5+ year old copperband with inflamed/ red gill

[lolgranny]

Afternoon,

I have a super healthy 700g system. All the fish have been with me for years and are quite large. Everyone eats great, there has been no new additions to the tank in years. Nothing has changed across the board except I added spirulina powder to my food this time around.

many ways, the pastweek I’ve noticed my copperbands gill start to swell and almost look like it’s prolapsing outward. A little red “tag” hanging out a bit. His breathing seems a little more then normal, but then again he’s crazy when I’m close to the tank as he thinks he’s going to be fed.

He’s eating like normal, still has a snapping sound when he sucks in the food like he has a lot of power. All the 30+ fish I have are also healthy and eating. No other signs of stress.

I did notice him go close to my cardinal fish like he thought he was a cleaner wrasses or shrimp.

any thoughts?
thanks,
Dave

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Can you get a picture? One thing that comes to mind when I hear a long term captive fish having similar symptoms is goiter.
Jay

 

[Cesar Romero]

Following, as my CBB seems to be experiencing the same thing as yours.

 

[lolgranny]

I’ll try and snap one when I get home. It definitely bewilders me, I’ve been in the hobby a good 20 years and have kept all sorts of fish. This guy is right out there first to eat next to my tangs and angel. No fear whatsoever. He’s a good size, bigger then my hand and I’m a 6’5” Goliath . He’s also very thick and well fed so I’m stumped.

pic incoming latertoday

 

[lolgranny]

Here’s a photo. Tried to take some blue out quickly

 

[lolgranny]

Quick clip

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Just double checking - only on the left side, correct? That is probably a neoplasm (tumor) - either goiter, or another type. The only thing that troubles me is how fast it developed (just a week). However, if it were an infection of some sort, both gills would be affected.

Jay

 

[lolgranny]

Just double checking - only on the left side, correct? That is probably a neoplasm (tumor) - either goiter, or another type. The only thing that troubles me is how fast it developed (just a week). However, if it were an infection of some sort, both gills would be affected.

Jay

Correct, only one side looks like this. Acting totally normal. All Params are in check.

this could have been longer then a week, but I have 2 young kids and my fish don’t get all the attention anymore. Haha

 

[lolgranny]

Will this end up with me losing the fish?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Will this end up with me losing the fish?

So - if it is a tumor, surgery would be the only option, but with all the blood vessels in that area, it can’t really be done.
Jay

 

[lolgranny]

So - if it is a tumor, surgery would be the only option, but with all the blood vessels in that area, it can’t really be done.
Jay

just my thought. Thanks for the insight and help
Dave

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Please let me know the outcome...hopefully I'm wrong.

Jay

 

[lolgranny]

Just a little update! 2 weeks later, no change in anything and the copperband seems to be doing better.

 

[lolgranny]

Definitely looking better, very odd, but happy that he’s still here and still the alpha in the tank

 

[vetteguy53081]

My guess would be possible ammonia poisoning. An ammonia spike can happen when food for bacteria (ammonia) and bacteria get out of balance. If you did something to greatly reduce bacteria levels or if suddenly there was way more than the bacteria could handle you would get an ammonia spike. That tends to be more systemic, as other fish should be showing similar problems.
Another possibility is if you have several britleworms in the tank, they become tempting to any butterfly and will cause similar issue.
Last possibility would be elevated PH which can trigger an ammonia spike and inflammation of gills as the nitrogen cycle becomed disrupted.

 

[lolgranny]

My guess would be possible ammonia poisoning. An ammonia spike can happen when food for bacteria (ammonia) and bacteria get out of balance. If you did something to greatly reduce bacteria levels or if suddenly there was way more than the bacteria could handle you would get an ammonia spike. That tends to be more systemic, as other fish should be showing similar problems.
Another possibility is if you have several britleworms in the tank, they become tempting to any butterfly and will cause similar issue.
Last possibility would be elevated PH which can trigger an ammonia spike and inflammation of gills as the nitrogen cycle becomed disrupted.

systems ~ 4years old, however the rock (which has not been out of water) is about 14years old. I’ve religiously done 10% (70g) water changes on it every Wednesday/ blow off rock/ clean the sump and skimmers. Levels don’t seem any higher then normal, but I really only test po4 and alk unless coral are showing signs.
Po4 -0.08
Alk- 8.6

I make food in large batches for a couple months. Fed a sheet of nori a day and 1large cube (2.5”x2.5”) a day, split up through the day.

small bag of carbon is always in the sump(fist full)

Gfo is ran in a reactor, very small amount.

2 large reef octopus skimmers which are cleaned weekly

kalk in ato
Ca reactor
(Both on controller and running fine)

mad for bristle worms, honestly, my display seems barren from worms and pods. Millions of brittle stars, but I don’t see a lot of activity other then this. It’s a bare bottom tank (have had the same style for 15+ years), but with the filefish, wrasses,dottyback, and copperband they depleted the life in the display.... the sump (100+gallons and drag tank) are a different situation. Definitely bristle worms in there and in my fuge so that might be something.
I’m lost honestly lol.

figured I’d share everything with you guys as it’s bewildered me

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Well, maybe in the words of Arnold S. - "It's not a tumor!"

Jay