Small White Thing on Angel

OK i went to one of the LFS in the area... didnt go to my main one because they would have closed by the time I got there. I got API Anti-Parasitic Fish Meditcation... its packets of powder (1 per 10 gallon), says to treat a second time 48 hours later. Its for flukes, hole-in-head, anchor worm, velvet, and fish lice (hopefully).

Can I use the melafix at the same time? I'd like to give him something to help the fins repair. Not sure if it would be ok or not... ideas?

Sorry I didnt take the above suggestions... wanted to make sure it didnt go untreated for another day! :-/

 

Also, any special foods I should feed to help with health? I've been cycling between mysis, pellets, flakes, and cyclo... Pod population is starting to get established also. I put some seaweed in a couple times also but I haven't made it routine.

Thanks for bearing with me! As the tank is only 2 months old and this is my first SW tank and illness experience I am trying to get everything under control.

One last thing... should i try to pick up a cleaner shrimp or two tomorrow to help him with the surface parasite? Or I had been thinking of getting a common cleaner wrasse also. Don't know if adding them after this treatment would be ok or not? Especially for the shrimp? But it said invert safe on the medication.

 

A cleaner shrimp, or cleaner wrasse is not going to be any real help at this point. Buying a cleaner shrimp if you want one will not hurt anything, but most cleaner wrasse eventually strave to death.

After treatment you want to do some water changes and run carbon to remove the medication from the system.

Personally I think a dip would be much more effective and less stress on the system overall. I would not worry about reproduction of the parasite. Obtainning a fish with a parasite is not all that common considering the numbers of fish sold. Unfortunately you just got that fish.

Judging by your post regarding the eye cloudiness and the status of the fins the fish is probably also suffering from a secondary bacterial infection.

You may not be able to save this fish, but you tried to do the right thing so do not feel bad. These things happen in this hobby and everyone learns from your post so something positive does come out of it.

 

Thanks for the help. I'll keep the thread up to date.

Any idea about the melafix being applied at the same time or special diet? I've heard vitamin C but don't know the proper way to go about introducing it.

I may pick up a cleaner shrimp or two on Friday after the treatment is done and I start running carbon again in case some find their way onto my clowns or firefish. As for the wrasse, I'll only buy one if I can see it eat prepared foods as I know I won't have the parasites (hopefully) to keep it nourished.

Thanks again for the help!

 

Update!

The angel is looking much better today! I dosed the melafix when I got home from work. Tomorrow I will run the second dose of the API Anti-Parasitic, and follow thursday with melafix again.

The eye is beginning to uncloud already, he is swimming around like usual and starting to use the damaged fin again. And he is still eating like a pig. The small black thing is still on his gill but hopefully it will loose itself tomorrow after the next treatment. Hopefully it all keeps going up!

I do have one question left though - His poop is really long and doesn't seem to want to get loose... weird, but I have never noticed it before this. Problem? I wasn't sure if it meant internal bacteria or not.

 

The stringy poo can be a sign of an internal parasite, and it's common for flukes to attach to a fish's eyes. It's great that the fish is doing better. It would be a good idea to read up on hospital and quarantine tanks before you run into a really nasty parasite or disease.

 

Yeah, I have a 5 Gallon tank full and ready but I want to try to limit the amount of stress as much as possible. If it looks like it takes a downturn I will QT but for now the other fish look very healthy and the angel is hopefully on the upswing.

 

make sure you keep this angel eating. try soaking the food in selcon. Melafix will prevent secondary infections, which can be as bad as the first infection. Seachem makes a great product that I love using call paraguard. I've actually treated brooknela with it before.

 

That is really good news;D

 

Angel still has he small black thing on each gill. And still likes to scratch at his left side every 20 minutes or so on a rock, but his fins are healing quickly and his appetite and swimming habits are good.

I went out and bought some garlic soak and some new food. I've been feeding a little more the past few days but in small doses so I can watch them eat all of it... and I'm keeping it varied. Looks to be helping.

Bought two cleaner shrimp today also, been meaning to anyways so I figured if it was a good time. May possibly ease the angel by grabbing some parasites I hope.

Well, anyways, he looks a bit agitated some times but for the most part he is looking very good.