Clownfish sick?

[gustavviklund]

Today I noticed that my female clownfish has some very faint white spots/patches on her back. She's behaving as normal except that she was rubbing herself against a snail shell a couple of weeks ago, but she's not been doing that since then.

If she's sick, what could it be? I keep reading about the symptoms for different diseases but it feels like all diseases have almost the same symptoms and it's all just a mess right now in my head....

Here are pics:

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Yes, many external fish diseases have similar symptoms, as in most cases, what you are seeing is the fish's skin mucus as a reaction against the parasite.

How long have you had this fish?
What other fish are in with it?

This could be the start of Brooklynella or it could be marine ich.

Here is an article on fish mucus:

Mucus - The Slime That Binds

Mucus: The Slime that Binds Jay Hemdal C. 2020 This article examines the various causes of excess mucus coatings on fish, as well as fecal mucus issues. ------------------- The mucus produced by the fish’s epidermal cells gives them their...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[gustavviklund]

Yes, many external fish diseases have similar symptoms, as in most cases, what you are seeing is the fish's skin mucus as a reaction against the parasite.

How long have you had this fish?
What other fish are in with it?

This could be the start of Brooklynella or it could be marine ich.

Here is an article on fish mucus:

Mucus - The Slime That Binds

Mucus: The Slime that Binds Jay Hemdal C. 2020 This article examines the various causes of excess mucus coatings on fish, as well as fecal mucus issues. ------------------- The mucus produced by the fish’s epidermal cells gives them their...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

I've had the two clowns for almost a month now (the other clown does not have any visible symptoms).

The only other fish is a yellow watchman goby that I've had for two months.

How do I know if it's brooklynella or ich? And it's not flukes?

 

[gustavviklund]

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I've had the two clowns for almost a month now (the other clown does not have any visible symptoms).

The only other fish is a yellow watchman goby that I've had for two months.

How do I know if it's brooklynella or ich? And it's not flukes?

Ich will show as more discrete, bright white, salt grain sized white spots. Flukes are usually invisible, but you will see rapid breathing and/or scratching. Brooklynella shows white mucus on the skin, but so does extra mucus from some irritation, like fighting. I usae the fish's swimming behavior to hep identify brooklynella - the fish will begin swimming like it is "stiff".

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks like secondary bacterial associated with what Jay mentioned- brooklynella and often confused with ich
Treatment in quarantine will be necessary using a formalin based product or ruby rally pro which takes a couple days to start working

 

[gustavviklund]

Ich will show as more discrete, bright white, salt grain sized white spots. Flukes are usually invisible, but you will see rapid breathing and/or scratching. Brooklynella shows white mucus on the skin, but so does extra mucus from some irritation, like fighting. I usae the fish's swimming behavior to hep identify brooklynella - the fish will begin swimming like it is "stiff".

Jay

 

[gustavviklund]

Ich will show as more discrete, bright white, salt grain sized white spots. Flukes are usually invisible, but you will see rapid breathing and/or scratching. Brooklynella shows white mucus on the skin, but so does extra mucus from some irritation, like fighting. I usae the fish's swimming behavior to hep identify brooklynella - the fish will begin swimming like it is "stiff".

Jay

Looks like secondary bacterial associated with what Jay mentioned- brooklynella and often confused with ich
Treatment in quarantine will be necessary using a formalin based product or ruby rally pro which takes a couple days to start working

I dont have a quarantine tank yet. I'll try to set one up tomorrow.

I have some questions though:
1. Would you say that this video is good to follow when I set up the QT? I guess I'm supposed to do the "uncycled" method?
2. How long will it take from setting up the QT until I can add the fish?
3. Should I put all my fish in quarantine in case they are infected as well?
3. How sure are you that it is brooklynella? I understand that its hard to diagnose from the video I added (I can post a better one tomorrow) but I wanna be sure before I start a treatment, cause I dont wanna give the wrong medicine.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I dont have a quarantine tank yet. I'll try to set one up tomorrow.

I have some questions though:
1. Would you say that this video is good to follow when I set up the QT? I guess I'm supposed to do the "uncycled" method?
2. How long will it take from setting up the QT until I can add the fish?
3. Should I put all my fish in quarantine in case they are infected as well?
3. How sure are you that it is brooklynella? I understand that its hard to diagnose from the video I added (I can post a better one tomorrow) but I wanna be sure before I start a treatment, cause I dont wanna give the wrong medicine.

While it offers good tips, you can go simple which can be as easy as a second hand tank from a thrift store or as simple as a starter tank kit from walmart which has most of the essentials. Assure RODI water and bacteria along with matching salinity and temperature and you can start treatment but monitor ammonia levels with reliable test kit during treatment. I would not hurt to treat all fish as long as there is sufficient room, oxygen and clean water. There are signs and symptoms that pinpoint brook and is one of the easiest to identify. Fish will show unusual swim behavior, loss of appetite, increased breathing and loss of color

 

[gustavviklund]

While it offers good tips, you can go simple which can be as easy as a second hand tank from a thrift store or as simple as a starter tank kit from walmart which has most of the essentials. Assure RODI water and bacteria along with matching salinity and temperature and you can start treatment but monitor ammonia levels with reliable test kit during treatment. I would not hurt to treat all fish as long as there is sufficient room, oxygen and clean water. There are signs and symptoms that pinpoint brook and is one of the easiest to identify. Fish will show unusual swim behavior, loss of appetite, increased breathing and loss of color

It seems like the white thing has faded away a little compared to yesterday. Could I wait and see or should I put her in quarantine right away? Because there are no other signs like odd swimming, appetite loss etc.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It seems like the white thing has faded away a little compared to yesterday. Could I wait and see or should I put her in quarantine right away? Because there are no other signs like odd swimming, appetite loss etc.

Wait and see but be prepared to react if it returns

 

[gustavviklund]

Wait and see but be prepared to react if it returns

Here's a new better video of the clowns. Do they look healthy to you?

 

[gustavviklund]

Today she is swimming with only the left pectoral fin. The right one (the side with the white spots) is barely moving. Is it time to start treatment for brooklynella? (Or something else?)

Videos from today:

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Today she is swimming with only the left pectoral fin. The right one (the side with the white spots) is barely moving. Is it time to start treatment for brooklynella? (Or something else?)

Videos from today:

The goby made a rush at the clown. If it had connected in the past, that could account for the pectoral fin not working well.

If it is Brooklynella, it is just the start, as I don't see a lot of mucus on the fish.

Jay

 

[gustavviklund]

The goby made a rush at the clown. If it had connected in the past, that could account for the pectoral fin not working well.

If it is Brooklynella, it is just the start, as I don't see a lot of mucus on the fish.

Jay

Yes, I was going to ask about that! It happens a couple of times a day. Could that explain the mucus as well?

I was going to do a freshwater dip. Should I proceed with that? And how do I handle the aggression?

 

[gustavviklund]

Yes, I was going to ask about that! It happens a couple of times a day. Could that explain the mucus as well?

I was going to do a freshwater dip. Should I proceed with that? And how do I handle the aggression?

Another thing Ive been thinking about is that I have a HUGE amount of copepods in the tank for some reason. Can copepods attach to fish's skin?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Another thing Ive been thinking about is that I have a HUGE amount of copepods in the tank for some reason. Can copepods attach to fish's skin?

Most copepods are free living and cause no issues. There are parasitic copepods on fish, but they spend their entire time on the fish, not living free in the tank. There are Cirolanid isopods that live free in the tank, but which will bite the fish. You almost always see those only in tanks that have had fresh live rock, straight from the ocean added to the tank,

Jay

 

[gustavviklund]

Most copepods are free living and cause no issues. There are parasitic copepods on fish, but they spend their entire time on the fish, not living free in the tank. There are Cirolanid isopods that live free in the tank, but which will bite the fish. You almost always see those only in tanks that have had fresh live rock, straight from the ocean added to the tank,

Jay

I used dry rock so probably not Cirolanid then.

What do you think I should do regarding the goby's aggression?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I used dry rock so probably not Cirolanid then.

What do you think I should do regarding the goby's aggression?

A tank divider would work to keep the goby in its place.

Jay

 

[gustavviklund]

A tank divider would work to keep the goby in its place.

Jay

The tank is just 25 gallons. Wouldn't that make their space too small?

I've seen some people say that rearranging the aquascape can help. Is that something you would recommend?