Clownfish Infection

[sbash]

Hi Folks,

I have never dealt with anything like this before... Basically my female maroon clown has some sort of infection around her anus. Yesterday, I noticed she was a bit lethargic and swimming oddly (a bit on her side). There was also a white stringy poop coming out. Today, she is just as lethargic and there is an apparent infection, pictures below.

Some context, she and her mate are in a QT tank with a couple other fish. Originally it was those two, two cardinals and a powder brown tang. About 4 or 5 weeks in the QT, the PBT randomly died, that was a couple weeks ago now. I assumed it was undernourishment, as I was travelling for the first couple weeks and it may not have been eating as much prepared food as it should have been, it was skinny when it died and did not show any symptoms of being ill (it was eating when I was feeding, but if it was past the point of no return then the damage was already done). Not sure if it is related, so I thought I would add that point in... That was two weeks ago now.

So, given a fish died, I kept the rest in for observation (I was just about to put them into their permanent homes - three different tanks)... Anyway... I got the clowns with a full system I purchased, there was no sign of illness in any of the fish going into QT (the cardinals and PBT were in their own system for several months before I brought them home). The other fish from that system all seem happy in that same system... I had to split the clowns because I put a bonded pair of perculas into the tank with the rest of its tank mates...

I have a bunch of meds on hand; including prazi, kanaplex, focus, CP and furan 2 (and a couple other generic ones that probably do not help much, lol).

I am going to try to feed some frozen mysis this evening, but am unsure what I should treat this with (and I am not sure I should just dump everything in, lol). I appreciate any feedback!

 

[azbigjohn]

White, stringy poo is usually a parasitic infection, but I am certainly no expert.

#reefsquad

 

[Brew12]

White, stringy poo is usually a parasitic infection, but I am certainly no expert.

#reefsquad

You are exactly correct.

Ideally, you would use focus to bind Metroplex to food for an internal parasite infection. I'm hoping you have some of that with the rest. If not, you can try Prazipro.

Since it looks like it has also spread to its anus I would put both kanaplex and furan 2 in the water with the fish.

Odds are the PBT died because of the parasites. When one fish in a system get them they all tend to get it.
Something about eating each others poo.... ;Yuck

Good luck!

 

[jsker]

Adding to that, if I may suggest. Binding the kanaplex with the focus with the frozen, making a metroplex, kanaplex antibiotic cocktail that is ingested for the internal infection. I would also suggest adding a couple drops of vitamin c and b-12 to the mix to help with stress and energy.

 

[4FordFamily]

Here’s some information on a rectal prolapse, but in this case I think it’s due to internal parasites

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/achilles-tang-anus-protruded.205464/page-2

 

[Maritimer]

Agreed - you'll want to get all the fish in the QT onto an antiparasitic diet. One "seachem measure" each of Focus and Metroplex - or API's "Quick Cure", which is Metronidazole and Praziquantel combined in a powder form - to a teaspoon of frozen food. Mix well, and feed 1-2x daily for ten-plus days, then evaluate. Sometimes it takes longer. The vitamins that Jsker suggested, and maybe something like Selcon ... well, they won't hurt, and I'd go ahead and drop 'em in, if you can get 'em.

~Bruce

 

[sbash]

Sounds good, thanks folks... I thought I had metroplex, but I guess not... If one of the premade mixtures does not have it, I will have to pick some up tomorrow if I can find it...

I'll dose the tank with prazi and chloroquine phosphate (which looks like it will take out certain stages of the parasite), then make the magical food mixture tomorrow...

 

[Arthur Jen]

Use Marine Melafix, that will helps a lot, I use it when I get a new fish or sick fish, it will restore any damaged fin or open wounds in them

 

[sbash]

Well, she is looking pretty rough today; barely moving. I made the metroplex/kanaplex cocktail and used a target feeder, so she did eat at least a little bit. Hopefully she is a bit more perky in the morning...

 

[Maritimer]

;Nailbiting

~B.

 

[sbash]

Well, I am sad to report she died yesterday morning. She was alive when I got up, but did not last very long.

The night before, the inflammation was pretty much gone from her underside, but I caught the illness too late to cure I imagine... Story of my QT life...

@Brew12 If the PBT died from the same thing, at least he did not suffer the way she did. The PBT was happy and alert one day and dead the next morning...

@Arthur Jen I do actually have a jar of that stuff, however did not really look into what it could do for me until your post. Perhaps I will add this into my prophylactic protocol...

Anyway, the three remaining fish look alright. I will keep feeding them the medicated food until it runs out (probably a few days left); and with the other meds in the system, I will hopefully be able to place these little guys in their destinations tanks early in the new year.

 

[Robinsxo1]

Use Marine Melafix, that will helps a lot, I use it when I get a new fish or sick fish, it will restore any damaged fin or open wounds in them

Will it work better for my clown??