Clownfish sick or just mushroom residue?

ninjanina96 · Jul 18, 2023

I have 2 clownfish that I've had since I've set my tank up 6 or so months ago. Recently my husband has been concerned about how they are looking. I've noticed the spots on them but I've always just assumed it was because they're "hosting" my hairy mushrooms and love nestling in them or its just sand. They swim fine, eat fine, and the only other fish in my tank is a lawnmower blenny and a magnificent Wrasse. Both are spot free and fine. Do I need to be concerned?

Sharkbait19 · Jul 18, 2023

How long have they looked like that? It looks like brooklynella (or advanced ich) to me.

vetteguy53081 · Jul 18, 2023

ninjanina96 said:
I have 2 clownfish that I've had since I've set my tank up 6 or so months ago. Recently my husband has been concerned about how they are looking. I've noticed the spots on them but I've always just assumed it was because they're "hosting" my hairy mushrooms and love nestling in them or its just sand. They swim fine, eat fine, and the only other fish in my tank is a lawnmower blenny and a magnificent Wrasse. Both are spot free and fine. Do I need to be concerned?

Clear sign of clown disease known as Brooklynella.
The most significant sign is the amount of slime on its body. The thick mucus on its body is a second 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.

ninjanina96 · Jul 18, 2023

Sharkbait19 said:
How long have they looked like that? It looks like brooklynella (or advanced ich) to me.

2 or 3 weeks. Some days they don't look like the have anything on them.

Jay Hemdal · Jul 19, 2023

ninjanina96 said:
2 or 3 weeks. Some days they don't look like the have anything on them.

That is a key symptom of marine ich - the spots come and go. Brooklynella will produce a more general white mucus coating, while velvet will cause rapid breathing with no major skin symptoms.

I see ich spots here, but it is also possible that the fish have both brooklynella and ich at the same time (rare though).

Can you post a video of the fish? I can sometimes diagnose them better if I can see how they are swimming.

Do you have a treatment tank available?

Jay

ninjanina96 · Jul 19, 2023

vetteguy53081 · Jul 19, 2023

ninjanina96 said:

Better than the still pics. Now im seeing signs of ich here. Quarantine tank necessary'/needed.
You will need to 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.