Blind Clownfish?

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Balanje

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Hey all,
I have a deteriorating situation with my male clown. He had what looked like popeye a few weeks ago but it went away on its own. Or so I thought. His eye was bulging and very gray. Two days ago the other eye started to look like a relapse but then his scales have also started to turn gray and it seems he can’t see at all. He isn’t eating and swimming very oddly.

I do have other fish in the tank which I’m worried about... I don’t have a hospital setup and it would probably take me a week to get one sorted.

My take params:
Ph 8.4
Am 0
NO2 0
NO3 0
Ca 440
Kh 10.4
Mg 1440
PO4 0.64
Salinity 1.023

Any help would be most appropriated!

A few pics:

8548C9ED-85E4-4631-B4A9-2AA03A7CEF88.jpeg


A01FC051-71AA-41EA-9687-067A19E10C8D.jpeg


E28CF6DB-CBDF-4F51-BD0C-370C7AA238C3.jpeg


D04E6D7A-D4D2-4EF8-B874-C80A047AC210.jpeg
 
Brook and Velvet look similar, here are the experts. I am not sure which one it is, it is certainly more than blindness.

@Frtdrmrose7 @ngoodermuth

I see you have a QT, you want to get that going ASAP. What meds on hand? Any other symptoms?
 
That's Brook.

Multiple fresh water dips done once each day or every other day, can buy you time until you get a QT setup. They sound and kinda look scary but they can help your fish. Usually they are harder on you than the fish. And the reality is that if the fish does not survive the FW dip, it probably would not have made it any way.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/video-how-to-do-a-freshwater-dip.286639/#post-3487082

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/brooklynella.247938/#post-2913287


Thank you!

How worried should I be for the other fish? I have one other clown, yellow tang, cole tang, malaneous wrasse (sp?), Foxface, royal gamma, Starry Blenny, and a mandarin...

Reading the link above it mentions a fallow period of six weeks... I’m not sure I can do that with my setup. A few of my fish would be extremely hard to catch with the rock setup I have
 
Last edited:
Definitely Brook. The first picture under white shows the best.

I figured it was just wasn't 100% based on the pics under blues.

You will want to treat all of your fish. Clowns are the most common fish to succumb to Brook, all fish can carry it.
 
Thank you!

How worried should I be for the other fish? I have one other clown, yellow tang, cole tang, malaneous wrasse (sp?), Foxface, royal gamma, Starry Blenny, and a mandarin...

Reading the link above it mentions a fallow period of six weeks... I’m not sure I can do that with my setup. A few of my fish would be extremely hard to catch with the rock setup I have
Certainly the other clown is at risk, but others can speak into how much risk you have with the others. The unfortunate reality is that a fallow period will be necessary to eradicate this from you system so you can have long term success.
 
Certainly the other clown is at risk, but others can speak into how much risk you have with the others. The unfortunate reality is that a fallow period will be necessary to eradicate this from you system so you can have long term success.
The issue is if all fish aren't removed from the tank and treated while the DT is fallow for 6 weeks to erradicate Brook, they will just be reinfected upon reintroducing.

Most "healthy" fish outside of the damsel family are "usually" unaffected by a Brook affliction but would still allow the parasite to cycle. Brook has a direct life cycle and produces directly on the fish.

I have personally seen Brook symptoms on fish outside of clowns/damsels. They were newly collected and had weakened immune systems.
 
The issue is if all fish aren't removed from the tank and treated while the DT is fallow for 6 weeks to erradicate Brook, they will just be reinfected upon reintroducing.

Most fish outside of the damsel family are "usually" unaffected by a Brook affliction but would still allow the parasite to cycle. Brook has a direct life cycle and produces directly on the fish.
Agreed, sorry if I didn't phrase well. I was saying all need to go to QT for fallow period to work, I just didn't know the outlook for the other fish and how well they fight it.
 
Agreed, sorry if I didn't phrase well. I was saying all need to go to QT for fallow period to work, I just didn't know the outlook for the other fish and how well they fight it.
Outside of the clowns they should be fine. Brook can be very virulent and a quick killer. So it's best to act fast and get the fish into metronidazole ASAP. For heavily afflicted fish a 90 min bath in acriflavine (Ruby Reef Rally) is always a good idea as well between DT and QT.
 
Outside of the clowns they should be fine. Brook can be very virulent and a quick killer. So it's best to act fast and get the fish into metronidazole ASAP. For heavily afflicted fish a 90 min bath in acriflavine (Ruby Reef Rally) is always a good idea as well between DT and QT.

Do I understand this correctly:

1) freshwater dip daily until QT is setup
2) once QT is setup give the male a 90 min bath in acriflavine prior to transfer into QT
3) even though only male showing signs, QT both clownfish in metronidazole
4) unless I go fallow (not really an option for me) I can never reintroduce the clowns back into my DT unless I want to do this all over again...


- Jeff
 
Do I understand this correctly:

1) freshwater dip daily until QT is setup
2) once QT is setup give the male a 90 min bath in acriflavine prior to transfer into QT
3) even though only male showing signs, QT both clownfish in metronidazole
4) unless I go fallow (not really an option for me) I can never reintroduce the clowns back into my DT unless I want to do this all over again...


- Jeff
Correct all fish have to be treated. Otherwise the parasite will continue to cycle with a single fish left in the tank.

If you don't treat them all you could possibly never have an issue with your remaining fish. New additions especially clowns or damsels would likely be an issue.
 

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