Yellow Watchman with a hole in it's side!

[Albertan22]

My yellow watchman has had some kind of skin/scale irritation for awhile now. I had posted about it a couple of weeks ago and got no response. Well it's gotten significantly worse. He must be rubbing it quite a bit because he's worn a hole right through his side. It's to the point that I can actually see his internal organs now. The strange thing is, he still eats voraciously and is acting normally.

I've removed him to a quarantine tank and am treating with a broad spectrum antibiotic. I don't know what else to do for the poor guy, every time I look at him now I can't believe that he's still alive, let alone eating. Is there anything else I can do for him? Can a fish heal from an injury like this?

[Myka]

Here's your old post (for reference):

Hi all,

So I brought home a yellow watchman goby on the weekend and have noticed white patches on his sides. I noticed the first patch the day after he went into the tank, and today (third day in the tank) he seems to have more on both sides of his body. It almost looks like scrapes (see picture below, in the middle of his body). He has spent most of the evening today swiming laps along the glass at the top of the tank, and stops and sticks himself to the overflow teeth every once in awhile. His breathing seems normal, but he hasn't been eating. Ammonia, and nitrite levels aren't detectable, and I haven't observed any agression with other fish in the tank (2 clowns and 4 chromis). I'm a little worried about this guy and am debating setting a QT up for him but I don't know what, if anything, to treat for. Any ideas?

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv120/Albertan22/RSCN3369.jpg

Thanks for looking.

[Myka]

[In my experiences gobytron...]

I think you're on the right track using a broad spectrum antibiotic. Which one are you using? I would also suggest you make sure the water isn't too warm as this will speed up any infection. Aim for 78 or so. Feed him often as much as you can get him to eat (without leaving waste and polluting the QT). I would suggest you add a vitamin drop (like Selcon or Kent Zoe) and garlic to the food as well. It is a good idea to feed both vitamins and garlic regularly anyway (a few times a week).

[bvlester]

Yup Myka is spot on. THe only thing I would add is after the broad spectrum antibiotic I would use melifix it will add in the healing process and help to fight off any secondary infection. I think Carmen has some very good pics of an angel in one of her threads she posted about MV she had. I think it was Carmen, I don't think this is MV just and open cut that has progressed and became infected by some sort of bacteria. I wish I had seen your original post.

Bill

[gobytron]

[In my experiences gobytron...]

I think you're on the right track using a broad spectrum antibiotic. Which one are you using? I would also suggest you make sure the water isn't too warm as this will speed up any infection. Aim for 78 or so. Feed him often as much as you can get him to eat (without leaving waste and polluting the QT). I would suggest you add a vitamin drop (like Selcon or Kent Zoe) and garlic to the food as well. It is a good idea to feed both vitamins and garlic regularly anyway (a few times a week).


For someone who seems really smart, you just don`t get it....lol

[Myka]

How is your fish today Albertan? Is he still eating well?

For someone who seems really smart, you just don`t get it....lol

Oh, I do though. In my opinion, I am making fun of you. Your initial uncalled for rudeness towards me bothers me. I admit that you were affecting my "real life" mood, and the hubby was not happy about this. Seeing as we are on the internet I can't just take you out back and damage your teeth (I'm joking, I don't advocate violence), so making fun of you allows me to smile when I read your posts. :mrgreen:

[freddy]

I had a yellow watchman goby one day he had this hole in his side a big hole thought it was some kind of infection found out he was being attacked by a crab,skewered the crab hole healed up,may not be in your case but something to look out for.

[Albertan22]

My goby isn't doing very well today. He hasn't really eaten since I put him into quarantine, and he isn't swimming well anymore. He's kind of crawling around the bottom of the tank, it's hard to describe, but it's not a healthy looking movement. He doesn't look alert today anymore either, kind of dopey. Is this the drug maybe? I'm currently treating with Neoplex.

Here's a photo from this afternoon:

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv120/Albertan22/DSC_0435.jpg

I appologize for the poor quality of the photo, my quarantine tank doesn't have very good lighting.

[Myka]

Sadly, I don't think he will survive. Especially considering he has quit eating now. There isn't much you can do except to continue what you are already doing, and offer small amounts of food. If you have a turkey baster, maybe you could get the food right down in front of him.

[Zoaelite]

How is your fish today Albertan? Is he still eating well?



Oh, I do though. In my opinion, I am making fun of you. Your initial uncalled for rudeness towards me bothers me. I admit that you were affecting my "real life" mood, and the hubby was not happy about this. Seeing as we are on the internet I can't just take you out back and damage your teeth (I'm joking, I don't advocate violence), so making fun of you allows me to smile when I read your posts. :mrgreen:

:lol::lol::lol:.

My goby isn't doing very well today. He hasn't really eaten since I put him into quarantine, and he isn't swimming well anymore. He's kind of crawling around the bottom of the tank, it's hard to describe, but it's not a healthy looking movement. He doesn't look alert today anymore either, kind of dopey. Is this the drug maybe? I'm currently treating with Neoplex.
It's probably best to put the poor little guy out of his misery, try feeding like Myka said but if he doesn't bite aim of the game is quick and painless.

Can you actually see inside of him? I can't quite tell from the photo.

[bvlester]

+1 It's probably best to put the poor little guy out of his misery, try feeding like Myka said but if he doesn't bite i would weight for tomorrow morning and if he still doesn't eat then use clove oil and put him down better that way if he does respond then finish the treatment and after words get some melifix in there to help the open wound heal.

Bill

[Albertan22]

It's probably best to put the poor little guy out of his misery, try feeding like Myka said but if he doesn't bite aim of the game is quick and painless.

Can you actually see inside of him? I can't quite tell from the photo.

Yes you can actually see inside, there's a hollow space behind the hole and a membran with veins and organs inside of that. I don't really understand how he's still alive, but I feel a responsibility to try to help him through this as best I can. He just went into quarantine yesterday and I don't think the stress of removing him to the hospital/quarantine tank helped him out any. I'm hoping that maybe the reason he's stopped eating is because of the move, maybe he'll start again soon. I'm going to give him at least another day to aclimate to the new tank before I make any decisions on helping him to the big reef in the sky :sad:

[Albertan22]

So I've got my goby eating again and he's actually looking a bit better. The general discoloration seems to be going away and I think the hole may be starting to close up a little bit. I'm reaching the end of the antibiotic treatment, but the directions say I can go up to three weeks "if necessary". How do I know whether to switch from the antibiotic to something like Melafix, or continue on with the antibiotic treatment?

[Goxy]

Glad to see that your goby is doing better.

Our watchman goby lost his bottom jaw when we first put him in our 120g. There was no way to catch him as we have lot of rock. We did not see him for a while and we were sure that he did not make it until he just showed up one day. We still have him now one year latter.

Hope that your little guy does well.

[mr.wilson]

I would add rifampin and isoniazid to the food to treat tuberculosis (Mycobacterium marinum). It can be spread to humans so be careful handling the fish and wash your hands after working on the tank. Melafix is tea tree oil and does not work in saltwater.

[edikpok]

Not sure if it is TB or not, but if it is, read this interesting article:

http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/Lawler_Mycobacterium_fish_tuberculosis_FAQ.html

[Albertan22]

I don't think it's fish TB, he's been responding really well to the NeoPlex. I think if he had TB the NeoPlex probably wouldn't be strong enough to do anything. I could be wrong though...

[bvlester]

sorry to say melifix does work in salt water I have used it on a few occasions. Works like a charm, wounds heal in a few days (small open wounds) and no secondary infections. TB is transferable and this could be wear gloves also as TB can be transmitted through small lacerations or cuts.

Bill

[untamed]

sorry to say melifix does work in salt water I have used it on a few occasions. Works like a charm, wounds heal in a few days (small open wounds) and no secondary infections. TB is transferable and this could be wear gloves also as TB can be transmitted through small lacerations or cuts.

Bill

It is very normal for small, open, wounds to heal themselves in a few days without any treatment at all. I'm not saying Melefix doesn't work...just that the above statement doesn't really prove that it does.

[Albertan22]

Just to update any who are interested, after many, many weeks in a hospital tank, my yellow watchman is back in the DT. He's still got a scar where the hole was, but it's closed up and he's doing very well :smile:

[Lance]

:whoo:

[TheKid]

Wow must have someone watching out for him, good job!!:mrgreen:

[goffeebeans]

Could it have possibly been flukes?

Discoloration and sudden loss of appetite are some of the symptoms.

[christyf5]

Great to hear! Fish can be tough little critters sometimes :biggrin:

[Myka]

Just to update any who are interested, after many, many weeks in a hospital tank, my yellow watchman is back in the DT. He's still got a scar where the hole was, but it's closed up and he's doing very well :smile:

Wow! :eek: I thought he was dead long ago. Good job!

[Albertan22]

Thanks for the compliments all. There were times when I was loosing patience with keeping this guy in the hospital tank, the tank is also my QT so I wasn't able to get any new fish while I was treating him. But I just couldn't believe the perseverance of this little fish so I didn't give up on him. It's amazing what a fish can withstand and survive.

Could it have possibly been flukes?

Discoloration and sudden loss of appetite are some of the symptoms.

I never really did figure out exactly what caused the problem. I suspect that the loss in appetite was just related to the stress of moving him into the hospital tank. He had a good appetite before I moved him, and once he settled into the new digs he started eating again.