A 'RISKY' Investment but Nonetheless a Rescue Effort Underway

tannersmith200

tannersmith200

Member
Hello
So I thought I would share with you a rescue mission I have accepted that has come with a relatively small price to pay.
About a month ago, I was at my LFS to buy salt. Well of course I had to check out the new fish and see what they had. I can never just go inside and buy a dry good and not check out the livestock and most of you can say the same. I noticed several beautiful fish but I just cant help but love the queen angel. This was a southern carribean queen angel. I had the urge to buy it but I am 'smarter' nowadays and not an impulse buyer. So I left the store and made my way back today to but some dry goods and food. I noticed the same queen angel in the same tank and it looked awful. I hated to see this and couldnt keep my eyes off of it. Its fins were ragged and and its right eye was cloudy and in bad shape. The left eye looked fine but this fish was in some desperate need of medical action. I noticed the price tag and it was still for $140. I know the manager there as I have been going there for quite some time. I asked her if she was willing to go down on the price. She said she could do $50.
I asked her one more question before I made a decision. Is it still eating? She said yes, it eats pellets, mysis and algae and she fed it this morning and its been eating like a hog. This LFS does not have a QT system and its a shame as so many of these poor fish end up like this in such a turnover environment. This angel was still pretty active and not running into the glass nor was it breathing heavily.
I decided to roll the dice and am going to try to bring this beauty back to life. So I bought it for $50. Some of you may say that I am an idiot and some may have other opinions. I brought the fish home, set up my 10g QT and am using 2 tps of coppersafe as a remedey for its condition. Perhaps some of you will have other suggestions for my treatment method. This is why I have posted this in the first place. I have treated several fish and have had way more success than failure. I have saved several fish from ICH, Velevet and some of parasitic diseases but this appears to be a fungal disease but I am not ruling out it could also be parasitic. I have placed this fish in QT and he is doing well as of right now.
The skimmer is my only source of filtration. I also have a heater set for 76F and some ornaments for cover. Should I ditch the skimmer while using copper?? I am not sure if the skimmer will skim the copper or not.
I believe I have a 20-30% chance of reviving this fish back to good health and a good chance of losing this fish. If I manage to nurse this fish to good health, it will be such a reward for me. This is the reason I gambled on $50. Knowing I will probably lose the fight but man if I can turn the tide, what a rewarding experience this would be. I have never done this before as I only buy healthy fish so you all wish me luck!

Here are some photos of the fish and the QT.
Please share your thoughts




 
tannersmith200

tannersmith200

Member
I guess I should just simply ask the question:
Do skimmers remove meds such as Coppersafe?
Yes, No or not sure???
I have heard that they do and do not remove coppersafe from the water.
I just need some clarification.
Thanks
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Skimmers remove organic compounds/proteins. Carbon would be your ticket to help detoxify copper.
 
al mc

al mc

Active Member
I have no idea from the description or pictures what is ailing this fish. I would suggest a less stressful HT though.
1. too many reflective surfaces..fish will become disoriented and further stressed..cover the back and bottom with dark paper.
2. too much light.....I would turn the light on for only 2-3 hrs/day max
3. I would put in some large enough PVC pipe so it has somewhere to hide/fell safe
4. Freshly squeezed garlic on food
5. get ready to do lots of water changes.....large fish for 10 gallons...consider one of the ammonia/nitrate blockers, like amquel plus
good luck
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Kinda looks to me like the fish is beat up pretty bad from aggression. Was it kept with other fish at the store and if so do you know what type? Aggressors will most often attack the fins of other fish and even the eyes. It's definitely stressed no doubt about it.
 
tannersmith200

tannersmith200

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Mc http:///t/391333/a-risky-investment-but-nonetheless-a-rescue-effort-underway#post_3469929
I have no idea from the description or pictures what is ailing this fish. I would suggest a less stressful HT though.
1. too many reflective surfaces..fish will become disoriented and further stressed..cover the back and bottom with dark paper.
2. too much light.....I would turn the light on for only 2-3 hrs/day max
3. I would put in some large enough PVC pipe so it has somewhere to hide/fell safe
4. Freshly squeezed garlic on food
5. get ready to do lots of water changes.....large fish for 10 gallons...consider one of the ammonia/nitrate blockers, like amquel plus
good luck
Yeah I turned the lights on just for the pics.
I will try to get some better pics of his condition. The pics do not show his condition as bad as it really is. He is only about 4" long so not too big for a 10g QT.
 
tannersmith200

tannersmith200

Member
I just fed him some mysis and he is eating. That gives me some optomisim.
I really hope I can have this guy. He will be a beauty if this works.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
No need to use coppersafe unless you see parasites. I would stop using it.
I would just leave the fish in the QT without any treatments except quality food and pristine water conditions to see if the cloudy eye and ragged fins clears up on its own. While waiting, see if you can get Maracyn 2 for saltwater fish in case you will need to use it.
Skimmers won't remove copper, but using a activated carbon filter will aid with this, so will water changes.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
If his condition is only from aggessive behavior you have a good chance if you can keep him stress free.......I also think you could use a bigger HT.....BUT as mentioned I would keep amquel+ on hand...and fresh sw for daily water changes....keeping the water good is also going to be a big factor here
also since he is eating.....I would soak the food in vitamins too
 
tannersmith200

tannersmith200

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beth http:///t/391333/a-risky-investment-but-nonetheless-a-rescue-effort-underway#post_3469941
No need to use coppersafe unless you see parasites. I would stop using it.
I would just leave the fish in the QT without any treatments except quality food and pristine water conditions to see if the cloudy eye and ragged fins clears up on its own. While waiting, see if you can get Maracyn 2 for saltwater fish in case you will need to use it.
Skimmers won't remove copper, but using a activated carbon filter will aid with this, so will water changes.
I will use your advice. I have purchased some Maracyn 2 and I will use this. I will do 25% daily water changes. He is in a low lit environment and I will remove the copper immediately.
Thanks for the advice!
 
tirtza

tirtza

Member
Good for you for trying to save this poor fish! I wish you the best of luck :)
For my QT, rather than paint the back and sides black I just taped black paper to the sides. It's cheap and easy! Just buy some scotch tape and a piece of black poster board from Walmart or any drugstore and cut it to fit the sides, then slide a piece of the black poster board underneath the bottom of the tank. PVC pipe from the hardware store makes excellent hiding places too.
 
S

smallreef

Guest
Beth and Meowzers advice is good... no need for copper or coppersafe (its hard on fish and only for parasites/ich) and lighting and covering will make it feel 'safer'.. good luck and keep us updated!!
 
tannersmith200

tannersmith200

Member
No doubt. As long as he is living, I will post updates using pics every couple of days. I am feeling more and more optomistic the more I read and attain good responses.
 
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