Clown Fish Fuzzy - Help with Diagnosis

draxus · Nov 8, 2023

Help!

So I have added a wrasse and chromis to my tank a week ago, and some dipped coral two weeks prior. The chromis and wrasse were quarantined/treated with copper for a week before being added with no noticeable symptoms but are still fine and healthy.

About three days ago my bicolor blenny completely vanished (can't find a body so just been hoping he is hiding) and then this morning I woke up and both my clowns look like this: thier tailfins seem frayed, and they have white spots/fuzz - any help in narrowing this down, not sure if ich/velvet, etc.

Says image is too large - here is a link

image-50430209 hosted at ImgBB

Image image-50430209 hosted on ImgBB

ibb.co

Any help is appreciated!!!

Jason_MrFrags · Nov 8, 2023

Hydrogen Peroxide Bath or freshwater dip to provide some relief. Setup QT tank treatment

vetteguy53081 · Nov 8, 2023

draxus said:
Help!

So I have added a wrasse and chromis to my tank a week ago, and some dipped coral two weeks prior. The chromis and wrasse were quarantined/treated with copper for a week before being added with no noticeable symptoms but are still fine and healthy.

About three days ago my bicolor blenny completely vanished (can't find a body so just been hoping he is hiding) and then this morning I woke up and both my clowns look like this: thier tailfins seem frayed, and they have white spots/fuzz - any help in narrowing this down, not sure if ich/velvet, etc.

Says image is too large - here is a link

image-50430209 hosted at ImgBB

Image image-50430209 hosted on ImgBB

ibb.co

Any help is appreciated!!!

Looks like you have two things going on here which are Brooklynella (from the heavy mucus around the facial area and bacterial lesions) and also ich which is a parasite left untreated can kill fish which may have been the case.
You will want to give the clown a 5 minute freshwater dip- Not Peroxide which will only offer the fish Temporary relief as long as its Not breathing heavily.
Other than clown , any fish remaining?
Is clown eating?
You will want to place fish in separate treatment tanks and treat with Coppersafe or Copper Power at therapeutic level 2.0-2.25 For a FULL 30 days (do not interrupt this 30 day period) monitored by a reliable Copper Test kit such as Hanna Brand- No API brand. Also monitor Ammonia levels while in quarantine with a reliable test kit and add aeration during treatment using an air stone.
The display tank will have to be kept fishless (FALLOW) for 6-8 weeks to assure the existing parasites go through their life cycle without a host fish and die off
A quarantine tank can be as simple as a tank from a second hand store or a starter kit from Walmart which most of the needed essentials.

Jay Hemdal · Nov 8, 2023

draxus said:
Help!

So I have added a wrasse and chromis to my tank a week ago, and some dipped coral two weeks prior. The chromis and wrasse were quarantined/treated with copper for a week before being added with no noticeable symptoms but are still fine and healthy.

About three days ago my bicolor blenny completely vanished (can't find a body so just been hoping he is hiding) and then this morning I woke up and both my clowns look like this: thier tailfins seem frayed, and they have white spots/fuzz - any help in narrowing this down, not sure if ich/velvet, etc.

Says image is too large - here is a link

image-50430209 hosted at ImgBB

Image image-50430209 hosted on ImgBB

ibb.co

Any help is appreciated!!!

That could be Brooklynella or marine ich, it is not velvet.

Can you post a video? That helps me tell those two issues apart.

One week of copper is not sufficient to control marine ich and it doesn't do anything for Brooklynella.

Jay

draxus · Nov 8, 2023

Thanks all for your replies - I was able to dip my clowns in freshwater and move them to a 10gallon with copper. I still have 2 wrasse, a coral beauty, and goby to catch and move. I will try to take a video when i get home - they look less fuzzy from the freshwater dip. They are still eating as well.

I saw my diamon goby and his fins looked a little frayed, and my angel I think i saw a white spot but not sure I am paranoid. Not sure that helps

also had two more photos of before dip on the camera roll:

image-50424065 hosted at ImgBB

Image image-50424065 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

image-50427649 hosted at ImgBB

Image image-50427649 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

draxus · Nov 9, 2023

Here is a youtube video of the fish -
everyone survived the night I have them all in a copper bath. The little clown still looks very rough. I have prazipro if that is worth adding to QT tank? Should I dip my small clown again?

draxus · Nov 9, 2023

Sadly the smaller clown just passed - picture of body -- looks like his black has deteriorated and is a little translucent. My wrasse, chromis, and coral beauty look healthy. Larger clown looks better than yesterday, my diamond goby looks thin, fins slightly frayed but overall in good spirit.

Wondering if this is brook?

image-67181313 hosted at ImgBB

Image image-67181313 hosted on ImgBB

ibb.co

Jay Hemdal · Nov 9, 2023

draxus said:
Sadly the smaller clown just passed - picture of body -- looks like his black has deteriorated and is a little translucent. My wrasse, chromis, and coral beauty look healthy. Larger clown looks better than yesterday, my diamond goby looks thin, fins slightly frayed but overall in good spirit.

Wondering if this is brook?

image-67181313 hosted at ImgBB

Image image-67181313 hosted on ImgBB

ibb.co

That does look like Brooklynella. FW dips can buy you some time, but copper is ineffective. The best treatment is formalin, but that is difficult to source and is toxic to humans, having it in a home is risky. Many people resort to using Ruby Reef Rally Pro. It only works if you start a treatment early on, but at least it is widely available and not as toxic as formalin to people.

Jay

draxus · Nov 10, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
That does look like Brooklynella. FW dips can buy you some time, but copper is ineffective. The best treatment is formalin, but that is difficult to source and is toxic to humans, having it in a home is risky. Many people resort to using Ruby Reef Rally Pro. It only works if you start a treatment early on, but at least it is widely available and not as toxic as formalin to people.

Jay

Thanks I appreciate it - I should have ruby reef rally pro delivered tomorrow morning.

Right now I have all my surviving fish in a 10 gallon quarantine.

Losses:
Clown Goby
BiColor Blenny
Clownfish

Survivors:
Clownfish (looks rough as pictured)
Adorned Wrasse (looks 100%)
Fairy Wrasse (looks 100%)
Chromis (Looks 100%)
Coral Beauty (Looks 100%)
Diamond Goby (looks thin, frayed fins)

Currently the QT is dosed with coppersafe and prazipro
If my only option is Ruby should I just add that into my QT? Some things say to dips but you can also add it straight to tank and leave it... so not sure best course of action.

I have been giving my clown freshwater dips every 24 hours.

Should I discontinue prazi and copper and just use ruby?

Thanks for the help I appreciate it ... this has been wild.

Jay Hemdal · Nov 10, 2023

draxus said:
Thanks I appreciate it - I should have ruby reef rally pro delivered tomorrow morning.

Right now I have all my surviving fish in a 10 gallon quarantine.

Losses:
Clown Goby
BiColor Blenny
Clownfish

Survivors:
Clownfish (looks rough as pictured)
Adorned Wrasse (looks 100%)
Fairy Wrasse (looks 100%)
Chromis (Looks 100%)
Coral Beauty (Looks 100%)
Diamond Goby (looks thin, frayed fins)

Currently the QT is dosed with coppersafe and prazipro
If my only option is Ruby should I just add that into my QT? Some things say to dips but you can also add it straight to tank and leave it... so not sure best course of action.

I have been giving my clown freshwater dips every 24 hours.

Should I discontinue prazi and copper and just use ruby?

Thanks for the help I appreciate it ... this has been wild.

That many fish in a 10 gallon QT is risky. Can you manage the ammonia levels in there to be below 0.25 ppm?

Can you start with Ruby Reef as a higher dose dip?
Then - you can decide if you want to add it to the tank or not. I've never combined it with copper or prazipro, so I'll ask @vetteguy53081 to chime in here.

Jay

draxus · Nov 10, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
That many fish in a 10 gallon QT is risky. Can you manage the ammonia levels in there to be below 0.25 ppm?

Can you start with Ruby Reef as a higher dose dip?
Then - you can decide if you want to add it to the tank or not. I've never combined it with copper or prazipro, so I'll ask @vetteguy53081 to chime in here.

Jay

I threw them in a 10 gallon because I had it one hand - can run out and buy a 20 if it may make a difference.

Sure I will dip at a higher dose - recomendation on that?

Thanks!!!

Jay Hemdal · Nov 10, 2023

The high dose instructions should be on the bottle. If not, Vetteguy can help us out with that.

While a 20 gallon tank would provide more space, the crux of the issue is that tanks set up "on the fly" can develop ammonia issues, and that can be as deadly as any disease.

Jay

vetteguy53081 · Nov 10, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
That many fish in a 10 gallon QT is risky. Can you manage the ammonia levels in there to be below 0.25 ppm?

Can you start with Ruby Reef as a higher dose dip?
Then - you can decide if you want to add it to the tank or not. I've never combined it with copper or prazipro, so I'll ask @vetteguy53081 to chime in here.

Jay

Ruby reef works well as a dip and agree, I would not combine with copper. Your risk is quick ammonia build-up and a 20g, better yet 29g would lessen this risk. As a dip , add one teaspoon of the liquid per gallon for 60-90 minutes with aeration added with air stone

draxus · Nov 11, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Ruby reef works well as a dip and agree, I would not combine with copper. Your risk is quick ammonia build-up and a 20g, better yet 29g would lessen this risk. As a dip , add one teaspoon of the liquid per gallon for 60-90 minutes with aeration added with air stone

Thank you! I will dip and then return to QT. I am planning a full water change in QT during dip and will look into getting a larger tank this week. Should I run my qt tank with a lower dose of ruby or still keep copper and prazipro in it? How often would you recommend dipping for?

Seriously thank you everyone -

vetteguy53081 · Nov 11, 2023

I

draxus said:
Thank you! I will dip and then return to QT. I am planning a full water change in QT during dip and will look into getting a larger tank this week. Should I run my qt tank with a lower dose of ruby or still keep copper and prazipro in it? How often would you recommend dipping for?

Seriously thank you everyone -

f you’re referring to ruby bath- 60 minutes
If freshwater dip- 5 minutes
Run regular dose with ruby in quarantine tank

draxus · Nov 11, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
I

f you’re referring to ruby bath- 60 minutes
If freshwater dip- 5 minutes
Run regular dose with ruby in quarantine tank

Thanks!

I'll do a 60 minute ruby bath - drain my QT tank, do a normal dose of ruby and monitor ammonia.

Should I do follow up 60 minute ruby concentrated dips?

vetteguy53081 · Nov 11, 2023

Onl

draxus said:
Thanks!

I'll do a 60 minute ruby bath - drain my QT tank, do a normal dose of ruby and monitor ammonia.

Should I do follow up 60 minute ruby concentrated dips?

Only if doing large water changes

draxus · Nov 22, 2023

So over the weekend I set up a 29 gallon tank. All of the fish looked fine in my 10 gallon. Once the 29 was set up I removed all of my fish from the 10 gallon (which had residual ruby reef in it from the 3 days of 1oz pours, the regular dose). I gave them all an 80 minute bath in the ruby reef concentrate ... transfered them to the 29 gallon which was completely sterile and all new. 48 hours later my other clown and my two wrasses died. I redosed that tank with the standard ruby blend and my coral beauty, chromis, and diamond goby have been fine ever since.
@vetteguy53081 - should I just dose my current tank at the recomended dosage for three days like the bottle says and just monitor ammonia with water changes? Did I mess up by moving them into untreated water?

vetteguy53081 · Nov 22, 2023

Sounds like fungus and pics under white light intensity will help with assessment
Did you cycle the 29g before stocking it?

draxus · Nov 22, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Sounds like fungus and pics under white light intensity will help with assessment
Did you cycle the 29g before stocking it?

Here a pictures, I moved a piece of liverock from my original tank into my 10 gallon quarantine and then into my 30 gallon. It was dipped with the fish as well, that was my attempt at speed cycling, I have been monitoring ammonia and no spikes.

Here are pics: