Disease, Ich or just missing scales? with pic

cufishfan

Member
I still haven't seen a case of Ich in person *knock on wood!* so I'm not sure if I should worry about this. I'm not sure how well you can tell in this picture, but it looks like my Royal Gramma is just missing a stretch of scales on one side. I don't see white spots, or any other patches, but I'd love a second (and third, fourth, seventh...) opinion

 

t316

Active Member
Need pic that's a little closer up, but your description does not sound like ich.
 

cufishfan

Member
That sounds good... it didn't look like it, but I wanted to check just in case. It was pretty hard getting that picture, but I'll try to get a better one. If it is just scales that he rubbed off, is there anything I should do? Or just keep an eye on them and wait for them to grow back?
Any other diseases I should be on the lookout for?
Thanks!!
 

don trinko

Member
Ick actualy sticks out slightly when you look at it from the side. Can't tell from the photo but occasioaly fish get minor damage from fighting or hitting something. Normaly this will heal in a few days to a week. Don T.
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I would just keep an eye on him if you can try to look at him through a magnifying glass. Look for the start of bacterial infection (redness)
 

cufishfan

Member
I've been keeping my eye on my Royal Gramma and he's definitely worse. On Saturday, I decided I needed to get him out of the tank to treat him (once I figured out what it was). So I set up my QT and then spent about an hour tearing apart my tank trying to catch the little.....darling.
Put him in QT, and he INSTANTLY starts doing much worse- like laying on the bottom, hiding behind rocks, and gasping, starting to lose color. I'm pretty sure he's dying, but it was so sudden, I freak out and put him back in the DT. Immediately, he perks up and starts swimming around.
He's still swimming pretty well (not as much in the open as before) and eating just as much as before. But he's missing more and more flesh (not just scales- I can actually see white flesh missing). Doesn't seem that bothered by it.
He's in a 75 with 1 green chromis, 1 tiny osc. clown and 2 banggai cardinals (plus 2 peppermint shrimp, a skunk cleaner shrimp, maybe 15 snails and an emerald crab). I've kept an eye on everyone and no one is even coming near the Gramma, and no one else is missing so much as a scale.
It really looks like something is eating the fish- and I can't tell if I have something mysterious in the tank or if it's a parasite/bacteria that's eating away at him. He's starting to breathe more noticeably and the missing parts of him are more obvious every day. Moving him into QT really almost killed him (I was using water from the tank, so it wasn't shock from different water chemistry or anything).
Not the best picture- but this shows the exposed bone/cartilage along the fin. I don't see any redness, worms, bugs or anything crawling on the gramma or in the "missing" parts.
Please help!
 

sepulatian

Moderator
RG's will exhibit strange behaviors if you move them or disturb their environment. The behaviors that you describe are classic RG behaviors.
He is getting beat up by someone in the tank. It is hard to tell who. Try stepping away from the tank and viewing them. You have some sneak attackers in there. The good news is that they will all be alright in time. They are all compatible.
 

cufishfan

Member
Thank you! That sounds like good news
. I'm still a little worried, because the attacks are clearly still happening and I'm not sure how much more the RG can stand to lose.
I'll definitely keep an eye out for any signs of aggression at all (I really haven't seen a thing yet). But is there anything else I can do to help the RG? Clearly moving him doesn't do much good, so is there anything I can add? I've been feeding more, and adding garlic, in the hopes that it will keep the RG's strength up and help him heal. Should I worry about antibiotics or another treatment of the existing injuries? And would that treatment affect the other tankmates?
Thanks so much!
 

sepulatian

Moderator
Unless the injuries are red, they are not infected. That i not to say that they can't still get infected. If they do get infected then you can treat him in the ten gallon with Maracyn 2 for saltwater fish. The QT is cycled right?
In the meantime, add a rotation of vitamins to his food. Rotate Vitachem and Zoecon. He can heal himself if he is healthy.
 
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