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bwomble
04/02/2010, 12:40 PM
My one spot foxface has a problem of some sort. The first thing I noticed was a pinkish whitish spot on the top of its mouth; this growth on him is right at the front of his top lip so to speak; just above the mouth opening. At the same time it quit eating and started spending most of its time in front of the water return which I'm taking to mean that it is having some trouble getting enough oxygen but I'm just guessing. I treated the tank with both pimafix and melafix for a full week (two weeks on the melafix; I had more of it on hand) since I didn't know whether the growth was bacterial or fungus or something else. At any rate it hasn't helped much; the spot seems to be a bit smaller but it is still there and it's still not eating. Obviously the foxface has got to start eating again or it will die. No other fish show any signs of stress; the foxface is the only critter with a problem. Does anyone have any ideas of what this is or what to treat it with?

I've tried to lure him to eat with various sea veggies soaked in a sea veggie preparation with garlic and such like but no luck. The only thing it has eaten has been algae nibbled off rock and precious little of that. This fish has been my most voracious eater for years and I'm afraid I'm going to lose it. Thanks for any assistance.

Other basic facts:

I've had this foxface for four years in a 110 gallon aquarium with 30 gallon sump.

Tank mates show no problems and are blue tang, tomini tang, common clowns, green chromis and an engineer goby.

Just tested the water and the results are:

I did a 50% water change just before this problem was noticed; so about 2 weeks ago. I'll test it now...

PH - 8.4
Nitrites - 0
Ammonia - .25 so something is going on there...
Nitrates - 0
KH - 232.7
Calcium - 520
Phosphate - I'm out of tests right now but I consistently have some. It has been as high as 5 and as low as .25 with 1 being average. I'm sure there are detectable amounts present.

I dose iodide, strontium & molybdenum with make up water each day. I see that my KH and Calcium are a bit high but could that cause a problem with the foxface?

Bye...Bob

JHemdal
04/03/2010, 06:47 AM
Bob,

Can you post a picture? Is there any chance that this is a mechanical injury? Maybe it "hit the wall" during the water change?

Originally, it sounded like Lymphocystis virus to me - but not likely in a fish you've had that long.

Since the fish is seeking out a water return, to me, that implies that the rest of the tank must be lower in dissolved oxygen (else how could the fish know that the oxygen is higher at the return?). The dissolved oxygen level should be constant in the tank. I would add a couple of good airstones to the tank and see if that relieves that symptom (won't do anything about the snout bump of course).


Jay

bwomble
04/03/2010, 04:39 PM
Bob,

Can you post a picture? Is there any chance that this is a mechanical injury? Maybe it "hit the wall" during the water change?

Originally, it sounded like Lymphocystis virus to me - but not likely in a fish you've had that long.

Since the fish is seeking out a water return, to me, that implies that the rest of the tank must be lower in dissolved oxygen (else how could the fish know that the oxygen is higher at the return?). The dissolved oxygen level should be constant in the tank. I would add a couple of good airstones to the tank and see if that relieves that symptom (won't do anything about the snout bump of course).


Jay

I certainly can't rule out the fish being injured by storming into a rock during the water change. It doesn't like any such activities.

I agree that its behavior indicates either a lack of oxygen in the water or a reduced ability to process it on the fish's part. The only time I've seen similar behavior from this fish is when I had a protozoan infestation previously. No one else seems affected though which wouldn't be the case if the tank was oxygen deprived or if parasites were in the tank. I'll try to get a picture but it is not a cooperative subject and I'm not a good aquarium photographer. The area seems to be healing some now as well but it has to eat to live and it's not eating. Even a big fat fish will run out of reserves soon. Thanks for the reply.