Clownfish with red blotches on sides?

[Sean W.]

Hey guys,

I noticed this evening that one of my clownfish in QT has red blotches on either side of it's body. He has been in QT for about 2 weeks now and I was just doing an observational QT, have not added any medicine to the tank.

I have been maintaining a .025 salinity, doing a 50% water change every 2 days or so, siphoning out all the detritus and uneaten food during the process and maintaining a 76-77 degree temperature.

He seems to be swimming fine, and eating fine.

Thanks for any help!

Here is a video:

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey guys,

I noticed this evening that one of my clownfish in QT has red blotches on either side of it's body. He has been in QT for about 2 weeks now and I was just doing an observational QT, have not added any medicine to the tank.

I have been maintaining a .025 salinity, doing a 50% water change every 2 days or so, siphoning out all the detritus and uneaten food during the process and maintaining a 76-77 degree temperature.

He seems to be swimming fine, and eating fine.

Thanks for any help!

Here is a video:

Fish looks nice and active. I see sharp edges from cuts on the pipes in video. Any aggression from other clown as I noticed it is following it constantly

 

[Sean W.]

Fish looks nice and active. I see sharp edges from cuts on the pipes in video. Any aggression from other clown as I noticed it is following it constantly

Nope! They're best buds. Zero aggression.

It does not look like an abrasion or like there's any damage to the scales/skin. To me it looks like some orange/red color marking from his pattern. It's very faint in person and I was examining them very closely today before making the final decision if they're ready to go into the display tank and that's when I noticed it.

Admittedly, I have not looked this closely (nose against the glass) at them until today.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Nope! They're best buds. Zero aggression.

It does not look like an abrasion or like there's any damage to the scales/skin. To me it looks like some orange/red color marking from his pattern. It's very faint in person and I was examining them very closely today before making the final decision if they're ready to go into the display tank and that's when I noticed it.

Admittedly, I have not looked this closely (nose against the glass) at them until today.

Hard to tell on phone screen but will look again on PC screen

 

[Sean W.]

Hard to tell on phone screen but will look again on PC screen

Video is in 4k!

 

[LAReefer4Life]

In my opinion, redness on the body is never a good sign, its typically bacterial or red sores uronema, which are more common in damsels.

Check out these threads.

Bacterial Infections

Why fish get bacterial infections What You Need To Know: * Infections can be caused by either Gram‐positive or Gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative infections are typically more virulent, and more common in marine fish. * Bacterial infections are often "secondary" to a preexisting parasitic...

www.reef2reef.com

Uronema marinum

Uronema marinum What You Need To Know: * These are the red sores most often seen on chromis damsels; however it can afflict any fish. * Treatment of choice is a 45 minute formalin bath (e.g. Quick Cure), followed by transfer into a new/sterile QT. * Once in QT, it is very important to do...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Sean W.]

Well I did a water change last night and I'll continue to observe for a few more days.

 

[Sean W.]

Well 3 days later and it hasn't gotten better, but it also hasn't gotten worse... He's still swimming and eating just fine. I think it's a bacterial infection so I ordered "API Fin and Body Cure". I will do that regime and report back.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Well 3 days later and it hasn't gotten better, but it also hasn't gotten worse... He's still swimming and eating just fine. I think it's a bacterial infection so I ordered "API Fin and Body Cure". I will do that regime and report back.

Just weighing in here - those subdermal red patches seen on the white portions of clownfish are a mystery. I see a lot of cases here, but I've never had any in hand, so I don't know what the cause is. In some cases, I'm inclined to think they are bruising. In other cases, they seem idiopathic - having no apparent cause.

I do not think they are Uronema, as that disease doesn't linger, it kills the fish pretty quickly, and Uronema lesions erupt to the surface of the skin, and these do not.

No matter what the cause, I can tell you the API product isn't likely to work. It is doxycycline, and that antibiotic is mostly negated by the calcium in seawater. Can you get Neoplex or Kanaplex? If not, how about trying Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2 at the same time?

Jay

 

[Sean W.]

Just weighing in here - those subdermal red patches seen on the white portions of clownfish are a mystery. I see a lot of cases here, but I've never had any in hand, so I don't know what the cause is. In some cases, I'm inclined to think they are bruising. In other cases, they seem idiopathic - having no apparent cause.

I do not think they are Uronema, as that disease doesn't linger, it kills the fish pretty quickly, and Uronema lesions erupt to the surface of the skin, and these do not.

No matter what the cause, I can tell you the API product isn't likely to work. It is doxycycline, and that antibiotic is mostly negated by the calcium in seawater. Can you get Neoplex or Kanaplex? If not, how about trying Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2 at the same time?

Jay

Thank you for that input, I'll return the API antibiotic and try to get that NeoPlex today.

 

[Sean W.]

Just weighing in here - those subdermal red patches seen on the white portions of clownfish are a mystery. I see a lot of cases here, but I've never had any in hand, so I don't know what the cause is. In some cases, I'm inclined to think they are bruising. In other cases, they seem idiopathic - having no apparent cause.

I do not think they are Uronema, as that disease doesn't linger, it kills the fish pretty quickly, and Uronema lesions erupt to the surface of the skin, and these do not.

No matter what the cause, I can tell you the API product isn't likely to work. It is doxycycline, and that antibiotic is mostly negated by the calcium in seawater. Can you get Neoplex or Kanaplex? If not, how about trying Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2 at the same time?

Jay

I looked at the directions between the neoplex and the kanaplex and went with the kanaplex. Will start the regime today and report back

 

[Sean W.]

Just weighing in here - those subdermal red patches seen on the white portions of clownfish are a mystery. I see a lot of cases here, but I've never had any in hand, so I don't know what the cause is. In some cases, I'm inclined to think they are bruising. In other cases, they seem idiopathic - having no apparent cause.

I do not think they are Uronema, as that disease doesn't linger, it kills the fish pretty quickly, and Uronema lesions erupt to the surface of the skin, and these do not.

No matter what the cause, I can tell you the API product isn't likely to work. It is doxycycline, and that antibiotic is mostly negated by the calcium in seawater. Can you get Neoplex or Kanaplex? If not, how about trying Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2 at the same time?

Jay

2 hours after the first dose I think I might see an improvement already. Is that possible or am I being optimistic, seeing what I am hoping to see?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

2 hours after the first dose I think I might see an improvement already. Is that possible or am I being optimistic, seeing what I am hoping to see?

Probably coincidental. Antibiotics in fish take 3 to 5 days to resolve an issue….and then the existing lesion has to heal.
Jay

 

[Sean W.]

Probably coincidental. Antibiotics in fish take 3 to 5 days to resolve an issue….and then the existing lesion has to heal.
Jay

It says to do up to 3 doses, should I just do the 3, or reassess every 48 hours? If I see improvement, don't do another dose?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

It says to do up to 3 doses, should I just do the 3, or reassess every 48 hours? If I see improvement, don't do another dose?

I would do the full 3 doses….just like when you get antibiotics they say take them for the full course, even if you feel better….
Jay

 

[Sean W.]

I would do the full 3 doses….just like when you get antibiotics they say take them for the full course, even if you feel better….
Jay

A full (Almost) 24 hours after the first dose and the red blotches are noticably less apparent. I'd say the fainter of the spots on one side is almost completely gone and the bigger darker spot on the other is smaller and lighter.

 

[Sean W.]

I would do the full 3 doses….just like when you get antibiotics they say take them for the full course, even if you feel better….
Jay

Half way into the 2nd dose of treatment, it seems like the healing has stopped... it's not getting any better.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Half way into the 2nd dose of treatment, it seems like the healing has stopped... it's not getting any better.

Just watch for backsliding, it getting worse. With external bacterial infections, even if the bacteria issue is resolved, it will take up to two weeks for the damaged tissue to heal.

Backsliding indicates that the antibiotic isn't effective against that type of bacteria.

Jay

 

[Sean W.]

Just watch for backsliding, it getting worse. With external bacterial infections, even if the bacteria issue is resolved, it will take up to two weeks for the damaged tissue to heal.

Backsliding indicates that the antibiotic isn't effective against that type of bacteria.

Jay

Okay.

I've done 2 doses so far. I don't think I can make it to Monday (48 hours after the 3rd dose) without doing a water change.

How do I do a water change with 2 doses in the water?

10 gallon tank

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Okay.

I've done 2 doses so far. I don't think I can make it to Monday (48 hours after the 3rd dose) without doing a water change.

How do I do a water change with 2 doses in the water?

10 gallon tank

Change the water right before the third dose.
Are you seeing ammonia issues? If so, that may require earlier/more water changes.
Jay