Clown Fish has white bumps!

[AbeJ]

For the last 2-3 days my clown fish has had several white bumps appear at the base of her dorsal fin and possibly the same kind of bumps are also forming behind her eye. It is difficult to tell if the bumps behind her eye are the same thing. The bumps under her dorsal fin appear to have popped and reformed (kind of like a pimple.) She is still feisty but seems a bit lethargic and her breathing seems elevated.

Nothing has been added to the tank, aside from flakes and frozen food, for over a year. In the last month or two, I have, however, noticed some nocturnal, white worms that come out from under the rock/gravel to eat the algae wafers I feed to the crabs and snails.

Any idea what this might be? Bacterial infection? Parasites? What can I do? Fresh water dip? Medicine. I'm new to the forum and this is my first time with a sick fish. I'll go start reading the other posts about treatment but I wanted to start by getting some help here with a diagnosis. Thank you for your help!!!!

Abe

Aquarium Parameters:
Aquarium type: Fish, crabs, snails
Aquarium water volume: 10 gal
Filtration type: HOB
Lighting: cheap clip on led
How long has the aquarium been established? two years


Water quality
Temperature: 78f
pH: 7.9
Salinity / specific gravity: 34
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 30 ppm
Phosphorus -
Copper -
Other -

In-depth information:
Have you lost any fish to this problem yet? NO
Are any invertebrates affected? NO
Respiration rate of affected fish: 80?
Are the affected fish still feeding? She doesn't seem very interested in eating flakes but will still chases after frozen spirulina mysis shrimp with gusto. What remedies have you tried so far? One dose of API Super Ick Cure

Sorry about the photo quality. She won't hold still long enough to get a good photo.

Two short videos:

 

[vetteguy53081]

For the last 2-3 days my clown fish has had several white bumps appear at the base of her dorsal fin and possibly the same kind of bumps are also forming behind her eye. It is difficult to tell if the bumps behind her eye are the same thing. The bumps under her dorsal fin appear to have popped and reformed (kind of like a pimple.) She is still feisty but seems a bit lethargic and her breathing seems elevated.

Nothing has been added to the tank, aside from flakes and frozen food, for over a year. In the last month or two, I have, however, noticed some nocturnal, white worms that come out from under the rock/gravel to eat the algae wafers I feed to the crabs and snails.

Any idea what this might be? Bacterial infection? Parasites? What can I do? Fresh water dip? Medicine. I'm new to the forum and this is my first time with a sick fish. I'll go start reading the other posts about treatment but I wanted to start by getting some help here with a diagnosis. Thank you for your help!!!!

Abe

Aquarium Parameters:
Aquarium type: Fish, crabs, snails
Aquarium water volume: 10 gal
Filtration type: HOB
Lighting: cheap clip on led
How long has the aquarium been established? two years


Water quality
Temperature: 78f
pH: 7.9
Salinity / specific gravity: 34
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 30 ppm
Phosphorus -
Copper -
Other -

In-depth information:
Have you lost any fish to this problem yet? NO
Are any invertebrates affected? NO
Respiration rate of affected fish: 80?
Are the affected fish still feeding? She doesn't seem very interested in eating flakes but will still chases after frozen spirulina mysis shrimp with gusto. What remedies have you tried so far? One dose of API Super Ick Cure

Sorry about the photo quality. She won't hold still long enough to get a good photo.

Two short videos:

Looks like bacterial tufts. presence of white worms, likely detritus worms suggest overfeeding and/or lack of tank maintenance. Feed less and siphon more for a couple of weeks.
I have reason to suspect false readings and that you may be using API kits showing zero readings whereas you may have higher readings.
This can be verified by taking a water sample to a trusted LFS that does Not use Api test kits and see what readings they come up with and to compare with yours

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Agreed this is probably bacterial. The problem is the rapid breathing indicates the infection is involving more than that skin lesion…possibly internal as well.
Trouble is, you can’t treat your main tank with antibiotics - I don’t suppose you have a treatment tank? You can try 3 hour antibiotic dips daily at 3x the normal dose in a bucket with good aeration, but that isn’t always effective.
Jay

 

[AbeJ]

I have a 5 gallon rubbermade tote that will work well as a hospital tank. What antibiotic should I use?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have a 5 gallon rubbermade tote that will work well as a hospital tank. What antibiotic should I use?

Choosing an antibiotic is always a guess since we can't do sensitivity studies on our fish. Most fish diseases are caused by gram negative bacteria. Neoplex is one choice. Another is Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2 at the same time. It can take 5 days for antibiotics to stop an infection and weeks for the area to heal.

Jay

 

[AbeJ]

Thanks Jay. I appreciate the help!

 

[AbeJ]

The Neoplex just arrived today and I dosed her tank. While waiting for the Neoplex to arrive, I was able to get ahold of MetroPlex and KanaPlex. The instructions for both of them directed me to dose every 48 hours. I have been alternating dosing these two every other day.

The size of her white sores/bumps may have improved some, not much, but there are also a few more of them now. She has not eaten in a few days and has swim bladder issues. Initially just swimming/resting head down/tail up. As of today she is laying upside down on the ceiling of a pvc tube. Rapid breathing. Because she is not eating, I doubt I will be able to get her to take any cooked peas.

Do I need to try to use a syringe to remove some of the air from her swim bladder?

Do you advise against using Neoplex, MetroPlex, and KanaPlex at the same time?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The Neoplex just arrived today and I dosed her tank. While waiting for the Neoplex to arrive, I was able to get ahold of MetroPlex and KanaPlex. The instructions for both of them directed me to dose every 48 hours. I have been alternating dosing these two every other day.

The size of her white sores/bumps may have improved some, not much, but there are also a few more of them now. She has not eaten in a few days and has swim bladder issues. Initially just swimming/resting head down/tail up. As of today she is laying upside down on the ceiling of a pvc tube. Rapid breathing. Because she is not eating, I doubt I will be able to get her to take any cooked peas.

Do I need to try to use a syringe to remove some of the air from her swim bladder?

Do you advise against using Neoplex, MetroPlex, and KanaPlex at the same time?

Can you post a new video?
Swim bladder infections are a lot more rare than people think. When they do occur, removing the gas with a syringe virtually never works - the gas just returns.

Jay

 

[AbeJ]

Can you post a new video?
Swim bladder infections are a lot more rare than people think. When they do occur, removing the gas with a syringe virtually never works - the gas just returns.

Jay

That is a bummer that the syringe rarely works.

New video links below. The sound quality is bad. Might want to mute the videos.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

That is a bummer that the syringe rarely works.

New video links below. The sound quality is bad. Might want to mute the videos.

Yep - that seems to be either gas in the gut or a swim bladder issue. Fish can become constipated, and then bacteria works on the gut contents, forming gas and that in turn causes the fish to float. My guess would be gas in the digestive system - based on the fulness of the gut, and swimming belly up. Swim bladder issues force the fish to float, but upright, and they belly won't be swollen like that. Needling the gut would be a bad idea, it would spread bacteria.

Is the fish still feeding?

Jay

 

[Goby Bryant]

Choosing an antibiotic is always a guess since we can't do sensitivity studies on our fish. Most fish diseases are caused by gram negative bacteria. Neoplex is one choice. Another is Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2 at the same time. It can take 5 days for antibiotics to stop an infection and weeks for the area to heal.

Jay

Could it be lymphocysti?

 

[AbeJ]

Yep - that seems to be either gas in the gut or a swim bladder issue. Fish can become constipated, and then bacteria works on the gut contents, forming gas and that in turn causes the fish to float. My guess would be gas in the digestive system - based on the fulness of the gut, and swimming belly up. Swim bladder issues force the fish to float, but upright, and they belly won't be swollen like that. Needling the gut would be a bad idea, it would spread bacteria.

Is the fish still feeding?

Jay

She has not eaten for probably three days.

 

[AbeJ]

I feel like I am running out of time. Open to any suggestions.

 

[AbeJ]

She is actually floating on her side.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

She is actually floating on her side.

Sorry - I can't think of anything that will work for this....sometimes there simply is no ready-made treatment.

You could try switching antibiotics. Maracyn 1 works against gram positive bacteria, and internal bacteria are more likely to be of that group.

Jay