Uronema identification

[Alexgar224]

I just got this Sunburst Athena from my LFS and I just noticed this white back in its side! When I got him it was super small but over the days it’s gotten larger and I wanted to see if someone could help me identify if it was uronema or a bacteria infection?

I’m really hoping it’s just bacterial… I’m not ready to break this tank down and start over lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

I just got this Sunburst Athena from my LFS and I just noticed this white back in its side! When I got him it was super small but over the days it’s gotten larger and I wanted to see if someone could help me identify if it was uronema or a bacteria infection?

I’m really hoping it’s just bacterial… I’m not ready to break this tank down and start over lol

Unfortunately the shape and protruded scales do suggest uronema. This can be triggered by low salinity levels as well as excess food waste on tank bottom which this protozoan can feed on as often prevention can be more valuable than cure for this.
Fish will have to be quarantined and treated with formalin based treatment which is harder to find, so next option is Ruby rally Pro. Chloroquine Phosphate will also work but must be used precisely. Uronema is not an obligate parasite, and can thrive on bacteria, uneaten food, and waste so besides treatment also maintain a clean tank removing waste daily.
To touch up more on this disease which is an oval ciliated motile protozoan that causes tissue necrosis as seen on fish.
What other fish are in the tank?

 

[Alexgar224]

I have a tail spot blenny, redfin wrasse and a diamond goby! And sadly I don’t have a QT tank! my plan is to just donate this fish to a LFS and then start over! Unless I can dose medication directly to the DT!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a tail spot blenny, redfin wrasse and a diamond goby! And sadly I don’t have a QT tank! my plan is to just donate this fish to a LFS and then start over! Unless I can dose medication directly to the DT!

Ruby rally pro can be used direct in tank with coral but will take longer to work

 

[Alexgar224]

So If I dose the ruby rally to the tank will it eradicate the uronema or just keep it under control, kinda like keeping ich under control?

 

[MnFish1]

So If I dose the ruby rally to the tank will it eradicate the uronema or just keep it under control, kinda like keeping ich under control?

Statistically, Anthers tend to get Uronema - so when a lesion appears, it's tempting to say its uronema - which is usually very difficult to treat once its internal. You can use Ruby Rally Pro to treat in the display as already mentioned - however, I'm not sure there is any evidence that all of the uronema in the tank will be killed. Uronema can live in a tank and not cause any problems, as far as I know, there is no way to completely eradicate it (and once its eradicated, it can come back when you buy something new). @Jay Hemdal has written an article on this (I believe).

PS - on your fish - to me there are some white spots on the tail - however - there are also spots on the glass so it may be an illusion

 

[Alexgar224]

Statistically, Anthers tend to get Uronema - so when a lesion appears, it's tempting to say its uronema - which is usually very difficult to treat once its internal. You can use Ruby Rally Pro to treat in the display as already mentioned - however, I'm not sure there is any evidence that all of the uronema in the tank will be killed. Uronema can live in a tank and not cause any problems, as far as I know, there is no way to completely eradicate it (and once its eradicated, it can come back when you buy something new). @Jay Hemdal has written an article on this (I believe).

PS - on your fish - to me there are some white spots on the tail - however - there are also spots on the glass so it may be an illusion

Yeah, this fish also has ich too…. Which also showed up pretty soon after purchase and introduction to the tank. I got hosed by the LFS I bought this fish from. When I bought the fish they said he/she was eating and when I introduced to the tank it wasn’t eating. when I called them they said that actually it was indeed not eating when they had it, said good luck and then hung-up….

So basically this fish introduced everything bad into the tank at once lol

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Yeah, this fish also has ich too…. Which also showed up pretty soon after purchase and introduction to the tank. I got hosed by the LFS I bought this fish from. When I bought the fish they said he/she was eating and when I introduced to the tank it wasn’t eating. when I called them they said that actually it was indeed not eating when they had it, said good luck and then hung-up….

So basically this fish introduced everything bad into the tank at once lol

Sounds like a real solid LFS (grin).

Uronema lesions are usually pink/red, but I do see cases where they are whiter, so I can't rule it out here. It is not very contagious fish-to-fish, so if you see ich on the fish, you should focus on treating that.

Jay