Sick Bellus Angel

[rjs5134]

Hopefully your on-line Lee, cause I need help quick... My bellus angel, which is in QT with a percula has been hiding alot today. I netted her out and placed in a shallow tray of water and took the attached photo(I hope it's clear enough). The illness appears to be an infection of some sort. It almost appears as though her entrails are swollen and coming out of her belly. The area is brownish in color. I believe there is a spot of it near the gills also. All I have to treat right now is Maracyn, but I'm currently treating with hypo-salinity. I have about 30 minutes to get to a store for another medication. Whatever I do, I have to do it quick, I'm leaving for vacation on Wednesday morning. As always, thanks for your help.

[leebca]

Sorry. I was on a plane when your e-mail came in and it wasn't until now that I'm able to respond.

The photo doesn't help me much, sorry to say.

Your description doesn't follow the normal course for a bacterial infection. It sounds more like an internal parasite. The one-two punch for that is treatment with the two meds in this post: Strange Excrement from Fish -or- How to be a Super Pooper Snooper

They are: Metronizazole and Praziquantel. Directions for Praziquantel are given in the above reference. Use the other medicine as instructed on the label.

Without more information and a better photo, that is about the best I can do.

I don't see any value in performing the hyposalinity treatment unless you've diagnosed the fish as having Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans). If you apply antibiotics as well as some other drugs to a fish in a hyposalinity treatment, the effects of the drug is usually magnified.