Splotchy blue hippo

[LilNYCfish]

Hi,
I have a tiny blue hippo in my QT tank and he is swimming around and eating fine, but itching. He also has a splotchy appearance, whitish coloration without a different texture. Sometimes a purple splotchiness too. I don't think it is ich, because they aren't tiny raised bumps. Maybe fungus, but it isn't really cotton-like. He has some scratches from the itching. Check out the photo. Any ideas how to help this guy out??

[leebca]

The fish needs help, no doubt. It is in pretty bad condition.

There could be something irritating the gills of the fish or the skin of the fish. You don't mention water quality. Also, I'm unsure the fish is getting proper nutrition.

I would improve water quality and food quality, including the use of vitamin and fat supplements. Use a product that will help restore the fish's natural mucous coating. Products like Pro Tech Coat Marine and StressGuard do this properly.

Monitor the fish closely. If the flashing condition doesn't improve with the three things I suggest above, I would perform a copper treatment. You might want to get on hand now, the Cupramine, and Salifert test kit for copper in case you need to go this route.

[LilNYCfish]

Unfortunately my local store doesn't have any of that, but I ordered all of it today. In the meantime, the store did have Mardel Coppersafe, so I'll give that a go.

I think the water quality is OK
Salinity 1.024
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Temp 79

Since it is a small 10gal QT tank, I've been checking parameters every other day and adding water (fresh or from main tank). There is a lot of evaporation, I've only been removing water once a week.

The down side with the water is that we use tap water and condition it with NovAqua and Amquel (usually the day before we condition, add salt, and let it mix for a day)

Here is what the fish eats, he devours all of this:
Mysis Shrimp (bioencapsulated with vitamins)
Spirulina Brine Shrimp (bioencapsulated with vitamins)
Cyclopeeze
Blue Zoos pellets
I add a few drops of Zoe and garlic to the dry food most of the time

He won't eat green marine algae on a clip, maybe I should try out some other brands.

Let me know if there is something I can change and I'll update on progress.
Thanks

[leebca]

Please excuse my bluntness. I have connection problems and am trying to reply before I loose my connection altogether:

1. Don't use water from your display tank for the QT. You need to follow these guidelines: A Fish Quarantine Process

2. Don't use tap water. Read this: WATER - Source and NSW

3. At this 'age' this fish is an omnivore. Not enough greens in its diet. Read this: Feeding Marine Fish and Fish Nutrition
and this
How To Feed Macro Alage to Marine Fishes
Keep offering marine macro algae. Get frozen foods with macro algae in it.

4. The numbers look good, but since you are using tap water, the poisons are that you cannot/don't measure. Also please read this: What is Water Quality

5. Feed no pellets and flake foods. Explanations are given in the reference to 3.

6. PLEASE do not use CopperSafe. Worst of them all. Please read this: Copper - Treatment, Use, Problems

A lot to read up on while waiting for the goods you've ordered. In short, there are a few things just plain wrong and some things are marginally wrong. Not good looking in general, when you see the whole picture.

Did this fish look 'off' to start with? I can't imagine it's gone downhill this fast, however in tap water, that would be understandable. Until you fix the above, hold off on treatment.

[LilNYCfish]

Unfortunately the blue hippo didn't make it. He was blotchy when he arrived (on a very cold day, and FedEx dropped him off at 6:30pm, rather than before 10am as usual, so he didn't have a great trip over). I'll have the stuff I ordered for the future. Next time I'll get the water changes right for the sick tank, but I think I was lucky to maintain measurable water quality. I haven't seen any frozen foods with algae supplement, but I can pick up the different colored sheets of algae.

I read the section on water quality, and for me not being able to use conditioned water is a non-starter for having a tank. I've had pretty good luck so far with hearty fish. The blue hippo is the least hearty fish I have gotten, so maybe he won't won't with tap water (but he did arrive with issues so that might be the bigger issue).

I'll keep on trying! Thanks for the advice.