Help my clown

[Mark3]

What the h happened to this clown? Anyone seen this or have an idea of what's up here. This fish has been with me at least a year ...moved the tank about 7 months ago. Is this a injury or a disease?

 

[Anirban]

@Humblefish can give you the best suggestion regarding this

 

[jetmaker]

What the h happened to this clown? Anyone seen this or have an idea of what's up here. This fish has been with me at least a year ...moved the tank about 7 months ago. Is this a injury or a disease?

@Humblefish

 

[melypr1985]

What the h happened to this clown? Anyone seen this or have an idea of what's up here. This fish has been with me at least a year ...moved the tank about 7 months ago. Is this a injury or a disease?

How long has he been like this? How long has that lump been on his side? Has there been any fighting between him and any other fish? Any recent additions?

 

[Mark3]

How long has he been like this? How long has that lump been on his side? Has there been any fighting between him and any other fish? Any recent additions?

I am pretty sure it has just shown up in the last 24 hours....newest addition to tank was a harlequin shrimp about 8 days ago..... all the asterina starfish are going crazy....

 

[jetmaker]

Looks like a bacteria infection I'd dose Kano

 

[Mark3]

I don't know what it is....looks almost like a parasite or something? anyone ever see anything like this?

I haven't seen any others attacking him, but I do have a damsel that is aggressive of his territory, it could be a wound?

Just took this photo tonight at 10:30 pm ... the first one was this morning about 10 am

 

[jetmaker]

He definitely needs Kano but it looks bacterial to me

 

[jetmaker]

Unless it's a worm then prazi pro

 

[jetmaker]

@Humblefish can tell you more than me.

 

[melypr1985]

@Humblefish can tell you more than me.

Humble is out of town.

 

[melypr1985]

I don't know what it is....looks almost like a parasite or something? anyone ever see anything like this?

I haven't seen any others attacking him, but I do have a damsel that is aggressive of his territory, it could be a wound?

Just took this photo tonight at 10:30 pm ... the first one was this morning about 10 am

It looks like there are several things in play here. The redness indicates an infection, while the cauliflower looking "bump" appears to be Lymph. It could be a coincidence that they are both in the same spot, but my best advice is to do several things here. Transfer him to QT and treat with an antibiotic. More info on that here:
Antibiotics: Treats bacterial infections, which are oftentimes “secondary” to preexisting parasitic infestations.

How To Treat - Follow the directions on the label of whatever product you are using. Always use a broad spectrum antibiotic medication i.e. one that treats both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial diseases (very important). Examples of this include Furan-2, Kanamycin akaSeachem Kanaplex, Nitrofuracin Green Powder, Triple Sulfa Powder or a combination of using both Erythromycin & Minocycline. The latter can be accomplished (albeit expensively) by using freshwater Maracyn 1 & 2 and then doubling the dosage for saltwater use. When battling a particularly nasty bacterial infection, combining Furan-2, Kanaplex and metronidazole (ex. Seachem MetroPlex) can be very effective (and safe).Props to “hedgedrew” for enlightening me of this.

Normally you have to do 4 doses to complete a full course of treatment. The instructions may say to dose every 24 hours, and perform water changes at certain intervals. In my experience, you often have to do 2 full courses of treatment (or 8 doses total) before a fish will show signs of improvement (antibiotics are notoriously slow acting with fish). If a fish shows no signs of improvement after the second full course, then it’s time to try a completely different medication. Just like with humans, sometimes a certain fish will respond better to a different antibiotic. You can run activated carbon at any time when you wish to end treatment.

Pros - One of the few medications that can safely be mixed with others. You can use antibiotics in conjunction with just about everything.

Cons/Side Effects - Appetite suppression, depletes the water of oxygen (so provide additional gas exchange).

Now for the lymph, you can add vitamins to his food (such as selcon) and keep the water quality in the QT perfect. More info on Lymph here:

Lymphocystis:

Symptoms - Lymphocystis appears as a white or beige colored cauliflower-like growth that usually starts on the fins and spines and sometimes spreads to the body. Initially it may be small (looks like ich), and then grows in size (which is how you know it’s not ich). Lympho is a virus that many fish carry for life. Fortunately, it is rarely fatal or even harmful to the fish, and symptoms will come and go.

Treatment options - No known cure or treatment exists. However, feeding vitamin-enriched foods and maintaining pristine water conditions may expedite the “going away” process.

I'd like you to keep me posted on how he does and what you end up doing for him. I want to know if he stops eating or swimming normally. Also if he starts breathing heavily.

It seems unlikely that Lymph would develop to be that large in a matter of a day or two, so keep a close eye on it. Let me know of any changes.

 

[Mark3]

I will get him into qt and see how he does. I am wondering if it is a bite from a larger fish....and the white cauliflower bulge is white flesh bulging out of the broken skin. I was trying for a sharper photo, but he was shy and didn't want to show me his side.

 

[jetmaker]

For that you can treat him in the dt.

 

[Mark3]

Well, the little clown doesn't look good this morning, after observing him for awhile, I see his companion clown biting at his side. I can't tell if it is an act of aggression or if his buddy is trying to help him out? Not giving him much hope for survival. I was going to set up qt today, but I don't think it is worth it, pretty sure he is doomed, and it is very hard to capture a fish in my dt... 125 with lots of rock.

 

[melypr1985]

You could very well be right about it being a flap of skin. It's definitely infected. If he's still eating, you can feed him the antibiotics in his food. Just use seachem's Focus to bind it to the food. 10 days straight of this and run carbon just in case some of the meds leak out.

 

[Zoey]

How did the clown do?

 

[Mark3]

He is still alive and getting better slowly

 

[Zoey]

Thats great news!