butterfly disease

[btuck]

Hey all once again I turn to your infinite wisdom in help diagnosing a disease.

I have a copperband butterfly who seems to have what at first I thought was possibly black ich, but the spots seem to be too large and don't seem to be spreading much. They are mainly on the pectoral and tail fins. I have attached a couple of pictures so that you can see what I'm referring to. They look like lymphosistis only black. Thanks for any help in getting rid of these pests.

Here it is on the pectoral fin. It is visible through the fin on the copperband just before the ocelli

This one can be seen on both the pectoral fin and the tail fin.

 

[steve-s]

I can somewhat see the anomaly in the first image (butterfly003.jpg) but the second one is a write off. Is the Bfly quite thin or is that just the camera angle?

The thing to realize about black ich (Turbellarian/Paravortex sp.) is the spots your seeing are not actually the worm but a form of depigmentation/hypermelanization caused by the parsites actions. The relative size however is usually quite small.

The images you have posted would be more reminiscent of hypermelanization but not via Paravortex. In this case it could be an indication of the onset of a systemic bacterial infection.

How long have you had the Bfly, are there any other minor/major symptoms, what tank mates, has it ever been treated previously for another ailment, was it ever pro actively treated for internal worms, what is the main diet, what are the water parameters/tank set up and do you have a QT?

Please answer as many as possible.

Cheers
Steve

 

[steve-s]

Sorry, I just re-read your message. Those black spots are on the fins only? Not the body of the fish?

Cheers
Steve

 

[btuck]

I can somewhat see the anomaly in the first image (butterfly003.jpg) but the second one is a write off. Is the Bfly quite thin or is that just the camera angle?


How long have you had the Bfly, are there any other minor/major symptoms, what tank mates, has it ever been treated previously for another ailment, was it ever pro actively treated for internal worms, what is the main diet, what are the water parameters/tank set up and do you have a QT?

I don't think it is that thin....may just be the angle. I have only had it for a few weeks. No other symptoms.

Tank Mates--Yellow Tang, bicolor blenny, lyretail hawk, pair of ocellaris clowns, and a blue damsel.

Not treated for worms

Main diet is mysis shrimp treated with selcon--I have tried other things but this seems to be the only thing it will willingly accept.

Water parameters are all within normal range. I typically do 10% water changes at least twice a month. (This is the minimum, I usually do 10% once a week.) I do not have a QT set up (bad bad I know) but did just buy a 29 gallon to use for this purpose. It will be set up tomorrow.

 

[NaH2O]

Steve - I have seen this fish, and it didn't appear to be thin, so it must be the angle.

Brian - I don't remember...were the spots on the fish when you got it, or did they show up after it was introduced?

 

[steve-s]

Water parameters are all within normal range. I typically do 10% water changes at least twice a month. (This is the minimum, I usually do 10% once a week.) I do not have a QT set up (bad bad I know) but did just buy a 29 gallon to use for this purpose. It will be set up tomorrow.

Brian, need more info than this. Specific numbers whether "normal range" or not tell something. Even if the results are zero please post what they are and when the last test was performed. Anything you can test should be posted, water quality as well as chemistry. Any details you can provide will help no matter how minor....

What foods have you tried that failed? Mysis and selcon is not enough for the long term care of this fish.

Cheers
Steve