Sick Chromis - With pics

[Serge]

Umm... Yet another case of sick chromis. But how to describe it. I took over 60 pictures with a digital camera, but to no avail... Nothing decent to show the problem area on this poor little guy. When you look at him, at an angle, there is the appearance of a white something. But yet, when looking directly to its side, its more of a brownish coloration. When looking at him very close, ie: my face directly to the glass, it seemed like some of its scales are lifted a bit, which gives the impression (to my wife) that there is something under the scales, making them appeared to be elevated. Umm, sorry for the bad explanation, but this is the best way I could come up with, to explain what my little buddy has. I have attached the best three pics I managed to make of him. I would really like to heal the poor thing but I am unsure what it has.

Thanks in advance.

 

[melosu58]

With most problems you should check your water parameters. Alot of times stress from less than ideal water conditions causes the immune system to go down. Have you done this. Is he eating?

 

[Serge]

Umm... Guess I should have included more details. He eats normally, swims normally. The only odd behaviour is that he is always scared and hides a lot. The other chromis, much younger has no signs of injury or "disease". But he does mimick the "big brother" and hides a lot too, except not as much as the big one.

The water parameters were the following:
Phosphate= 0
SG= 1.0225
PH= 8.2
Ammonia= 0
Nitrite= 0
Nitrate= 20

I just placed him in an isolation bucket with some MelaFix to see if that will help. I had quite some fun to take him out of the QT. Two nets did help though. Poor thing, he was so scared when I placed him in the bucket, that he came right up to the surface and then went carpet surfing.

My first sick buddy. Whish me luck. 8O

8)

 

[Serge]

Update: Well, my little buddy is still alive in the quarantine bucket. I noticed last night that his left fin is shorter than the right one and has a more pronounced brownish colour. Possibly he caught fin rot, but I have no clue how. His tank mate, younger and smaller, looks healthy. WIll see how this MelaFix treatment goes.
8)