Chelmon Nutr Dis F

FAQs on Chelmon Butterflyfishes Nutritional Disease

FAQs on Chelmon Disease: Chelmon Disease 1, Chelmon Disease 2, Chelmon Disease 3, Chelmon Disease 4,
FAQs on Chelmon Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environmental, Nutritional, Trauma, Infectious, Parasitic, Social, Treatments
FAQs on Butterflyfish Disease: Butterflyfish Disease 1, Butterflyfish Disease 2, Angels and Butterflyfishes & Crypt,
FAQs on Butterflyfish Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environmental, Social, Trauma, Infectious, Parasitic, Treatments

Related Articles: Chelmon Butterflyfishes, Foods/Feeding/Nutrition,

Look at their prominent "beaks"; so handy for prising out small invertebrates for food...

Butterflyfishes for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
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New Print Book on Create Space: Available here

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Butterflyfish Disease    11/27/11
Greetings WWM Crew,
I have a Copperbanded Butterfly, in the same tank with the same fish for 2 years. Water quality is very good, except recent testing indicated the ph was a little low but I brought that back up. No ammonia or nitrites, 5ppm nitrates. Great appetite. Mostly bloodworms,
<I'd cut back on these FW insect larvae, add Spectrum (small pellet) as a staple. See WWM or just trust me>
some my sis and an occasional oyster that she devours and tears into before it hits the bottom. Recently, looking into one gill is very red, inflamed and swollen. It looks painful, but she moves, eats and acts normal and doesn't seem to complain. When swimming towards you the right side is definitely swollen.
<Mmm, not good... what other livestock present? Am looking for clues on tolerance, perhaps inter-species aggression, toxicity>
I don't have the slightest idea what to do and would certainly appreciate some advice. This fish and I have been through a lot together and I don't want to lose her now. Her name is Dottie because of the black dot.
Thank you,
-Peter
<Mmm, and for background, please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chelmondisfaq.htm
and the linked files re this species... Above. Bob Fenner>
Butterflyfish Disease
I forgot to mention, she has rapid breathing too.
-Peter
<Another dire sign... Please see my prev. email resp.. BobF>
Re: Butterflyfish Disease   11/28/11
Thanks. Tank mates are 2 clowns, lawnmower blenny, diamond goby, Randall goby, cleaner Wrasse, snails and crabs. All have been together for 2 years.
70 gallon tank with 21 gallon refugium.
<Mmm... well, the volume isn't overly large... but the other life would have suffered about as readily were there a general environmental issue. I think there may be more of a nutritional aspect here still; hence urging you to use Spectrum. Cheers, BobF>
Re: Butterflyfish Disease   11/28/11
I have Spectrum Thera +A 1mm sinking pellets and give it to the clowns now and then. The butterfly never touches these. How can I switch foods if she won't eat the Spectrum, or do you think when she gets hungry enough she will eat anything?
<Mmm, the best technique is to mix some pellets in with favored foods...
Mysis is esp. good... with more percentage pellets over time. B>
-Peter

Saltwater disease??? Chelmon... 2/13/08 I know you guys hate opening pictures, so I included a video on my MySpace page so you can see the tank in question, and the other tanks I have created. www.myspace.com/boctampa <Mmm, okay... a nice, large tank (why is it situated so low to ground level?), nice stands, Cheryl is a babe... but...?> OK...Here is my setup and tank test results: 550 gallon main tank 180 gallon sump 10 Gallon Refugium a GX3 Skimmer a 2HP Chiller a 55 gallon RO/DI system @ 100 Gallons per day 650-700lbs or Gulf Live rock 2-3 inches of crushed coral My test results are : Nitrates : less than 10 Nitrites : 0 Ammonia : 0 12 dKH 480 ca 80.1-80.8 temp <Okay> My current fish roster is: 2 yellow tail damsels 3 three stripe damsels 2 blue Chromis 4 domino damsels 1 porcupine puffer I starts and stripe puffer 1 sweet lips clown 1 sail fin tang 1 yellow tang 1 powder blue tang (Dory) 1 lemon butterfly 1 copper banded butterfly 1 long nose butterfly 1 raccoon butterfly 1 emperor snapper <I saw two> 1 fox face 1 powder brown tang 1 Koran angel I feed them: IQF Krill IQF Silversides Marine Cuisine Bloodworms Emerald Entree Mysis Shrimp Formula one Marine pellets Formula two Marine Pellets Prime reef flakes My issue: My Copper banded butterfly "LOOKS" like it ate to much and blew up its stomach, and is bleeding on the inside. This is the second one that has done that. I have other fish that are facing or have faced the same fate. No one here at the LFS seems to know the cause. <Mmm, likely something it ate here... hydroids, other toxic life, that "came in with" the rock... not much to do re... other than hope> There is no outer damage to the fish. There is no fighting, as I have watched this tank for hours and hours, since I started it. I had a clown fish, a pearl scale butterfly and one of my Emperor Snappers that have died in the same way. I'm not sure whats going on...HELP!!! Jim Wilhelm <Looking at your video, set-up... all looks very nice... I would just try to be patient here. Bob Fenner>
Re: Saltwater disease??? Chelmon et al. 2/13/08 Messiah of all fish knowledge a.k.a. Bob, <Heeee! All bow down> Any idea what would cause the stomach area to look like it exploded on the inside cause the fish to bleed internally, with out any damage to the outside of the fish? <As stated... summat it et> Also, what is your opinion on the 100% organic Ich-attack by Kordon? <As much as I am a friend, know the owner, Bob Rofen and respect him, "like" most of their products... I am skeptical... though have read a few credible reports of success with this product... RMF>

Lymphocystis - Chelmon rostratus 1/6/2008 Dear Crew, <Andy> Good morning. I'm sending you two separate messages, because they deal with separate issues and I know they might get sorted among different Crew members. <Ok> Here's the first! I purchased a Chelmon rostratus, not only because it has always been one of my favorite fishes but also because I have about 10 or 15 Aiptasia growing in my display that I'm hoping it will eat. The butterfly has been in my 30g QT for 7 days now. <I would move it to the main display> When I purchased it, I made sure it was eating at the LFS. For the first 2 days after I brought it home, it ate well--frozen Mysis and blood worms. After day 2, however, it stopped eating. I had done my research on the fish beforehand, so I knew these fish can be finicky eaters. So, I got on WWM to research what others have done in similar circumstances, and I discovered that what I am experiencing is not uncommon and that the advice has been to get some live rock in the QT to get the fish to graze the worms, etc. on the rock. It just so happened that I have a few pieces of LR that were not supporting other pieces of LR and that host some Aiptasia, so I decided to throw 2 pieces in the QT. I placed the first piece in (which had about 8 Aiptasia) and went back for the second. By the time I got back to the QT, all the Aiptasia were gone. I thought, "this could not be." Sure enough, though, this morning they are still gone (along with a very pretty orange feather duster that hiked in on the rock--oh well). The Chelmon has pretty much denuded my LR of any worms, etc. So . . . Thanks for the advice! <Welcome> ANYWAY, my question really relates to 2 masses on the tail and pectoral fin of my Chelmon, shown in the attached photos. Based on my research, I believe that the fish simply has Lymphocystis, but would like your concurrence. <I do agree> If so, I won't hesitate to put him in the display after the 3-4 week QT if all else goes well. If it's something else, then I'll proceed accordingly. <I would place this fish now... this is much more an "environmental" or stress condition than a type of pathogenic disease... Won't be "catching"...> Thanks as always for your time/help. Andy (Although I realize (think) that 15 Aiptasia is not an infestation by any stretch, I am trying to figure out why they are appearing. <Some cellular material must have been introduced at some point... likely on/with LR, but could be algae...> I have cut down feeding to once per day--usually frozen Mysis or blood works, or Formula 1 flake. I employ a 30g fuge with Chaeto, DSB and LR. I run Phosguard in the sump. I have tested my display water, my RO/DI water, and my storage water for phosphates and silicates--I have two test kits--a Seachem (color never matches test strip) and a Salifert (really hard to read!). No silicates are present. The Seachem kit shows 0.1 phosphates (or 0.01, can't remember the scale) in all three sources; the Salifert shows 0, so I'm befuddled). <No need or use... Bob Fenner>

Re: Lymphocystis - Chelmon rostratus 1/6/2008 Thanks, Bob. I presumed that everything needs a long QT period, but it seems that with the Copperband 8 days is enough as long as it isn't showing other signs of disease/reason to keep in QT? <... please re-read... "I would..."> I don't understand your last response, "no need or use" re my phosphate kits/readings. Would you mind explaining? Thanks again. <These readings for soluble PO4 are in agreement within the limitations of the test gear. B>

My Copperband, a new addition, has developed two white patches 2/1/06 on its left side. Please see attachment. Please advise if you can identify what this may be and how to treat. Thanks, Tom <Is trouble... could be Protozoal and/or bacterial/pathogenic in nature. This fish is (too) skinny, and this is likely a factor here as well... There are a few "things" you might do to bolster its immune system, indirectly curing the apparent complaint... Soaking foods in vitamin et al. prep.s... offering foods with more caloric content, adding purposeful cleaner/s... Without these changes this animal will perish (sooner). Bob Fenner>

Follow-on from sick Chelmon 2/3/06 Contagious and or a risk to fellow tank inhabitants? <Potentially... yes. Depends on what the root cause/s are, what "it" actually is... Copperbands "break down" much easier... on a sliding scale than other fish groups... the hyperinfectivity this inspires can be trouble, contagious... Bob Fenner>

Butterflies that won't eat.. Marina offers a Tip to Induce Feeding Hi Bob, <Mar> You and James answered the same query re: Copperband not eating in qt (Marine Roulette?). When working at the LBAOP (coral lab, acclimation and tropical quarantine for said lab) there were several "special" q/t setups. One was for the butterflies. On their regular q/t menu was bloodworms. I saw many, many difficult species being induced to feed *while* being treated with copper (though, they have an actual LAB there) on these things. When they hit the saltwater they *really* start wriggling, and I swear, if you had a hook and line attached to them you'd be fishing out butterflies. They would eventually be weaned onto krill, minced clam, and a few other meaty foods before going into display. Marina - missing the smell of the skimmers.. <Thank you for this... Please do post. BobF>

- Another Copperband Butterfly Question, More Follow-up - My Copperband is eating frozen Mysis shrimp, Spirulina and vitamin enriched brine shrimp and freeze dried brine shrimp. Can it survive on this diet? <I'd like to see you ditch the brine shrimp... doesn't matter what's it's enriched with, it still is the dietary equivalent of a diet potato chip with olestra. If you could, try to get some meaty seafoods in there... some krill, mussel, shrimp, squid... would all do well by this fish.> Thanks again, Larry <Cheers, J -- >

Butterflyfishes for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

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