Blueface Angle Fin Tissue

[phastroh]

I removed my Blueface Angel and before I did I noticed on the top dorsal/spine fin toward the back some white stuff. It moves with the water and it looks like or looked like just some debris got stuck so I figured it would brush off.

Well it has been a few weeks and it is still there so I decided to get close to see exactly what it was. It kind of reminds me of how a starfish melts away when it dies.

The fish has seemed perfectly fine the whole time and I was thinking that maybe another fish nipped him a while back but it sure has been there a long time.

If anything I thought it would grow out. It is a Juvy but now his face is getting some yellow in it along with some down the top. I figure it is becoming an adult.

Is anyone familiar with this "growth/bite/tissue"?

I had firth though about netting it and removing it but I am no Dr. and of course I don't want to hurt or stress the fish. I have it for sale and now this thing is still there so while it is most likely nothing, no-one will want it even though it is healthy.

 

[MikeG]

Do you have a picture? Is it just in one spot or has it spread? Could it be Lymphocystis (Cauliflower Disease)? Reason I ask is that I have a Juvi Majestic Angel that I got from Live Aquaria and within two days of getting him he came down with it. Had numerous white cottony looking growths on all of his fins. He was real young and small less than 1 and 1/2 inches and I think the stress of shipping and an immature immune system was probably the cause. With good food, soaked in vitamins and garlic, high water quality and lack of stress it took a while but it ran it's course and cleared up in about 4 weeks. Not sure if this helps or not.

 

[phastroh]

Hmm ok.

I know I saw my Hippo bothering him a few times. He has been in my Fuge for a couple of weeks so maybe it will clear up. I give it plenty of seaweed and stuff so I will keep an eye on it. Thanks I will look up that stuff you posted.

It hasn't spread so that is good.

 

[MikeG]

If it hasn't spread than that's probably not it. It spread on my Majestic pretty quickly to all his fins. Hope it clears up soon, he's a great looking fish, I saw for classified and that was my first choice for an angel but with only a 180 I figured I better go with the smaller Majestic instead. Hope all goes well.

 

[phastroh]

Thanks.

Yeah it has not spread. It has not gotten any bigger not fell off. I was as mentioned thinking of netting him and quickly seeing if I could lightly pull it off and I don't mean tug.

I just was not sure of something got stuff on the fin because it is made up of many little things you know what I mean.

I looked closed this morning as it nipped at the algae sheet but it is hard to reall tell but it looks attached. I am just not sure why it is white when the fish is 3 colors. You know it looks like tissue.

It is active and healthy so I don't know but to sell it now is weird. Hey here is a healthy fish with a white thing on him. If it stays for 2 more weeks then who knows what the heck it is.

I can try to take a pic but that will be though. I wish being in the fige with no corals for a month would break it of eating them but I am 99% it won't it'll probably make it worse like a relapse smoker. No offense to smokers :)

 

[phastroh]

I just thought about something.

Could it have anything to do with it changing into an adult.

It started a few weeks ago and I noticed its face is getting more yellow on it. Just wondering if maybe this is or has been something you may see during this time.

 

[MikeG]

If it was me I don't think I'd try to catch him and remove it, just because of the added stress. Good it hasn't spread as that makes me think it's not Cauliflower Disease. I know what you mean about a picture being tough to get, I can't get a decent shot of my fish to save my life, especially the Majestic, he never stops moving. I don't know if it has anything to do with changing to an adult or not, I'm still looking forward to that stage with my Angel. I have more problems with my two butterflys (Pakistani, Klien) with certain corals, they thought my flat brain was an all you can eat buffet. So far the angel hasn't taken an interest in any of the coral. But I just move anything outta that tank to one of my tanks if it's getting picked on.

 

[phastroh]

Lucky you. I don't have a place to move my stuff. I am pretty sure he ate my huge plate coral and once it gets ripped/eaten they typically are done and it is. It is large to the max like 7-8" across. I'm pissed but my other plate is ok.

I was playing with the idea of keeping my 80gal bowfront and making a coral display but it is too deep for my lighting maybe and for what I want. Plus I want a more shallow tank to be able to get to the easily.

The there is the taking care of another tank.

I could just make my 220 a Fish Only and get a cool Trigger and of course keep the Blueface. Maybe slap in some other fish I so badly want but then thinking of it with no corals makes me not want to do it.

It is large and in the front of the house so people always see it so I like that is has all the corals and fish.

 

[MikeG]

Yeah it's a lot of work keeping up multiple tanks, but like you said the good thing is I have somewhere to move the corals. I just keep trying different kinds and when I find one the Butterflys leave alone it stays or if they pick at it then it goes in a different tank. I have a coral of brain (favia, favites) they leave alone, also the flowerpot, tongue, daisy and a leather. Zoas are definitely out. I really wanted a Trigger but I had a long spine urchin that needed to move to a bigger tank so the Trigger was out. Have the same problem with being very deep on my 60 and have to put only low to moderate light corals in there. Again good luck with the Blueface, I hope it clears up soon and you can find someone to give him a new home. :D

 

[phastroh]

Here is when I caught him. You can sort of see it even then but it now looks like a tiny tiny piece of cotton but is still not getting bigger.


Blueface 1 by Phastroh1, on Flickr

 

[phastroh]

Stuff is gone and fin looks fine.

 

[MikeG]

Glad to hear it finally cleared up, now maybe you can find him a new home. Good luck with that, someone should want him, they are beautiful fish. My little juvi Blue Girdled (Majestic) is just starting to morph into his adult colors, I'm really looking forward to following his change.