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FAQs on Genus Chaetodon Butterflyfishes, Disease

FAQs on Butterflyfish Disease: Butterflyfish Disease 1, Butterflyfish Disease 2, Angels and Butterflyfishes & Crypt,
FAQs on Butterflyfish Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environmental, Nutritional, Social, Trauma, Infectious, Parasitic, Treatments

Related Articles: Chaetodon Butterflyfishes

Related FAQs:  FAQs 1, FAQs 2, Chaetodon Identification, Chaetodon Behavior, Chaetodon Compatibility, Chaetodon Selection, Chaetodon Systems, Chaetodon Feeding, Chaetodon Reproduction, Butterflyfish Identification, Butterflyfish Foods/Feeding/NutritionButterflyfish Compatibility, Butterflyfish Behavior, Butterflyfish Systems, Butterflyfish Selection, Butterflyfish Disease, Butterflyfish Reproduction,

Butterflies, and other fishes, can be mal-affected by cnidarians.


Butterflyfishes for  Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care

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by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Chaetodon tinkeri      5/13/17
Greetings,
<Howsit?>
I have a C. tinkeri that after eating is temporarily reclusive and breathes heavily - what does this mean? He ate too much/quickly?
<Mmm; maybe... but other possibilities loom greater. Do you have sufficient dissolved oxygen...? No problems with allelopathy... fighting amongst... Cnidarians in this system?....>
I've had this fish for over a year, physically perfect, fecal looks good, tank temp 76.5-77.5F. There's some competition in the tank, my guess is he eats too quickly, this is a relatively new behavior.
Eating mostly seafood.
<Not a Thiaminase issue I hope/trust. Search this word on WWM. Read Marco's article Re.>
Sincerely,
Sarah
<Bob Fenner, out on Kona currently; perhaps seeing this endemic on the morrow.>

Follow up on Lemon Butterfly/Quarantine duration       12/22/16
Hi and thanks for your recent help regarding my lemon butterfly fish (Chaetodon miliaris).
<One of my fave BF species>
My three guys are all eating well, and appear completely lesion and parasite free. (Emphasis on the word "appear".) They have been in my 30 gallon QT for seven weeks as of today. I have matched salinity,
temperature, and pH to my 180 gallon display tank.
I see so many different duration periods for quarantine, anywhere from two weeks to two months. I'm thinking that my butterfly fish are ready to go into the main tank at this point. Is there any reason to wait any longer?
<Not IMO/E... more than even just a few weeks entails more risk than benefit. I'd move these fish now (if not before)>
Thanks.
Bruce Ritter
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Hopefully you can help my with my sick Tinkers butterfly     1/7/14
Dear WetWebMedia-crew/Bob,
<Tanne>
First I like to compliment you on your website. I really like the way it has grown organically and I appreciate the information provided a lot. I email you because I hope you can maybe point me to something I have overlooked so far. I have copied/pasted my question from the topic I started on ReefCentral.
<Can't convert these files... would you please just copy and paste them in a new email to me/us? Will respond to you below>
I really hope you can help me.
Kind regards,
Tanne Hoff
My tinker's butterfly is ill. I bought it 6 months ago and it has done very well the first 6 months.
< A tough species, sub- and whole genus>

Since it stopped eating last week I decided I should treat for Cryptocaryon.
<?... why? I would NOT do this>

I set up a small hospital tank using water from the aquarium and I started treating with a mild dose of malachite green, Methylene blue and formalin (commercially available fish medicine here sold under the brand name Femsee),
<Dangerously toxic>

 I stuck to these for 2 days.
Yesterday I switched to copper and Furaltadone (broad-spectrum antibiotic, Nitrofuran derative). I choose the copper because of what I have read both on websites such as these and based on the book by G. Bassleer about fish diseases. The Furaltadone was used because my LFS advised me to do so as he felt there might be secondary infections. This LFS mostly knows what they are talking about. I have a Salifert copper test kit and as I read I should gradually increase the level of the copper I started with about 0,15 mg/l.
<... has to be higher... 0.20 mg/l (eq. to ppm); but no higher than 0.35 ppm free/cupric ion>
I check nitrites and ammonium daily, so far both are undetectable. Daily I replace 50% of the water with water from the reef aquarium, I top up removed medication.
The fish still does not eat.
<Not with being moved, these chemical exposures, no... NEEDS to be moved back to more agreeable setting, conditions; offered foods it recognizes, perhaps laced with HUFAs, vitamins as appetite stimulant>
Of course, the main goal is to get the fish completely healthy again, but I feel I should get it to eating as well. Of course, the fish probably does not eat because it is ill, but the fact it does not eat does not help its immune system.
So my main questions are:
- am I doing everything right?
<No; not; see above>
- when could I expect the fish to eat again?
<...? When it is treated better>
All suggestions are more than welcome.
I filled in the questionnaire from the stickies as well.
<... for somewhere else. We don't do this/these on WWM>
Thanks in advance, also on behalf of my fish 
1. How old is this aquarium?
Set up in 2006. See the picture I have attached.
2. If less than six months old, what is ammonia level?
..
3. What is SG of this aquarium? How measured?
1.024, spindle
4. When was the last fish added to this aquarium?
August 2013, 5 small Anthias cooperi which all do very well.
5. Was it quarantined? If so, how? And how long? Was it prophylactically treated? How?
Kept in a separate perforated box in the tank for about 2 weeks.
Prophylactically treated in a FW-bath with Praziquantel for 25 minutes.
6. If you are using a copper based medication, which one? How often do you measure level? When?
See below.
7. If you are using hyposalinity, how did you calibrate your refractometer?-
8. Please describe in detail, the appearance of the fish? If there is one or more pimples, are they lumpy? What color?
Fish looks ok, but an experienced keeper could see there was 'something' wrong when the fish was still in the display tank. It has had a few spots earlier, but nothing serious. The amount of spots seems to have increased a bit, but, even worse: the fish quit eating last week so it was moved to a hospital tank on Jan. 4th. I have attached two pictures of the fish, the one from the front shows the skin's condition best. That picture is not completely clear, but especially on the black areas of the fish, the spots are visible quite well.
9. Please describe the behavior of the fish as best you can. Is it acting reclusive? Is it always up towards the top of the aquarium? Is it avoiding light? How active is the fish?
When still in the display tank, the fish used to be very active and ate nearly anything from between my fingers. Last week the fish quit eating and I did not get it to eat, I tried lots of food without any luck. When the fish quit eating, it went to the cleaner goby and cleaner shrimp more often and was less often swimming in the visible area of the aquarium.
10. Is the fish eating? What?
No, see above. There are some live Mysid shrimp, some bigger (but small enough for him) other shrimp and a clip of seaweed (which he used to like) but he does not touch anything.
<Return this fish to the main display... try opened shellfish, worms....
Bob Fenner>
Re: Hopefully you can help my with my sick Tinkers butterfly; now w/ pix     1/7/14

Dear Bob,
<Tanne>
Thanks for your fast reply! Wow!!
<Welcome>
I copy the text and add the pictures separately... Thanks in advance!! :)
<I see; these are all the same as what you included past your initial message. Which I have responded to since (between this email and your first>
Cheers
Tanne
<.... I see some light spotting in your included images... but am curious as to the other fish livestock... They did not, do not show symptoms? I would STILL return the BF to the main display... and have you read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/reefparfaq2.htm
and the linked files above; for background and to formulate a plan for fighting the loss of appetite, whatever possible protozoan issue this might be... in the entire system. We'll chat after your reading. BobF>
My tinker's butterfly is ill..... <the rest a copy of the above>



Re: Hopefully you can help my with my sick Tinkers butterfly    1/9/14
Hi Bob,
<Tanne>
Thank you for your fast reply. It took me longer due to work duties, but I didn't skim investing time in the sick fish :)
<Welcome>
The other fish in the tank are fine. For the last few years, I have seen some spots come and go and I actually regard that, in a otherwise healthy reef tank, to be something not to worry about. The reason I moved the tinker to a separate tank is that it got my attention it did not eat anymore.
<Such "transient" Protozoan parasite situations are very common... in fact, they're the rule rather than exception>
I have tried multiple food: live crustaceans (adult brine, Mysis and small feeder shrimp), live mussels (cut open) and today I introduced some vermetid snails without their shells. Apart from the mussel I have seen the fish devour these foods (next to nearly anything including flake food et cetera) in the large reef tank before. Whatever I do, the fish does not eat.
<The HUFA, vitamin mix/soak is advised again>
If the fish would have continued to eat in the display tank, I would have left it here, but to be more 'in control' I separated the fish.
<The fish itself is better in a larger, established/stable setting>
I hope your advice will help me to cure my fish :)
Cheers
Tanne
<BobF>

Re: Hopefully you can help my with my sick Tinkers butterfly      1/13/14
Hi Bob,
<Tanne>
Thanks for all your help. HUFA doesn't seem to be available here. I could get garlic extract if you think that would help.
<Worth trying... fresh/er is better>
I So far, I have tried live (opened) clam, live Mysis shrimp, small live shrimp, live adult brine shrimp, live blackworms, live vermetid snails without tube, glass roses, flake food and algae sheets (latter two because it used to LOVE these). So far, the fish looks completely healthy but still does not eat.
<Unusual... I have rarely seen a Roa, Roaops BF refuse food>
I agree with you chances would be better in a more stable larger system, but the reason I removed it from my reef is that it did not eat there anymore, I thought because of the Ick, which now has become invisible at least. Would you just put it back and hope it would start to eat again?
<Yes I would; as prev. stated. The fish may well consume some small live organisms there (from the rock, substrate...)>
Good news is that the fish has produced poop last Saturday, haven't seen it doing that for a long time. I put the poop under the microscope and found no micro-organisms/worms. I did find some strange crystals in it however and the turd was quite hard.
<Mmm... the life in the system I mentioned>
 As I have never deliberately touched fish poop before or have put it under the microscope before I can't tell how common this is.
My current plan now is to gradually wean the fish off the medication and hope it will get to eat again when the water is 'pure' again. But, I'm open for other ideas as well...
Have a nice Sunday! :-)
Cheers
Tanne
<Thank you. Am out on a diving holiday in FLA. BobF>

Re: More re: Saddleback Butterflyfish QT medicate or not. <<RMF - any ideas on the 'hairs?>> 7/12/10
Hi Simon, and WWM crew,
<Hi David>
Just to let you know, the Saddle back and Coral beauty are eating now, Aiptasia is gone from the little Live rock I introduced into the QT and also now the BF is accepting thawed Mysis.
<Great!>
Ammonia is at almost zero after the water change now 75%, and then slowly creeps up to almost .75 or almost 1 in the course of the day.
<Mmm, too high>
I'm making daily water changes at night as I stated before. Tomorrow Ill be freshwater dipping the Butterfly fish with Methylene blue and 8.3 adjusted pH.
<Before introduction to the display?>
Later on I'll change the coral beauty as well. Right now establishing a bigger QT is Troublesome. I do have bigger tanks but they are dirty and have no table or stand for them. Will bleach be enough for treating QT and equipment
after changing both fishes to the DT?
<Yes>
I have a canister filter a big one, for 55 gallons running on another tank would that one help with the biological filtration
<Yes>
or 10 gall tank for those two fishes is just too much to handle?
<As stated, I was surprised you managed to get 0 ammonia at all with these fishes in this volume>
Also if I get to use this canister filter, should I dump everything after its use and start always with new media and the
equipment treated with bleach?
<Do you mean after treatment before using on another system? I would.>
Thank you very much for your advice I see not medicating has been a good way to go.
<Many aquarists make the mistake of thinking that a potion in a bottle is the answer to their problems>
If I get a chance while handling the BF to change it to the DT I'll try to get a smear or alike from that bump and see what it looks like, of course I wont hurt him at all I think Ill just rub a cotton swap on it. Do you think that would be ok?
<Mmm, beyond my expertise I'm afraid.. If you could put it on a slide, photograph and send it in then Bob might have an answer for you><<Not a cotton swab, but a glass slide passed gently from head to tail, at an angle, along the body scales, to remove a bit of mucus... this in turn smeared onto another slide. RMF>>
Also, any stain that would be helpful?
<Bob?>
What could I be expecting?
<I think this is viral, Lymphocystis><<I don't think you'll find anything other than some scales, mucus, miscellaneous cellular, acellular material... I think the "strands" were "just" mucus... from irritation. RMF>>
Thanks again.
<No problem>
Sincerely,
David
<Simon>

Re: More Re: More re: Saddleback Butterflyfish QT medicate or not.   7/13/10
Hello Simon, BobF and wwc.
<Simon has "marked himself" "out till 8/2/10. BobF at your svc.>
I'm completely lost here. Yesterday night I did a FW dip with pH adjusted to 8.3 and Methylene blue for the Saddleback, it took it very well just like the first time, 10 minutes exactly and not any crazy sign, netted it out and dump him to the DT. It looked disoriented and was stumbling with everything I got preoccupied but few minutes later it was ok swimming around slowly inspecting. I went to sleep but few hours later I woke up to check on it, I didn't turn the light of the aquarium on just the rooms lights I could see it looked ok but with some rapid breathing and more pale, maybe just because I turned the light on I thought. Well that was 3 a.m. Right now, 7:24 a.m. I go downstairs to look at it and it is DEAD. There is only one inhabitant on the tank and its a yellow prawn goby that has been with me for more than 3 years, two turbo snails, 1 Xenia, 1 Galaxea frag,
<Ohhh, this Oculinid is VERY stinging>
1 toadstool frag, 1 cup coral frag, there is LOTS of copepods and bristleworms and recently I been having a direct battle with Cyano
<Please do peruse WWM re... and seek cause/s, solution>
but I'm getting over it now slowly.
That's it nothing more on my tank. Lots of live rock and Aiptasia. Please any idea of what could have happened?
<Well... could be just "stress", accumulated shock, a loss of oxygen carrying capacity (from the appearance in the image you've sent, this is a common speculation for the mouth open, the pectoral fins erect at side), perhaps some bad contact with the Galaxea... or "just" a mystery loss>
I don't want to transfer the coral beauty now to the dT,
<If this fish is eating, the quarantine system fine... I'd leave it where it is a while longer>
I'm really lost here, water parameters are perfect in DT Ammonia 0, nitrates 0, nitrites 0, pH 8.3, calcium 420, KH 8°, this is the water I've been doing water changes to the QT, 75% daily and BF and CB were already eating and doing good on QT. Any piece of advice would be greatly appreciated, also I didn't took the smear as it was very late at night and was tired.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
David Bulnes Abundis
<I say that you/I should be or make ourselves satisfied that I/you did what we could, knew what to do. BobF>

Saddleback Butterflyfish QT medicate or not. <<RMF - any ideas on the 'hairs?>>  7/10/10
Hi WWM crew,
<Hello David>
Well I've been reading WWM a lot
<Can be addictive..>
and finally decided to get fishes for my tank, as I stated in past email I as trying to get a BTA anemone but as the one I bought was not BTA but a dyed LTA.
<Sad>
I think I'll wait more to get a good one or better yet a better LFS. Well the real issue here is that I got 2 new fishes, one Coral Beauty and one Saddleback
Butterflyfish, they just arrived to my dealer and decided to get them home they looked very strong even for the trip they just made. Anyways, they look plump and healthy.
<Yes, they do>
I started the quarantine tank a 10 gallon bare bottom tank
<<Small for Butterflyfishes, particularly larger, more free-roaming species like C. ephippium>>
with a sponge filter that had been left on the sump of my DT, 50 % new water 50% water from my main tank (70 gallons plus 30 in sump, planning to upgrade in six months to at least 200 gal). Two pvc elbows for hiding and that's it.
<A well thought-out set-up, if a little small for the two in question>
I drip for two hours and then made a Freshwater dip for 10 minutes to each fish with pH 8.3 and Methylene blue then they went to QT.
<Good>
Water in QT, ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, nitrate 0. KH is 8 dKH I and calcium is 420, Temperature is 27 °C.
<All very good, especially w/ ammonia which I would expect to be positive with these two in a 10g>
Already in QT I noticed that the Saddleback was not expanding one of the ventral fins and seemed clumped
<Mmm>
then in better light I noticed this whitish clump about 3 mm long in it's fin, Also it has some really tiny hair like things in its mouth almost invisible not many about 5 or so I think, about less than a millimeter, and its mouth presents some slight red shade and it wont close its always with is mouth open.
<Mmm, I see the redness.. it does look a bit swollen. Did the fish exhibit this in QT or did it have it when you bought it? Did the fish come from a tank w/ live rock, other inhabitants or was it in a tank by itself? My thinking is that this is an injury of some kind, perhaps a tussle with the Centropyge. The only thing I can think of re: the 'hairs' are bristles from a worm, these would cause swelling/ redness for sure. Bob might have another idea, will post to his box and we'll see if he does>
<<Looks like damage... physical trauma... Very common with Chaetodontids... occurs often during collection, handling, shipping... and keeping in small volumes>>
I'm attaching the best pictures I could shoot. Also both fish look like they are searching for food but
they just nip at the bare glass. I have all kind of frozen food, Artemia Mysis,
<I would be using this to tempt them>
krill, also supplement like Zoecon, even caviar. I have lots of mosquito larvae available, Nori, ocean nutrition pellets, flakes and Hikari also. I haven't seem them eat a thing. I put a little piece of Nori and today it was all chopped up but I think it was just made a mess and don't know if they eat anything at all. Also I know its not good for QTs but I introduced a small piece of LR with Aiptasia and some algae growth to see if they liked but I haven't seem them pay much attention.
<This was a good move>
Well I don't know If I need to medicate
<I would not>
to eradicate this white clump or should I just leave it to see what happens. I have not been able to ID what is it, I've read lot of marine disease FAQs and it looks like none of them I would think Lympho
<This is the most likely suspect IMO.
looks a like but this one is whitish doesn't seems to be growing.
<This is commonly white in appearance, and often does not get worse/ grow.. just lingers for a while. No treatment except good attention to water quality required>
Also I got Untergasser's Fish diseases and could not ID it.. Ammonia is creeping up
<? This.. needs to be kept zero. Fishes can/ will lose their appetites in it's presence, and it can cause redness in the mouth/ gills area as well>
but I do 50% water changes daily siphoning the floor to keep it low and remove uneaten food.
<This is good practice>
They have been in QT for 3 days now. Away from my preoccupations they look good and act good they aren't shy at all. I sit with the camera in front of the tank don't freak out or anything.
<I would persevere for the moment, and observe. No need to panic just yet, but if they don't feed in the next few days you will have to consider dip/ placing them to the display>
What would be the next step to take, I've got this lifeguard product from Instant Ocean it is supposedly effective against fungus bacteria and parasites, one tablet per 10 gallons per day for 5 days, or should I try Methylene blue or formalin or another thing
<Nothing.. as posted>
I just don't know what I'm going to treat so I haven't treated but 10 gallon tank is too little for these two fishes
<Yes>
and I don't want to have them there more than needed (4 weeks) or else they could develop environmental diseases by just being in an ugly place.
<It is good that you recognise this, but I do think that 4 weeks might be excessive here>
Hope I haven't been too confusing but I've got too much questions and thing on my head now.
Thank you very much for your time again and really this is an excellent website and very very helpful
<No problem David.. I am assuming that you are a non-native English speaker and if so then you have written very well, thank you>
Sincerely,
David Bulnes Abundis
<Simon>
<<I would summarily freshwater dip/bath and move the Saddleback to the main system. The likelihood it will vector something deleterious is small compared with the likelihood of it passing under present circumstances. BobF>>
Re: More re: Saddleback Butterflyfish QT medicate or not. <<RMF - any ideas on the 'hairs?>>  7/10/10

Hi Simon and BobF
<Hello David>
Me again, about the Saddleback Butterfly fish, well this morning I went downstairs to check on the little fishes and they seem normal, the BF still has the white clump and the oral beauty seems in perfect condition.
<Great!>
I added some Mysis about 5 o 10 little shrimps but had no luck. One good thing is that the Aiptasia covered live rock is now CLEAN, no Aiptasia at all visible,
<Ahhh, some success then!>
so one of them I would think the BF is eating it, so at least it wont have problems on my main tank which currently has a boom of this Aiptasia because of added nutrients from the daily feeding of my cup coral (it was almost a white skeleton and now its ALIVE! again stretching out all nights to get its share of Mysis) I'm tuning my DIY skimmer to its max and it removes about half a cup of dark scum daily.
Well now to the point, apparently the white spot is not going to disappear just like that in that QT, it needs better environment just like the DT, that would be a better move as I understood.
<Yes>
My coral beauty he seems really fine and should I move him also?
<I would move just the Butterfly as Bob says for the moment, but be ready to move the Angel in a couple of days if he does not feed. >
or should it stay in QT alone. The coral Beauty doesn't seems to be aggressive to the BF at all, they stay close together both of them like making company to each other, no picking or poking ;).
<These are usually compatible>
The Coral Beauty seems to be the less active of them both. Both of them arrived to my LFS morning and I
got them on midday, I got them like that because I don't like the way they treat all of the stock there, so I thought I would have better chances of getting a stronger fish if I got it quickly and avoid being on those holding tanks where they are overcrowded and prone to lots of diseases as I don't think they clean them at all between shipments.
<Mmm, I prefer to leave in the LFS for a few days at least, to observe, see how they behave & to make sure they feed. IMO you should never buy a fish without seeing it feed in the shop>
They have about one inch of coral rubble and very strong current, they are about 40 or 50 gallons each and they cram everything they can inside, there is no QT also. Its more like a distributor not a LFS so fishes don't spend much time there just about 1 or 3 days max. (I don't like their practices but right now If I get the fishes directly from them as fast as I can I think I will have better luck).
<The chances of introducing parasites here sound like they could be high. I would consider purchasing a larger QT tank for any future livestock purchases, to enable you to have a better chance of quarantining without being forced to move the animals early. Another option is to purchase a much larger one now, and move both fishes to it. Since the Butterfly is feeding from the live rock, you can be pretty sure that this approach will work>
Other LFS buy from them so I think its the best way.
One doubt I got with cyanobacteria, when I started feeding my cup coral I had these incredible explosion of Cyano, I upgraded the pump of my DIY skimmer and now were talking about real scum is being taking out, well
all the Cyano that was once red burgundy now turned more yellow and green and the patches seem to have shrunk, is that a sign that I'm on my way to win the battle?
<Yes>
I also remove them with long tweezers because all the biofilms comes together as chunk and that way I don't syphon out half my sandbed.
<You need to net this out of the water>
I know this leaves lots floating around and I should syphon it but it really takes out a lot of my sandbed.
<It does not matter how you remove it as long as you remove it>
I do this almost daily.
<When this problem surfaces, daily is required>
I reduced the food I give to my cup coral but they always seem to be wanting more and more its hard to say no.
<You need to balance this input with your export>
One last question, what can I use for a lid for this tank, I don't like putting anything between my PC and HO fixture because I'm of the idea that it will reduce light a lot and get dirty and reduce it even more.
<Mmm, read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tksstds.htm & related FAQs for the many different approaches to this>
Also will get my tank hotter by reducing evaporation, and its already in the limits. Any idea to avoid my fishes jumping out of the tank? or at least diminish the probability?
<Perhaps some netting would work here>
Thank you all, again.
<No problem>
sincerely
David Bulnes Abundis
<Simon>


Body-slime, from stress, Aiptasia most likely. RMF

Collare butterfly QT -- 09/19/09
Hello Wise Ones:
<Mmm, okay>
Thanks for all your great advice.? I've been a reader? for the past year, ever since I began my recent foray into marine aquaria.?
At the end of last year I set up a 125 gallon? FOWLR system.? It houses a 5" annularis angel,
<Will need more room... actually now>
two small Heniochus Bannerfish, and about 165 pounds of very purple live rock with here and there a snail, a stow-away limpet, a bristle worm and some cool red macroalgae.
Two days ago, I received a pair of 3" collare butterflies? Via FedEx.? I did a long gradual acclimation and put them in a bare QT tank where they began, almost immediately, to nibble on Mysis and frozen brine shrimp.? I planned on putting them through a typical two or three week quarantine. Then, gleaning your site, specifically for anything having to do with Collares, the advice given to "Matt" (who, like me, acquired some Collares by mail order), baffled me. In lieu of quarantine, Matt was told to do a pH adjusted freshwater dip and place his BFs in his main system right away so as to avoid inflicting too much stress on them. It was suggested that the threat of disease transmission was low and that, probably, they would succumb to disease were they to endure a typical? quarantine.
<Yes>
Know that I've regarded your words about quarantine as gospel.
<Not an absolute... there are exceptions in other words...>
Early on, my angel had to endure a long separation from the main tank as it lay fallow after an outbreak of some nasty ecto-parasitic combo platter.
<I'll have the Mac and Cheese please>
It took three months after purchase before he was finally home, noshing on lifeline cubes and marine cuisine in the big tank.? I therefore followed your advice to the letter when I added the Henis. Everything went fine.?
The purple peaceful tank gets more beautiful by the day.? The Henis peck at the live rock and steal mouthfuls of food from the spoiled angel.? Needless to say, I? fear placing? the Collares too quickly only to end up yanking the whole crew ten days later as I? frantically hunt for my Cupramine and copper
test kit. Either I'm not much of a gambler,? or these incredibly beautiful creatures have, for me, so much more value than the money they cost.? So, could you elaborate a bit on the relative risks and benefits of how best to proceed?
Thanks again,
Randy
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/quarfaqs13.htm
and the linked files above till you understand my position. Bob Fenner>

Infection? of copper banded butterfly fish    7/28/09
Hi,
<Howdy... "act excited and you'll be excited, Bob">
Thank you all for such a great site for us novices, we appreciate you.
I've checked the FAQs and the web in general but find no comments about a white "mass" on the lower jaw of my copper banded butterfly fish. I first thought it was food stuck on the mouth but now notice that it is enlarging so I'm concerned about contagion and of course the health of this fish.
<A pic?>
I called the LFS where I bought this fish and was advised to net it, remove it from the general population and treat it with Neosporin.
<? Nah>
I asked what kind and was not advised that there is fish-specific Neosporin. There was no suggestion about where to house this fish in the interim but certainly I wouldn't add it back to the display tank until it improved.
Is there hope for this fish?
<Yes>
Is his problem really a problem? If it's an infection is it likely contagious?
<Can't tell from the data presented, but doubtful that "treating" it will be efficacious... Perhaps this is just a transitory viral expression... Or something else that will just "go" of its own accord. Likely any handling,
moving would be deleterious... Perhaps the addition of a cleaner organism would be of use... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/clnrfaqs.htm>
Thanks for "being there".
Jayne in Tucson
<Glad to share. Siaynoq! Bob Fenner>

Question about redness in Chaetodon auriga Butterfly Mr. Fenner, <Hello> Thanks again for the great advise on purchasing the Iwaki circulation pumps and oscillator/wavemaker for great water circulation!  <Glad the folks here could be of assistance> All of my fish are very healthy since I bumped up the circulation in my tank. I have a 5 month matured 180 FOWLR system, current inhabitants, 1 bi-color angel, 1 tomato clown, 1 velvet damsel, 2 Chromis, 1 Xmas wrasse and I just purchased today a large Chaetodon auriga Butterfly. I have a question... the Auriga is about 7 inches large in size and before I left the store he was perfect in color, fins exceptional condition...  <Seven inches? Shame on the collector... such large specimens should be left in the sea... they don't adapt well to captive conditions or ship well generally> no external problems whatsoever. I arrive at home 10 minutes later , proceed to drip him for about 45 minutes with a .019 salinity, same as what 's in my hospital tank, then placed him in.  <Mmm, then why the dip?> I now see what appears to be a subtle redness, not too much, around the mouth and fin bases. Can this be some internal damage due to the trauma inflicted during the bagging and trip? <Yes, or residual, partially healed damage from previous holding and shipping> When the store salesperson scooped him in the plastic container I noticed the fish flapped around quite hard against the glass and he may have injured himself. I am very concerned about the redness ... is it internal bleeding? <Possibly> Will he recover from this with good treatment , good water quality and vitamins? <Again...> I don't want to lose him. Should I place him in my main tank since the environment there is much better... no nitrates, temperature perfect? Please help! <I might do so> This is a section that I read from Wet Web Media on Auriga's Appearance.... Appearance: Reddening of the mouth or fin bases disqualifies a prospective purchase. Due to their sharp pointed snouts, threadfins, indeed all B/Fs need to be packed in large bags and laid on their sides in transit. This provision reduces the chance of damage from slamming during handling and shipping. <Not surprisingly, I totally agree... with myself. Bob Fenner>
Re: Question about redness in Chaetodon auriga Butterfly
Robert, Will this fish recover from this with good treatment, good water quality and vitamins? I can return him today if there's little hope. <For such a large specimen, being caught at this size (seven inches if memory serves), there is "little hope". Moving it will not likely serve to save it... unless perhaps we were in Hawai'i. Then, there I would replace it to the sea (which wholesale collectors due sometimes when a number of organisms "breaks down" in an attempt to return them to health, redeem themselves. Bob Fenner>

New Tinker BF processing Hi Guys or Gals, <Matt>     I have a quick FOWLR questions.  I am purchasing a Tinker's Butterfly for my 250 FOWLR and Mr. Fenner once recommended to me NOT to Quarantine my Pakistani B'flies.  Should I take the same steps with the Tinker's or should I quarantine? I always quarantine my fish for a period of two months.  But my Q tank has no live rock which seems to be essential to the Tinker.  What should I do?   <I would NOT quarantine a Tinker's... WOULD treat as stated for the Pakistan> By the way,  What do you folks think of the hardiness of the Tinker? <It is about as solid a species of Chaetodont (as are all subgenus Roa) as there exists> Thanks a ton and Happy Holidays, Matt <Bob Fenner, out in HI, saw two Tinkers in pretty shallow... about 120 feet, yesterday>


Butterflyfishes for  Marine Aquariums
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