An interesting case

Nutter · Apr 29, 2017

I have a Maroon Clownfish that was purchased what the heck what I will call "Nemo Syndrome." He has one front fin larger than the other. He had a very lazy personality, but appeared to otherwise be perfectly healthy. After around a month in my DT, he started developing what I can only describe as fin rot--his fins began fraying pretty significantly.

At this point I pulled him into QT and dosed with Furan 2 for 10 consecutive days. Meanwhile I also dosed with melafix and stress coat to help repair his fins. I then left him in clean water for 3 days and followed that up with 10 days of Kanaplex treatment and supplemented that with melafix as well.
By the end of this cycle he was eating great, more lively than I'd ever seen him, and looking fantastic.

This past week I returned him to the DT. This morning he once again has frayed fins, but is still rather lively and eating like a pig. No other fish in the tank have shown any signs of distress at any time. Any thoughts?

GHsaltie · Apr 29, 2017

Have you noticed any aggression from other fish? What other inhabitants are in the tank? Have you done a freshwater dip to check for any flukes?

@Humblefish @melypr1985

Nutter · Apr 29, 2017

GHsaltie said:
Have you noticed any aggression from other fish? What other inhabitants are in the tank? Have you done a freshwater dip to check for any flukes?

@Humblefish @melypr1985

Tankmates include a Sailfin Tang, a Malannarus Wrasse, two Fairy wrasse, 3 Firefish goby, a mandarin, a blue potters angel (dwarf), and a tangaroa goby.

I have not noticed any aggression. I have not done a freshwater dip. How long is it suggested to dip them?

Thanks for the response!

GHsaltie · Apr 29, 2017

Here is a thread that will help you perform the dip. Recommended time is 5min.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/

Humblefish · Apr 29, 2017

^^ Agree with FW dip, just to rule out the possibility of flukes. Could also be your Melanurus having a go at him. My female maroon would mix it up pretty good with a male Melanurus I had. It all started when he tried to eat her eggs one time. She never forgave/forgot.

Nutter · Apr 29, 2017

Haha, they can certainly be temperamental!

I will try the FW dip today and take it from there. Will keep the thread up to date, thanks!

Humblefish · Apr 29, 2017

Nutter said:
Haha, they can certainly be temperamental!

I will try the FW dip today and take it from there. Will keep the thread up to date, thanks!

Good luck. Of all my fish, the mel was the only one she would mess with and he would actually fight back. I remember him biting her fins a few times.

I also had a CB angel that would mess with him sometimes. I've always admired/respected that Melanurus Wrasse, man to man.

He never started mess with anyone, he was generally a peaceful fish. But if you screwed with him, he would open up a can of whoop butt that was a thing of beauty how he bobbed and weaved.

Nutter · Apr 29, 2017

Humblefish said:
Good luck. Of all my fish, the mel was the only one she would mess with and he would actually fight back. I remember him biting her fins a few times.

I also had a CB angel that would mess with him sometimes. I've always admired/respected that Melanurus Wrasse, man to man. He never started mess with anyone, he was generally a peaceful fish. But if you screwed with him, he would open up a can of whoop *** that was a thing of beauty how he bobbed and weaved.

Haha that's my kind of wrasse.

I just completed the freshwater dip. I did not SEE anything come off, but I also didn't have a black bucket to dip him in so I certainly could have missed it. I tried to get some clear shots of him to help the diagnosis:

Nutter · Apr 29, 2017

He does seem to be developing some white spots along his body. They don't particularly look like ich or velvet to me, but they're hard to get a picture of.

He also just recently began hosting a BTA. Would that have any bearing on this?

ReefPress · Apr 29, 2017

I had a Coral Beauty with the SAME symptoms seems like almost overnight. Did a FW dip and if worked. I also put some Prazipro in the DT just in case. Now he's like night and day. Find has fully grown back and everything.

melypr1985 · Apr 29, 2017

I don't see any spots on him, but the fins do look ragged. It's possible he's got a parasite like ich that is bringing his immune system down and allowing an infection to keep setting in. It's also possible that the bacteria is in the display and keeps coming back because the antibiotics were not done quite long enough.