Red coloration on my CBB

[OrionN]

What is this on my CBB pair?
They act totally normal, eat up a storm and poop like a horse. I just don't think it look like septicemia, although it looks like it, the fishes does not act like it.
I recently put this pair into my DT and they had a hard time at first. Got fin rot initially but improved rapidly. Fins are growing back and they no longer been bother by the rest of the resident fish. They are out hunting and eating without problem.
The male have red discoloration, in the tissue, not on the skin just below the dorsal fin, and the female has red discoloration anterior to the caudal fin. These discoloration can be seen from both side. Looking at it, it remind me of the red full of blood muscle bundle of Tuna or Mackerel. Here are the pictures. They act absolutely normal and healthy.

320 DT, Salinity 35 ppt
Temp steady at 78 degree F
I dont check anything else in this tank.
Stable for many years. Full of aiptasia that they start to make a dent in the last several weeks.
Feeding mysis and Flakes in AM and maybe PM if I get home early enough.
8 feeding of Outohime pellets during the day.
2 sheets of Nori, often a bit still available at the end of the day.
None of the other fish have any problem. In fact the Leopard wrasses spawn regularly, and did again this evening.

6/29/2024.
Start to see the discoloration on the female
Male

Female

7/2/2024
Female
Red coloration more intense

Male pictures. Rather bright red under the dorsal

 

[fishguy242]

#fishmedic

 

[OrionN]

 

[OrionN]

Hunting as the light go out just now. Most active time for CBB

 

[vetteguy53081]

looks like hyper-melanization which are marks from anemone sting. Other ive seen is vitamin deficiency but knowing your tank management, leaning towards stings

 

[OrionN]

Identical discoloration on each side of the fish. Can’t be anemone sting. They were sting several weeks ago but not any more now that they settle into the tank.

First picture is the male from 6/29 and the last series this evening. I got picture of both side of the male. It is orange red like blood. High concentration of blood under the skin. (Seem like it anyway)

If they act sick I would say septicemia. BTW the spots on the fish in the last series of hunting. Pictures are actually algae on the glass, not on the fish.

 

[Jekyl]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[OrionN]

Temp of 78 degree not 70. Mistyped

 

[Jay Hemdal]

What is this on my CBB pair?
They act totally normal, eat up a storm and poop like a horse. I just don't think it look like septicemia, although it looks like it, the fishes does not act like it.
I recently put this pair into my DT and they had a hard time at first. Got fin rot initially but improved rapidly. Fins are growing back and they no longer been bother by the rest of the resident fish. They are out hunting and eating without problem.
The male have red discoloration, in the tissue, not on the skin just below the dorsal fin, and the female has red discoloration anterior to the caudal fin. These discoloration can be seen from both side. Looking at it, it remind me of the red full of blood muscle bundle of Tuna or Mackerel. Here are the pictures. They act absolutely normal and healthy.

320 DT, Salinity 35 ppt
Temp steady at 78 degree F
I dont check anything else in this tank.
Stable for many years. Full of aiptasia that they start to make a dent in the last several weeks.
Feeding mysis and Flakes in AM and maybe PM if I get home early enough.
8 feeding of Outohime pellets during the day.
2 sheets of Nori, often a bit still available at the end of the day.
None of the other fish have any problem. In fact the Leopard wrasses spawn regularly, and did again this evening.

6/29/2024.
Start to see the discoloration on the female
Male

Female

7/2/2024
Female
Red coloration more intense

Male pictures. Rather bright red under the dorsal

What was the timeline for the move?

The female has some fin damage that has regrown as well as a little fin fraying that is more recent. Do you know the culprit(s) of that?

I’ve seen that red coloration in fish before - often in clownfish, a few times in other fish. I don’t know what causes it, but it sometimes just goes away.

In the absence of secondary symptoms, I don’t see anything treatable here.

Jay

 

[OrionN]

What was the timeline for the move?

The female has some fin damage that has regrown as well as a little fin fraying that is more recent. Do you know the culprit(s) of that?

I’ve seen that red coloration in fish before - often in clownfish, a few times in other fish. I don’t know what causes it, but it sometimes just goes away.

In the absence of secondary symptoms, I don’t see anything treatable here.

Jay

Thanks Jay. I moved the CBB over two weeks ago. Fin rots 1/2 half of the week. They got sting really bad the first day. The female got it worst. All the fins receded all the way to the main color part. Lost at least 2 mm all around the fins. She lost much, >50% of her tail, to the point that she has difficulty propel herself. The male just lost the margin of all the fins. The male recovered completely at this time. Both already has the two points growing out of each of their pelvic fins. The minor torn of the dorsal fin of the male happened about 3 days ago from one of the tankmate, healing fine.
The Female caudal fin is still growing out. I estimate it will be back to normal in a few more weeks.

BTW, my Dino and Cyano is particularly difficult to treat. It seems the more water change I do the worst it gets. Not nutrient related. My tank is too large to effectively clean them manually.

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks Jay. I moved the CBB over two weeks ago. Fin rots 1/2 half of the week. They got sting really bad the first day. The female got it worst. All the fins receded all the way to the main color part. Lost at least 2 mm all around the fins. She lost much, >50% of her tail, to the point that she has difficulty propel herself. The male just lost the margin of all the fins. The male recovered completely at this time. Both already has the two points growing out of each of their pelvic fins. The minor torn of the dorsal fin of the male happened about 3 days ago from one of the tankmate, healing fine.
The Female caudal fin is still growing out. I estimate it will be back to normal in a few more weeks.

BTW, my Dino and Cyano is particularly difficult to treat. It seems the more water change I do the worst it gets. Not nutrient related. My tank is too large to effectively clean them manually.

I have seen this - as well - unfortunately, it was a long while ago and I don't remember what the exact cause/solution was lol. At least in my case, I know it wasn't a stinging issue - but I believe it did come on after treatment with an antibiotic or QT medication - which is sort of similar to your situation. I agree it shouldn't be sepsis since they are in good condition. I wonder if it's a different stress condition or related to whatever was causing their original problem that has healed/is healing. Very nice fish, sorry couldn't be more helpful - but - as you know, watch carefully for worsening. I am curious - how big are the fish?

 

[OrionN]

I have seen this - as well - unfortunately, it was a long while ago and I don't remember what the exact cause/solution was lol. At least in my case, I know it wasn't a stinging issue - but I believe it did come on after treatment with an antibiotic or QT medication - which is sort of similar to your situation. I agree it shouldn't be sepsis since they are in good condition. I wonder if it's a different stress condition or related to whatever was causing their original problem that has healed/is healing. Very nice fish, sorry couldn't be more helpful - but - as you know, watch carefully for worsening. I am curious - how big are the fish?

Thanks. They did not get treated with any medication. Just observational and acclimation QT. I hardly ever/never treat any of my fish with medication. Just corals, clams and anemones.
My male is 3.5+ inches and my female is 3- inches.

 

[sc50964]

There is probably nothing you can do at this point in a reef tank unless you want to take them out, which could make it worse as the catching process is stressful and they are so delicate.

 

[Rp8]

One of the pictures of the male looks like it may be uronema. As for the pictures with all the red spots, I don’t know

 

[OrionN]

One of the pictures of the male looks like it may be uronema. As for the pictures with all the red spots, I don’t know

He is absolutely not sick, thus highly unlikely that it is uronema. Also, the markings are identical on both side of the body. This makes infection unlikely. The red/color spots are actually algae on the glass, not on the fish.
I agree that it looks like uronema or septicemia, bleeding in the tissue. However, the fish isn't sick so these severe infections, that kill in hours is not likely or possible.

 

[sc50964]

He is absolutely not sick, thus highly unlikely that it is uronema. Also, the markings are identical on both side of the body. This makes infection unlikely. The red/color spots are actually algae on the glass, not on the fish.
I agree that it looks like uronema or septicemia, bleeding in the tissue. However, the fish isn't sick so these severe infections, that kill in hours is not likely or possible.

So you are ruling out infection and stating the fish are healthy…., there is prob not much that a disease forum can help other than keeping your water quality up and feeding them well.

Any bullying? Chasing? Other fish beginning to be more aggressive upon feeding? I see a convict tang in there.

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks. They did not get treated with any medication. Just observational and acclimation QT. I hardly ever/never treat any of my fish with medication. Just corals, clams and anemones.
My male is 3.5+ inches and my female is 3- inches.

The reason I asked the size is that often smaller fish (as you're well aware) - can show some reddish patterning. I have to say - the dorsal one especially is odd to me. Hypermelaninzation would by definition be 'black'. These though, are relatively young fish - if (as you suggested rightly so IMHO) - it was sepsis they would be dead - not swimming around. So - in addition to what Jay said - I have seen small biota tangs looking somewhat like this - but somewhat smaller. Please keep everyone updated on what's happening with the fish - am curious - is there a change in color with lighting or time of day?

 

[OrionN]

This PM before the light start to dim. The red coloration is the same. The female caudal fin is a little fuller. Both with very full stomach.

 

[OrionN]

Just an update. The red coloration is mostly gone. Only a slight tint almost have to imagine it to see it. What was it I do not know. Chalk it as unknown transient color change in CBB.
Here he is just now. I am bias but I think he is one of the most beautiful CBB