Longnose Butterfly in trouble

[AlyG]

Hello All,

My longnose butterfly sunddenly has a small chunk missing from the tip of his mouth. It seems like it happend overnight and has hardly eaten anything in almost 3 days. I am not sure what this is or how this happened. I tried to take a pic, but he seems to be camera shy

I am wondering if he got cut on our LR, but aside from not eating, he is acting a little strange. He has been hiding behind the LR, which he never does.

I had this fish for over 6 months and never had any problems. He seems like he tries to eat, but then backs down. Do u think he has a disease or did he get hurt?? What can I do to help????

 

[melosu58]

I`m moving this to the sick fish forum. How long ago did you get him. Is there anything in the tank that has been bothering him?

 

[AlyG]

I got him almost 7 months ago and he is one of the most active fish in the tank. We never had any problems with him. He eats a lot, but lately he seems like he is having trouble eating because of his mouth. He tries to eat, but then he is very hesitant, like it hurts or something.

I don't know what to do. He is hiding behind rocks too, which he never does. Do u think one of our other fish attacked him, or do u think he is sick?

We have a 55gal tank with:
Royal Gramma
Coral Beauty
2 Clowns
2 Damsels

The only fish that are agressive are the damsels, but they are only 2 inches long.

 

[Innovator]

I'd treat with an antibacterial if the skin seems to be raw and progressing at a rapid rate. Perform a 'Search' on the forums for bacterial medications (to be used in a qt).

 

[roka64]

They tend to like less aggressive tank mates, and the damsels (clowns are damselfish too) can sometimes be mean. Assuming they have all been in the tank around the same time, I would say that may not be too much of an issue.
If he has not been eating I would assume he is in a weakened/sickish state and should be in QT and treated as James states. I don't know too much about their diets, but being a longnose type, they probably like to pick at critters in the rock and if that food source has become depleted, he may be slowly starving. I can only speak about my experience with a Copper Banded Butterfly....he was eating prepared food but without his all day grazing foods, he starved....

 

[AlyG]

He normally eats mysis or brine and has always been a heavy eater. I never see him pick through rock. He seems like he might be getting worse.

He swims to the top for food, but then doesn't eat eat. The chunk missing from his mouth seems worse, his bone is almost sticking out.

I'm not sure what to do except set-up a QT :-(

 

[roka64]

QT is the best option.