Single white spot on firefish fin

Discussion in 'Diseases' started by Screwtape, Nov 28, 2008.

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  1. Screwtape

    Screwtape Tonozukai Fairy Wrasse

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    Series of firefish issues

    Last night I noticed a single raised white spot on the dorsal fin of my purple firefish. He has been in the tank for 2 weeks. It is in the same spot on both sides of the fin kind of like there is a white sphere stuck in the fin.

    When the lights are on he is pretty much behaving normally, he ate normally last night even after I noticed the spot.

    After the lights went out he did not just go to his normal sleeping/hiding spot for the night, he swam around the tank next to the glass on the bottom, it seemed like he spent some time getting aggressive with his reflection on one end of the tank and sort of bumped into the sand a couple times. Finally he settled down in the back of the tank, but not in his normal spot.

    The spot's still there today but he seems to be acting normally again today, tasting little bits of anything floating in the current, swimming normally etc. I can see no other "symptoms" like cloudy eyes or labored/fast breathing or lethargy.

    Anyone have any ideas? I've been doing some reading and I haven't been able to pin down what it is for sure because it doesn't seem to fit neatly into any category that I've read about. Of course the second I see or hear "white spot" I think Ich but I want to be sure that's what it is so that I can employ the proper treatment. I believe there are maybe bacterial/fungal or some other problems which might also produce white spots.

    This is the best shot I've got of it so far.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2008
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  3. PharmrJohn

    PharmrJohn The Dude

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    Bump......Great pic BTW.
     
  4. Screwtape

    Screwtape Tonozukai Fairy Wrasse

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    Thanks. ;D
    I tried the shutter speed priority mode. Always something to more to keep learning about...
     
  5. Screwtape

    Screwtape Tonozukai Fairy Wrasse

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    Quick update.

    It's still there. He went and slept in his usual spot last night so I think that is good, no weird "prowling" around the tank.

    I'm considering trying a freshwater dip however it probably is not going to be easy to catch him and may be more stressfull than it is worth at the moment.
     
  6. Screwtape

    Screwtape Tonozukai Fairy Wrasse

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    Another update. The spot on his dorsal fin went away but now in the last day or two he's come down with a little protrusion on his body between his dorsal fin and his left eye as well as some little white thing that's hanging off the bottom of his tail (?) fin.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    He is acting relatively normally, eating well, active etc so it doesn't seem to be affecting him at the moment. I'd like to be able to act quickly if possible but unnecessarily trying to net him out is going to probably be pretty stressful for him so I'd really rather not do anything unless I have something solid to go on.

    I can only assume this is some sort of worm/parasite just judging by the way it's hanging off but I can't find any pictures online to clearly identify it still so I don't know if this is something I should be trying to treat or just let his immune system take care of it and hope it doesn't come back.

    Anyone have any ideas about what this is and any recommendations on what to do about it?

    Thanks again...
     
  7. liegeofinveracity

    liegeofinveracity Coral Banded Shrimp

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    ...the night time... is the right time...
    is it hairy or clothy looking? like a little lint ball?
     
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  9. Screwtape

    Screwtape Tonozukai Fairy Wrasse

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    Not this, no. The original spot on the dorsal fin that faded away looked sort of soft and fuzzy. But this now looks pretty solid.

    Unfortunately I can't get the fish to hold still long enough to take a really good picture...or I still need some work on my photography...probably a little bit of both. Also it's kind of weird, he's scared of the camera, maybe that's usual for fish, I don't know but I can put my face right up next to the glass and he's fine with it but the second the camera comes within 6 inches of the glass he backs off which makes it that much harder to get a good picture.
     
  10. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

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    If your fish is eating well, you have good water quality and it's not in a stressful environment then I wouldn't look at the spot twice.;D
     
  11. Screwtape

    Screwtape Tonozukai Fairy Wrasse

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    I'm trying to let it go hehe. First tank anxiety I think. ;D
    The hanging off part was gone yesterday and was just a little spot left. I guess I'm just going to wait it out and see what happens. It couldn't have happened at a worse time though, my LFS got a great looking McCosker's flasher wrasse in, which I think will be my last fish, and I asked them to hold it for another week in QT to make sure my firefish was more used to the tank, then he came down these things so I told them I didn't want to risk infecting a new fish if it was something bad. Oh well, maybe they'll still have it by the time I feel comfortable that this was nothing.

    Thanks for the opinions.
     
  12. Glipzcom

    Glipzcom Flamingo Tongue

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    Yeah I am freaking out I have a fish with a single white spot on his upper eyelid. A couple days ago it was lightly white small dot. And now its a much larger white dot.

    And I have to leave tomorrow morning at 740am and its 10pm.. and Im going away for 2 weeks. Sucks, my roommate is going to have to feed my fish. Dont think she will be able to treat them.