bacterial infection

[ReefMon]

Hi Terry,

I have what appears to be a bacterial infection in my 180 reef.

My 4 year old Powder Blue has discolored sores & fin rot (both only on 1 side) and pop eye in both eyes. He is refusing to eat and prefers to swim either right in front of the return or in circles at the top of the tank. My desjardinii and flame have cloudy eyes, and a very decreased appetite.

I have set up a 20T to put the PBT in tomorrow as soon as I get some Maracyn2, and am planning on doing double dosage for 7 days (if he makes it that long...) and have hooked up a UV sterilizer to the reef. Also did a 30 gal water change and am planning on another every other day.

This tank is 1½ years old, all parameters are great, corals look good and no new fish have been added in over a year.
180 gal reef, 40 gal sump, MD 55 main
140# rock, 500# SD sand
3X400 W 6500 MH
2x160W VHO
24" Becket skimmer on a Mak4
Ca Reactor & kalkwasser
Temp 80-83 (I've dropped it to 81 as of today - trying to lower the metabolism)
SG 1.025
Alk 9.5dKh
Ca 350-400
pH 7.9 - 8.2
Nitrate: none detectable

What gets me is how did this happen? Where did it come from?
The only things I can think of are I added some frags a few weeks ago, or the flatworms I've been battling, could either of these caused what appears to be a bacterial infection?

Thanks in advance for any assistance!
Glenn R

 

[wade1]

Its possible its just an infectious bacterium, easily transferred by placing objects or arms into a tank. One word of warning though, DO NOT overdose the antibiotic... there are recommended dosages for a reason.

You'll likely cause so much stress that you'll kill the fish if not outright toxify it.

Wade

 

[AF Founder]

Glenn,

Explain exactly how you have been battling flatworms. I ask because what you are describing sounds like some form of toxicity, not a pathogen. Have you checked for ammonia?

 

[ReefMon]

Just checked for ammonia and got zero.

All I've done to fight the flatworms is siphoning, more water changes, keeping the skimmer clean and feeding a bit less. I have not seen any real reduction their population, but was thinking there might be some sort of connection.

Good news is the desjardinii and flame are eating and looking better.

Bad news is the powder blue is much, much worse, and has been in the hospital tank since early this AM.

 

[ReefMon]

Well it's a week or so later, the Desjardinii was looking and acting great, until last night.

Now he has the same symptoms as the PBT and I'm clueless as to what or why this is happening.

 

[ReefMon]

Any sugestions?

 

[AF Founder]

This looks like a severe case of lateral line disease. It is often brought about by poor water quality and poor diet. Are these fish in a established reef tank, or a fish only tank?

 

[ReefMon]

I've had these fish for 4 years, and they have been in my 180 reef for over a year.

This is what he looks like 72 hours after showing a slight bruise and pop eye.

Exact same as what happened with the PBT 2 weeks ago.

I'm totally clueless as to what or why this is happening.

 

[AF Founder]

I've seen this happen before, and we always referred to it as HLLE. It is likely a virus attacking areas of concentrated nerve ending, which can attack with great severity, but will usually disappear after some months. It is a less frequect occurance in a reef tank. Tangs and angelfish are particularly targeted by it. There have been many explanations for it, but no cure and it still remains a mystery to biologists. It is unclear whether it is environmental of pathogenic. It could be both: environmental conditions weakening the afflicted fish's immune system allowing to it to be targeted by the virus, if it is a virus. Public aquariums have had success with a heavy vegatable diet for fish that were not too far gone.
You have my sympathy; it is hard to watch apparently healthy fish go through this.

 

[ReefMon]

Has anyone ever run across this before?

Wasting Disease (Marine Tuberculosis)

Disease caused by a bacterium that is transferred either by ingestion of infected material or via open wounds. The symptoms include fin erosion, ulcers/holes, loss of appetite, reddened areas, and listlessness. If this disease is not diagnosed early, it often develops very quickly and is terminal.

Thanks,
Glenn R

 

[ReefMon]

Update, the Desjardinii is 90% recovered!

I I've come to the conclusion that I experienced a mass flatworm die off, and that the fish were poisoned by the toxins from the decaying flatworms.

Before the fish got sick, I had flatworms covering 80% of the rock and sand, I'd syphon them out and within an hour it looked the same. Today I'm down to a very small, sparsely populated area. I've also noticed that my skimmate became more orange in color than the normal dark greenish brown.

As for why they crashed, your guess is as good as mine... water changes, poly filters, better skimming, garlic... who knows.

Thanks!
Glenn R