of this mom and pop run shop) had recently experienced the most severe of family tragedies and needless to say her store has been closed for a couple of weeks. As far as I know everyone in the family has been a little preoccupied and I don't think anyone has even been in the store but to feed. That day she was "liquidating" all of her inventory as she knew the tanks would be beyond all hope after another few days. I had been watching two percs she had for illness and disease for over a month. I would never buy from a neglectful or unethical LSF so I appreciate your concern.

 

As for the quarantine, I skipped this procedure for three reasons. One, I had observed these fish in the LFS for a little more than a month and they appeared healthy and were eating well. They were the only two fish in a 29 gallon tank with some corals. I took this as their quarantine. Probably shouldn't have after a week or so in bad water conditions. Two, my SW quarantine tank is already occupied by a fish for a different tank. Three, I have no other fish in my NC display tank, and do not plan to add any in the future, even if the percs do not work out. So for this reason I was not worried about contaminating any other fish.

 

My big question is: Does this seem like a parasite or bacterial infection, or simply wounds from aggression

 

Could a fresh water dip be effective in this case?

 

Thanks again for any advice.

[scarf_ace1981]

a FW dip means nothing if you put it right back into your tank. the missing tail is a definite sign of aggression. i could be wrong. i just got my first pair a week or two ago. the male died becasue he was sick. i got another male this week and he seems to be doing fine. i did buy a huge one and a little one both times. if the two you bought were almost the same size then that would be reason for concern. when they are placed in a new tank they will both try to become dominant

[Six]

skinniness could be internal parasites from poor water conditions or poor feeding practices. the head region of your fish is pinched which leads me to believe this could very well be the case, and has been a problem for this fish long term. the parasitic infection could be decimating the animal's immune system beyond repair.

 

Honestly, clean water and proper feeding can go along way to repairing an immune system. The possible parasitic infection can be remedied through food additives and not direct addition of chemicals into the water.

 

A FW dip will more than likely create more harm than good with a fish this stricken. I wouldnt do one as it will stress the fish to an extent that it may not be able to handle while being sick.

 

As far as a "lecture" I suppose I did go through quite a bit of information, but that is not only for your sake, but for everyone else's who reads your thread thinking that buying a fish from a "Deathco" -as you aptly put it- will "save" the animal. Regardless of where you bought the fish, you bought a sick fish. That's good that the retail store knows that they sold you a sick fish, but I'm wondering how good of a store it is if they didn't tell you how to take care of it. (?)

 

I would, as stated, QT the fish, feed it frozen and freeze dried foods with vitamin and medicinal supplements and ensure the water quality is perfect. It is a simple, although space consuming remedy.

 

GL

[FreakShow]

Thanks again Six.

[Six]

word.