Brooklynella?

[mhaley98]

Hi there and nice to meet you all! First time saltwater tank owner here, sorry that we had to meet under these circumstances! My tank (14gal cube) is about a month old and has a pair of DaVinci clowns (2 weeks), a few pieces of coral, 3 hermits and 4 snails (no other fish).
About a week ago I noticed some marks on one of my clowns and I didn’t think anything of it because I didn’t and still don’t notice any changes in behaviour. Both clowns are still eating once a day (probably about 4 small pellets each), there doesn’t appear to be any rapid breathing from either of them or gasping for air at the surface. They’re both active and excited to see me, not hiding or lethargic.
Maybe it’s because I'm a first time fish mom, but I was wondering if you lovely people could take a look and make sure that these marks aren’t anything of concern. There is a mark on the right side of the fish’s tail fin in the orange section, and a mark on the left upper body area again in the orange close to the first dorsal fin as well as a smaller one in front/under the left pectoral fin. Photos provided with blue light and white lite only as well as with the spots circled.
Please let me know if any other info is needed, I would be MORE than grateful for your help and ready to provide info. Thank you all in advance!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks to be brooklynella. Regarding 4 pellets a day....... This is not enough to keep these fish nourished and pellets are ok, but not a total diet. Add Spirulina brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and even LRS fish frenzy to their diet. As for brook,
the thick mucus on its body is a typical sign which is noticeable on the fish. This mucus generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment is a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater. Start with a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration then performing treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin base at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective but now harder to find) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.

 

[Lavey29]

I agree with the above. Your primary tank will need to fallow for 76 days while fish are treated in QT.

 

[mhaley98]

Looks to be brooklynella. Regarding 4 pellets a day....... This is not enough to keep these fish nourished and pellets are ok, but not a total diet. Add Spirulina brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and even LRS fish frenzy to their diet. As for brook,
the thick mucus on its body is a typical sign which is noticeable on the fish. This mucus generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment is a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater. Start with a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration then performing treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin base at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective but now harder to find) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.

I have frozen brine shrimp with spirulina as well as mysis shrimp, however both clowns show little to no interest in it and I don't believe I have seen them eat any that I've put in the tank.
In regards to the brook, I honestly don't see a thick layer of mucus, are you referring to the white patches? Since I have corals and CUC in my tank is it best to get a quarantine tank to treat my clowns in, or can it be done in the main tank?
Thank you so much for your speedy response!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have frozen brine shrimp with spirulina as well as mysis shrimp, however both clowns show little to no interest in it and I don't believe I have seen them eat any that I've put in the tank.
In regards to the brook, I honestly don't see a thick layer of mucus, are you referring to the white patches? Since I have corals and CUC in my tank is it best to get a quarantine tank to treat my clowns in, or can it be done in the main tank?
Thank you so much for your speedy response!

White patches yes. With brook, they will display loss of appetite. best done is quarantine. 4-6 weeks with no fish in display tank is recommended

 

[mhaley98]

White patches yes. With brook, they will display loss of appetite. best done is quarantine. 4-6 weeks with no fish in display tank is recommended

Do I need to also treat my CUC, or are they okay to go through the fallow process in the display tank?

 

[Lavey29]

Do I need to also treat my CUC, or are they okay to go through the fallow process in the display tank?

No they do not need treatment and can remain in the primary tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do I need to also treat my CUC, or are they okay to go through the fallow process in the display tank?

Fish only. The inverts and any coral can remain in the display tank during the fishless (fallow) period

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi there and nice to meet you all! First time saltwater tank owner here, sorry that we had to meet under these circumstances! My tank (14gal cube) is about a month old and has a pair of DaVinci clowns (2 weeks), a few pieces of coral, 3 hermits and 4 snails (no other fish).
About a week ago I noticed some marks on one of my clowns and I didn’t think anything of it because I didn’t and still don’t notice any changes in behaviour. Both clowns are still eating once a day (probably about 4 small pellets each), there doesn’t appear to be any rapid breathing from either of them or gasping for air at the surface. They’re both active and excited to see me, not hiding or lethargic.
Maybe it’s because I'm a first time fish mom, but I was wondering if you lovely people could take a look and make sure that these marks aren’t anything of concern. There is a mark on the right side of the fish’s tail fin in the orange section, and a mark on the left upper body area again in the orange close to the first dorsal fin as well as a smaller one in front/under the left pectoral fin. Photos provided with blue light and white lite only as well as with the spots circled.
Please let me know if any other info is needed, I would be MORE than grateful for your help and ready to provide info. Thank you all in advance!

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

I just want to interject - you wrote, "...some marks on one of my clowns ..." Is the other clown 100% symptom free? If so, you might want to consider that the fish have been fighting. Clownfish don't always get along, and they are very sly - they won't often fight when you are in the room watching them, and then, the fighting is more like head butting and threats.

If both fish show some symptoms, it is more likely Brooklynella, and it is also more likely Brooklynella if you start to see secondary symptoms such as rapid breathing, and changes in how they swim (acting mopey).

Jay

 

[mhaley98]

Fish only. The inverts and any coral can remain in the display tank during the fishless

Looks to be brooklynella. Regarding 4 pellets a day....... This is not enough to keep these fish nourished and pellets are ok, but not a total diet. Add Spirulina brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and even LRS fish frenzy to their diet. As for brook,
the thick mucus on its body is a typical sign which is noticeable on the fish. This mucus generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment is a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater. Start with a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration then performing treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin base at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective but now harder to find) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.

Hi Again guys,
I finally decided yesterday to bite the bullet and do a quarantine for my clowns. It didn't look like the mucus was getting any worse from last week and all behavior including eating was still the same as when I first got the clowns, but I couldn't handle the thought of just letting them suffer and then die if something is wrong.
I started with a 3 minute fresh water bath with an air stone (I didn't do longer because they are both still so small and have had these marks for almost 2 weeks so if they are sick they are likely weak and I didn't want to overdo it). I then put them in a Quarantine tank with Rally Pro (I live in Canada and all of the other products that you recommended are super hard to find. The guy at the pet store looked like I was asking him for drugs when I asked if they had formalin. haha).
The Fish made the night and are alive this morning. I will continue to treat them separate in the QT for 76 days and allow the DT to Fallow. I guess these are my only questions if you wouldn't mind answering some for me!

1. How long is safe to be dosing the QT with Rally Pro? The bottle says at least 3 days but that I can go for longer if needed. I saw one person say you do 2 weeks after the last visible spot is gone? What are your recommendations
2. My QT has a heater, an ammonia alert tag and an air stone bubbler in it. How often should I be cleaning the tank out, considering there is no filter?
3. Is it advisable to add any sea chem Prime (the bottle of Rally Pro says not to mix with any other chemicals), or any Microbacter 7? Or is the tank okay as is with frequent water changes and just the rally pro?
4. Do you guys recommend the 80/20 quarantine technique?

Thanks again for all your help, wish me luck!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi Again guys,
I finally decided yesterday to bite the bullet and do a quarantine for my clowns. It didn't look like the mucus was getting any worse from last week and all behavior including eating was still the same as when I first got the clowns, but I couldn't handle the thought of just letting them suffer and then die if something is wrong.
I started with a 3 minute fresh water bath with an air stone (I didn't do longer because they are both still so small and have had these marks for almost 2 weeks so if they are sick they are likely weak and I didn't want to overdo it). I then put them in a Quarantine tank with Rally Pro (I live in Canada and all of the other products that you recommended are super hard to find. The guy at the pet store looked like I was asking him for drugs when I asked if they had formalin. haha).
The Fish made the night and are alive this morning. I will continue to treat them separate in the QT for 76 days and allow the DT to Fallow. I guess these are my only questions if you wouldn't mind answering some for me!

1. How long is safe to be dosing the QT with Rally Pro? The bottle says at least 3 days but that I can go for longer if needed. I saw one person say you do 2 weeks after the last visible spot is gone? What are your recommendations
2. My QT has a heater, an ammonia alert tag and an air stone bubbler in it. How often should I be cleaning the tank out, considering there is no filter?
3. Is it advisable to add any sea chem Prime (the bottle of Rally Pro says not to mix with any other chemicals), or any Microbacter 7? Or is the tank okay as is with frequent water changes and just the rally pro?
4. Do you guys recommend the 80/20 quarantine technique?

Thanks again for all your help, wish me luck!

Quarantine is not 76 days and is 30-35 days - Fallow (no fish in display) is 45-60 days. While you can do 76, its not necessary. 76 was an old rule.

1. How long is safe to be dosing the QT with Rally Pro? The bottle says at least 3 days but that I can go for longer if needed. I saw one person say you do 2 weeks after the last visible spot is gone? What are your recommendations
Ruby is used until symptoms are gone (generally 10 days but you can go beyond 3 days to assure fully gone)
2. My QT has a heater, an ammonia alert tag and an air stone bubbler in it. How often should I be cleaning the tank out, considering there is no filter? I have no faith in ammonia badges but recommend water test with kit. When test shows ammonia at 0.25 or above- it warrants a water change
3. Is it advisable to add any sea chem Prime (the bottle of Rally Pro says not to mix with any other chemicals), or any Microbacter 7? Or is the tank okay as is with frequent water changes and just the rally pro?
Bacter 7 ok to mix. Prime is a water conditioner and does not remove ammonia as implied. You can use it when you make a fresh batch of water.
4. Do you guys recommend the 80/20 quarantine technique?
No- quarantine to assure no foreign issues or protozoans present and have been addressed.

Thanks again for all your help, wish me luck!