Gill embolism thingy on clown....

[roger saltwaters]

Ok so last nite after feeding my fish I notice a large red bulbous bulge protruding from one of my clowns gills. She seems to behave normally and has a great appetite but I'm very concerned. Any ideas? I don't know if it is related but when eating she grabbed a bite that was a little bigger than she could handle and struggled with it.

 

[Duke4Life]

Can you post a pic? Would help a bit more.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Pic? Perhaps some sort of parasite in the gills. A freshwater dip can determine that. If it's gill damage a bath in methylene blue can soothe.

 

[WetWhistle]

What are your water parameters? Have you tested ammonia? High ammonia can cause this as well as parasites. How do the fins look? Are they worn and frayed?

 

[roger saltwaters]

What are your water parameters? Have you tested ammonia? High ammonia can cause this as well as parasites. How do the fins look? Are they worn and frayed?

All my fish look perfect other than this. I haven't tested ammonia in quite a while but it has been completely undetectable for ages and filtration has only been improved.

 

[roger saltwaters]

Whats the best way to post pics on here?

 

[Duke4Life]

Whats the best way to post pics on here?

Upload directly is what I do, others use photobucket, etc.

 

[roger saltwaters]

 

[roger saltwaters]

You can kinda see it in the top pic. Really hard to take a pic of.

 

[melypr1985]

I'm not sure what causes that. A freshwater dip would probably be a good idea. Here's how:

Freshwater Dip: Provides temporary relief for Brooklynella, Flukes & "Black Ich", Marine Velvet disease (Amyloodinium); possibly even Ich & Uronema marinum (both unproven). Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes.

How To Treat - Fill a bucket with RODI water, and use a heater to match the temperature to the water the fish is coming from. Aerate the water heavily for at least 30 minutes prior to doing the dip, then discontinue aeration while performing the dip. Fish aren’t overly pH sensitive for short durations like this, but you can squirt a little tank water into the dip just before the fish goes in to help bring it up.

Place the fish in the freshwater (FW) dip and observe closely. It is not unusual for them to freak out a little at first. Also, tangs are notorious for “playing dead” during a FW dip. The important thing is to watch their gills; they should be breathing heavily at all times during the dip. If breathing slows, it’s time to exit the dip. Dip the fish for no longer than 5 minutes. Multiple dips may be done, but it’s important to give your fish a day to recuperate in-between dips.

For flukes, use a dark (preferably black) bucket so you can see if tiny white worms fall out of the fish (especially out of the gills) at around the 3-4 minute mark. The worms will settle to the bottom, so you can use a flashlight to look for them there as well.

Pros - Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases in a chemical free environment. Can “buy you more time” until a proper treatment can be done.

Cons/Side Effects - Not a permanent “fix” for any disease, as FW dips are not potent enough to eradicate all of the parasites/worms afflicting the fish. Some fish can have an adverse reaction to a FW dip by appearing unable to maintain their equilibrium once returned to the aquarium. If this happens, hold the fish upright (using latex, nitrile or rubber gloves), and gently glide him through the water (to get saltwater flowing through the gills again). It is also a good idea to place the fish in an acclimation box until he appears “normal”.

@Humblefish can you take a look?

 

[Humblefish]

I can kinda see it in the first photo. I'm wondering if it could be a sting or some other type of physical damage.

 

[roger saltwaters]

I'm not sure what causes that. A freshwater dip would probably be a good idea. Here's how:

Freshwater Dip: Provides temporary relief for Brooklynella, Flukes & "Black Ich", Marine Velvet disease (Amyloodinium); possibly even Ich & Uronema marinum (both unproven). Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes.

How To Treat - Fill a bucket with RODI water, and use a heater to match the temperature to the water the fish is coming from. Aerate the water heavily for at least 30 minutes prior to doing the dip, then discontinue aeration while performing the dip. Fish aren’t overly pH sensitive for short durations like this, but you can squirt a little tank water into the dip just before the fish goes in to help bring it up.

Place the fish in the freshwater (FW) dip and observe closely. It is not unusual for them to freak out a little at first. Also, tangs are notorious for “playing dead” during a FW dip. The important thing is to watch their gills; they should be breathing heavily at all times during the dip. If breathing slows, it’s time to exit the dip. Dip the fish for no longer than 5 minutes. Multiple dips may be done, but it’s important to give your fish a day to recuperate in-between dips.

For flukes, use a dark (preferably black) bucket so you can see if tiny white worms fall out of the fish (especially out of the gills) at around the 3-4 minute mark. The worms will settle to the bottom, so you can use a flashlight to look for them there as well.

Pros - Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases in a chemical free environment. Can “buy you more time” until a proper treatment can be done.

Cons/Side Effects - Not a permanent “fix” for any disease, as FW dips are not potent enough to eradicate all of the parasites/worms afflicting the fish. Some fish can have an adverse reaction to a FW dip by appearing unable to maintain their equilibrium once returned to the aquarium. If this happens, hold the fish upright (using latex, nitrile or rubber gloves), and gently glide him through the water (to get saltwater flowing through the gills again). It is also a good idea to place the fish in an acclimation box until he appears “normal”.

@Humblefish can you take a look?

Thanks for the help. I might try this but I will wait until the fish shows some sign of distress. Oddly enough this guy doesn't seem to be bothered the slightest bit so far. I'm hoping this will fix itself over time. So weird.

 

[roger saltwaters]

I can kinda see it in the first photo. I'm wondering if it could be a sting or some other type of physical damage.

I really don't know. Kind of hard to get a good picture of. It looks like to red balls in a clear sack. Not unlike a scrotum.

 

[Humblefish]

I really don't know. Kind of hard to get a good picture of. It looks like to red balls in a clear sack. Not unlike a scrotum.

Almost sounds like the gills themselves are hanging out. See below.

 

[roger saltwaters]

Ok update time. Last nite the fish still had the two 'red testacles' protruding from its gill. This morning they are gone. Maybe a slight trace of the clear sack. Now for the first time the fish is acting lethargic and hanging out on the bottom. LFS recommended pulling her out and QT ing with 'Melafix'. Opinions?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Melafix depletes o2, so if there are issues with the gills it might make the situation worse.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Did it look anything like this?

 

[roger saltwaters]

Did it look anything like this?

Like a lion fish? What am I missing?

 

[_Alex_]

Look right under the chin of the fish. Sticking out bottom of far side gill

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Initially it was blood red, but in this picture you can see it's starting to change.