Mystery?!?!

[ViperCLKGTR]

So about a week ago during feeding time I notice my Yellow Tang has 2 "bruise" like circles on his sides and after examming him eating like a pig I rule it out as simply being startled by the trickster of the group my Lunar Wrasse and he must have just bruised himself on the rock I have in the tank. WEll I take a trip to the LFS two days ago on payday and bring home a beautiful Blue Spotted Puffer and a amazing Keyhole Angel. As I acclimate them to the QT I fed my fish and again notice the funny bruises look like they are healing I come home later that night after haning out with my friends and come home to my Yellow Tang dead latched on to my filter intake.... I remove him from the tank and this is what I see:

WHAT HAPPENED!!!! Where the small bruises turned into huge holes like the fish and been shot or nailed down and they're perfect circles??? I have no idea what it could be????

The fish showed no sings of illness, water params are perfect, everything is great only tank mates right now are a Clown and Lunar Wrasse(In the process of rebuilding stock after the last crash). These three fish however have been together for over 5 months almost. What happened???

 

[Kevin8888]

Your saying that the bruises became holes? If that is the case there are 2 possibilities, Bacterial ulcer, and being eaten, but I highly doubt the fish is geting consumed form the size of the holes and the tank mates are reasonably benine.

So I therefore conclude that it is (most likely) a bacterial ulcer caused by bacterial infection, its basicaly the fish equivilent of gangreen (from what I've read).

As for cause there are a number of things that could have created the issue, damaged tissue on the surface such as, bumping into things, attacked by others, possible parasite basicaly any thing that can punture the scales/skin.

Its also possible that it was an internal issue (like digesitive track ulcers) which spred through the layers of tissue until it became noticeable, another cause would be chemical damage such as ammonia/nitrite poisoning.

The final thing I can think of is that the fish was stressed and the mucus layer was not being produced well and bacteria got through (being a tang they have thinner mucus layers in general so very possible). You say there was a crash? How long ago? If it wasn't to long ago that could be the problem.

But I would say most likely it got scratched by something or was stressed. Treatment, which I have no experience with so someone else would probably give better advice... but from what I have read, if caught early its treatable, via topical antibiotic type pastes (for fish of course), antibotic injections, or medicated foods I've read if caught it can have a 90% survival rate, but at the same time if the meds cost more then the fish I'd say get a new fish.

 

[mr.reef24]

sounds like Pseudomonas sp. -Fin Rot, Red Spot Disease, Ulcers (Bacterial Disease)

mr.reef24