Sick Heniocus Butterflies. Ideas?

[NateHanson]

I snatched up two small heniocus butterflies yesterday, and when I got them home and under the bright tank lights noticed some very faint discoloration on them. Here's a pic of the first one, with a whitish patch just under the long dorsal pennant. By morning this guy who was active and eating the night before, was crab bait.

 

[NateHanson]

Here's the second one last night after acclimation. You can see a slight light spot behind his eye.

 

[NateHanson]

Unfortunately this second one looks a lot worse tonight, and I don't expect he'll survive the night. Here's a flash photo taken a few minutes ago. He's still swimming but not as active. Does anyone have any guesses what's wrong with these guys?

 

[NateHanson]

I'd like to add, by the way, that the store I got them from has been very supportive, and I'm certainly not posting to complain or anything like that. As you can see the fish looked quite healthy, and in the store I couldn't even see the slight discolorations I photographed a few hours later at home. So no issues with my LFS, just hoping to get some opinions about what's affecting these guys, and how to avoid or treat it in the future.

Nate

 

[NateHanson]

I'm an idiot for not quarantining these guys. I hope my other fish can avoid whatever this is.

 

[etszoo]

Probably would have had the same results (hope that makes you feel better). Looks
like whatever it is is already pretty advanced. Crossing my fingers on the rest of your
fish. Good luck!
-Eric

 

[Reef55]

Nate,
Looks to me like maybe they got stuck on a pump intake. Any chance of that?

 

[wrassefan]

Nate
Can't really tell from the pic what the fish has got but I would prob try to pull it out and put it in a smaller tank and treat with an antibiotic...maybe saltwater maracyn or maracyn II. Hope it's doing well enough to still have options...good luck.

 

[Liam]

could it have been an underlying problem from collection?

 

[NateHanson]

#2 bit the dust last night. I don't believe it was a pump injury because both had it as soon as I put them in the tank. It's got to be some sort of infection, or damage from collection. Someone pm'd me that it could be some sort of Brooknella infection, but I couldn't find matching pictures of that.

It acted so quickly that I'm not sure quarantine would have saved the heniocus, but I'm most worried now about my other fish. I hope I haven't introduced something into my tank that my other fish will succumb too. I'll be watching them closely, and I'd like to get some idea on a cause so I know how to treat them if I have to.

Nate

 

[~Flighty~]

Did you post the pics in the fish disease forum on RC? I have seen a lot of butterflyfish in stores get red pigmentation in that area before they die.

 

[NateHanson]

I did post, but that forum has VERY little traffic. We'll see if I get a response.

Searches didn't really pull anything up that looked right. I'll keep looking.

 

[Lourdes]

the pics kinda stink in this one , but gives you a discription on it..click here

 

[NateHanson]

Here's an article on Brooklynella hostilis. It's my leading candidate now, thanks to a pm tip. Sounds like a very nasty infection, brought on by poor water quality and stress, and difficult to treat. Also sounds like healthy fish should be able to avoid it. Hope so. We'll see.

http://www.aquaculture.bz/fish-disease/Brooklynella.html

 

[nunofs]

From the pics, I'd agree with the brooklynella diagnosis... I read as much as I could about it when I lost an ocellaris to it (when I started my nano last year), and in that advanced stage it's pretty hard to treat. Also the treatment (formalin baths) is really harsh (especially long-term, because formalin is cancerigenous), so it's kind of a no-win situation... sorry for your losses.

Nuno

 

[NateHanson]

Thanks Nuno. How worried should I be about my other fish, or about the parasite persisting in my display tank? (these fish weren't QT'd)

Is it likely to cause a threat to my happy healthy fish? Did you have any recurring problems with it in your nano after the clown died?

 

[nunofs]

None of my other fish at the time were affected, actually I still have all of them (I moved them to the 75g when I upgraded; the other ocellaris, a firefish and a bangaii cardinal). I'm not sure if this is typical of brooklynella, though.

Nuno

 

[jmkeary]

I really beleive that the best way to treat this kind of infection would be to catch the fish and treat the wound directly with iodine(if it is susceptible to iodine) or maybe a topical triple antibiotic or topical antibiotic for protozoans. you can always ask a pharmacist to see if there is an over the counter topical treament for protozoan infections in humans. I bet it would work on the fish as well. Then isolate the fish so it is easier to re treat them over a matter of days or weeks until infection is gone. sorry to hear neither one made it but keep this in mind for next time