strange disease on my coral beauty

[slt]

he continues to eat well, but he has the identical wound like spot on both sides of his abdomen. the spots are about the size of a pencil eraser and the scales in this area are lifted up and there is a white fungus like film over these spots. Also, behind these spots the flesh appears to be dark, almost like a bruise. the fact that these spots are identical leads me to believe that my crab or anenome might have snagged him momentarily, or that he has some disease in his stomach and it is leaching through his skin (ugh!). Help!

 

[lesleybird]

Hi, I would refer you to a good fish surgeon, but I don't know of any. Sounds like some type of internal problem. I would be prepared to kiss him good bye. Maybe someone else has some ideas as to what to do. Sorry about your fish. Maybe if you could catch him you could put him in a little ten gallon hospital tank with some broad spectrum medication. I am reading in a catalogue now about a medication listed as "Fungus Eliminator" that says it treats fungus, protozians, swim bladder(what ever that is),etc. and is antibacterial. I would go to your local fish store tomorrow and get something like this if you can get your fish out of the tank. You don't have time to order anything...Maybe you could bring the fish in with you....they may know what it is. It may not work, but at least you will feel that you tried. Lesley

 

[slt]

Thank you both for the advise. My fish died shortly after my post. Even the crab wasn't interested in finishing the coral beauty off. I don't know what the disease was but it doesn't seem to affect the other fish. Again, thanks.
slt

 

[beth]

I have only had 1 coral beauty, and the same thing happened to mine! He only had the "sore" on one side, and lived with it for a long time, but then it got worse and he died.

 

[slt]

Thanks Beth. Everything I have read about these fish says they are hardy. I think I'll research a little more before I try another coral beauty. I am glad that they are fairly inexpensive.
slt