Need Speedy CBB Help (No, not starving fish)

[revaltion131]

I posted for help in the Disease Treatment forum last night, but I don't have any responses yet and when I got up this morning and had a look at the fish, he looked ten times worse.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/revaltion131/009-2.jpg

I really have no idea what's going on and I've never seen something like this in both my marine and fresh experience.

The pictures in this post are from last night.

The fish is still eating and swimming normally, but has become a little more skiddish; it was outgoing and always coming up to you when you came up to the tank.

Thanks so much for any help anyone can give me!

Here's the original post in a quote:

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14143372#post14143372 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by revaltion131
I picked up this CBB for my 65 gallon a couple of weeks ago. It was eating well, alert, and looking healthy at the LFS, besides a few spots of Lympho on the fins. I wanted to keep the fish healthy and doing well, so I didn't bother with the stress of QT. I also have two neon gobies in the DT that are ready to clean, so I felt that would help. The CBB has been ready and willing to be cleaned thoroughly. The lympho is gone and he looked like he was going to be stellar for awhile.

Now, it looks like I've got a massive internal parasite to deal with. Here are the best four pictures I could get at this time of night. I'm referring to the clear bulge above his head. I have not seen the fish scratching on the rocks, but you can tell that the scales are beat up and in the first picture, you can see that it has beaten up its spines even.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/revaltion131/002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/revaltion131/003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/revaltion131/004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/revaltion131/007.jpg

I have never dealt with an internal parasite before, let alone one this large. The hypo-salinity is easy enough, but catching the fish out and treating with copper won't be. Besides the salinty, what would be the best way to treat this fish and does anyone have any clue what kind of parasite this is? Is it a parasite at all?

Thanks so much.

[snorvich]

It appears that it is being beaten up by your clown fish.

[revaltion131]

I thought it was a possibility, but I guess I forgot to include that there's almost no aggression in the tank. The only bit there is, is very mild and between the two clowns. The clowns pretty much ignore the butterfly and they get out of his way when I feed.

It could be happening while I'm not watching, that's true.

[LisaD]

there have been a few other posts about fish that have gone downhill fast from systemic infections. that's what it looks like to me, something like Vibrio or Uronema.

[revaltion131]

Lisa, if that's what it is, what would you recommend for treatment? Anything besides garlic additives in the food and maintaining the best possible water conditions? Should I get the fish into a QT or is it not contagious? All other fish look fine. I can't feed the medicated pellets as it doesn't even seem to notice pelleted food. The pellets I've been trying are the smallest Formula 1 size.

[revaltion131]

I found a good source for info on Uronema, recommending QT and treatment with methylane blue, FW dips, hypo-salinity, and so on. I couldn't find much info on Vibrio or if I need to worry about either infection spreading to other fish. Thanks for the help so far.

[revaltion131]

I went to my LFS equipped with pics and he recommended QT, as did everything else. It sounds like it's an infection that got in through an open wound, which makes sense seeing the scratches on it last night. I'm filling the QT with water from the tank and I'll be treating with Maracyn and adding Vitachem to the water and food. Is there anything I'm missing?