Fungus amoung us

[bigred50562]

I have a 100 gallon Marine tank. My Blue face angel and my Powder blue Tang had a disagreement and the Powder Blue Tang caused some damage to the fins of the Blue Face Angel. At the site of the wonds a Fungal infections started. I am using Maroxy to treat the Fungal infection. I am wondering how long should it be before I start seeing the fungal infection clear up ? I see by reading the directions the treatment should last no more than 5 days. I started the treatment Sunday 8/13 at 2:00 PM. Is there any thing else I should be doing to treat this infection. If it does not clear up in 5 days what do you recommend next ?
Thanks in advance

[zhenya]

Hi bigred50562,



I moved your thread to this forum so our expert leebca can see this and reply with his usual insight.

[leebca]

WELCOME to REEFLAND

Thanks for posting. Sorry to hear of the problems your two fish are having. You didn't mention their size, however, a better tank for them would be something 180 gallons or more. Many fish will fight that would otherwise leave each other alone, when they are under a space stressor: Stress (and the Single Marine Fish)

A true fungal infection in marine fish is very hard to cure. By the time the aquarist sees clear signs of a fungus, it has progressed usually to the point of no return. It is very contagious amongst fishes, so the fish needs to be isolated (moved to a hospital tank). Also, a proper treatment can't be done for this fish while it is in the display tank (see below).

Although you've pointed out that the likely cause of the fungal infection was the fights between the two fishes, fungal infections usually follow a bacterial infection. Fish can handle healing from the fights you mentioned provided that the two fish are separated AND the fish are kept in high water quality and being fed the proper nutrients. So, you may want to review water quality, the foods you feed, and the nutrients you provide the fish according to: Feeding Marine Fish and Fish Nutrition

As mentioned, the treatment of fungal infections in marine fish is very difficult. Many of them can't be treated without knowing exactly the type of fungus being dealt with. However, on the good side is that there aren't a lot of different organisms that cause a fungal infection in marine fishes so the treatment is a bit of a shotgun approach.

In a hospital tank, the strongest and most effective treatment is to treat with two medications. One is an antibiotic primarily to address bacterial concerns, the other (in combination with the first) will attack the fungal concerns. The two meds are: Nifurpirinol [a.k.a. Furanace] which is combined with Neomycin (a gram negative antibiotic).

You need medications that contain those two drugs. You can't use these in your display tank because it will destroy the biological filter (kill off the bacteria) and kill most of the pods, invertebrates, and life that may be on any live rock.

If you have success with the cure, obviously putting the two fish back together would be a mistake. You need to do at least the following, between now and after the fish is cured:
1) Separate the fish
2) Improve nutrition (above reference)
3) Consider a larger aquarium if you want to keep the large angels
4) Maintain excellent water quality, if you want to keep the large angels

Check out some of the sticky posts in the Marine Fish: Care, Health and Disease Treatment Forum.

Ask any questions or ask for more information, by posting to this thread. I wish you the best of luck with this. Keep us informed on your progress.

[bigred50562]

To answer your first question The angel is slightly smaller than my hand. My hand is about 6 inches ) The Powder Blue Tang is about 75 % of that size. The two get along well now and never fight. All told in the tank I also have a purple tang and a yellow tang both about the size of 50 cent peices. A small clown fish and 2 cleaner shrimp. The tank is 100 gallons with a wet dry system, UV filter ans Protien Skimmer. Water quality has never been a issue. I feed them a full line of products, Prawn, Clam, Sponge, Alage, VArious mixed combinations of frozen food, and dried Seaweed sheets. All of the fish continue to eat well and seem well adjusted ( except for the white cottny like growth on the Blue Face Angel 's fins ) Here is my problem The system is set up in such a way that it is almost impossible to get a fish out once it is in the tank. It is a long story. Can you recommend anythigh I can use in the entire tank ? I really don't know if I will be able to get the angel out of the tank. Any helpful advise would be great.

Steven

[leebca]

Steven,

I'm afraid that a true fungal infection is a tough nut.

Pimafix has been used with some success on freshwater fishes. However, it has not been tested for all marine fungal pathogens. If the fungal pathogen affecting the fish is one of those that may be killed by Pimafix, then it would work as a whole tank treatment. About a 10-20% chance, I'd say, of curing a true marine fungal infection. Maybe there is still hope it isn't a fungal infection.

You may want to read this and make up your own mind: Melafix and Pimafix - How They Work and Don't Work

I'd say the fish are space stressed. There is most likely a nutrition stressor, too. The fish you have are omnivores and herbivores, yet the diet you listed is primarily for carnivores, without mention of vitamin or fat supplements being used. Please understand I'm not trying to be critical here. A fish doesn't succumb to bacterial and fungal infections when the fish is healthy and being provided a reduced stress environment. These kinds of diseases/infections/conditions are of the type that ARE related to how healthy and stress-free the fish is in its captive environment.

I hope the above has provided some help.