[Terrjenn]

My Chrysarus Angel has had an awful time. SHe had a tankmate (golden puffer) who bit her tail almost completely off. I have a guy from the LFS who takes care of my tank and he thought they'd be okay together. He took back the Golden Puffer, so the angel (LuLu) was alone in the tank. She just kept getting worse. I finally insisted that she was in really bad shape and he came by to look at her. His partner had been the one to come by the last 2 months and said the fish seemed fine. (I disagreed, but they're supposed to be the experts). Anyway, I finally insisted that it was fin rot, from the injury and got her a QT tank, put her in there and treated with Erythromycin for 5 days (the full cycle). She then developed what looked like a secondary fungal infection, so I waited a day and treated with Maroxy. I have done the 5 days recommended for that. The "fungus" has fallen off, she just looks a bit paler in the area where it was. Kind of seems like she had a scab. SO, now she is doing much better, eating and very active. Her tail is still gone, but I believe will grow back. She still has some of it, it's not all the way down to the fatty part. Is now the time to put her back in her tank? I have been doing partial water changes almost every day in the QT tank (20 gallons), but want to get her out of there. Should I go to the LFS first and buy a UV Sterilizer? OR, can I remove her and get one tomorrow? I'm also concerned about the temperature difference. Her real tank (90 gal) is running about 2 degrees hotter than the QT tank. Mist likely because the lights have still been coming on in her big tank and I haven't turned them on much in the QT tank. Do the temps need to be closer? I appreciate your help and feedback.

Thanks so much!

Terri

[rlcline76]

Good to hear that the angel is doing better. I would wait a week and just observe. This is just to confirm that it the angel has fully recovered from the bacterial/fungal infection and that you will not have to net it out of the DT and cause unneccesary stress. You will want to reacclimate before tossing back into the QT. One of the main things about temp, is that a serious difference between waters is the chance of freezing up the metabolic process. I would not worry so much with a 2 degree difference. I would table the UV sterilizer idea for the time-being. Just check the parameters in the main tank, make adjustments where it is necessary so that they will not be a contributing factor to the immunoresponse of the fish upon reentry (I all of a sudden got a visual of a space shuttle...in my tank). But like I said, give the fish another week just to make sure!

B

[rlcline76]

Oh and...if you are not using a vitamin supplement, there is no time better than the present. There is a theory that Vitamin A is necessary for the growth of all of the fine spines found in fins.

[Terrjenn]

Thanks very much! I will wait another week or so to put her back. I just know she misses all that room! I did get a vitamin supplement from the LFS as well. And I've been feeding her Calerpra, which she loves.

Thanks for your help!