Identification

[jacobreynolds6883]

So I need some help or confirmation on this. Today a white spot showed up on one of my clownfish, I believe it to be ick (hopefully not?). Some back history these clowns are 2 years old and only other fish inhabitants is a 1 year old coral beauty. Nothing with the tank has changed other than 9 months ago I upgraded from 36g to current 90g. During these past 9 months I have left the tank along to mature and have had no issue. These fish were not treated with copper when I first got them 2 years, I just didn’t know any better at the time. Now this spot has showed up just over night, all parameters are the same, lights, and temperature the same. Please view the pictures below not the best and help me out, thanks.

 

[Dj Emcee]

Its probably Clownfish disease (Brooklynella), or Cryptocaryon (White Spot). If you can catch him try a fresh water dip or formalyn i thinks its called... its a formaldehyde dip... since you have corals make sure none of that gets in your tank ... if it was ich it would have been more spots... im not an expert but thats my best guess

 

[Privateye]

Really tough to say from one spot honestly. This is what you'd call a "nonspecific symptom" - it can be indicative of multiple issues. A FW dip wouldn't be risky to try though. Might be a good place to start. Do you have a quarantine tank? If so, you have more options.

It doesn't look like ich to me, but again it's just 1 spot. If it's ich then a formalin dip will only slow it. You'd want to pull all the fish out for 40+ days and treat them in a quarantine tank with copper, formalin, or something containing formalin. Ich won't survive without a fish host for 30 days or so, depending on the temperature. Some rare cases take longer.

There are other great medications out there too like chloroquine, but copper and formalin (or formalin / malachite green combo) are more accessible to the average hobbyist.

 

[jacobreynolds6883]

Its probably Clownfish disease (Brooklynella), or Cryptocaryon (White Spot). If you can catch him try a fresh water dip or formalyn i thinks its called... its a formaldehyde dip... since you have corals make sure none of that gets in your tank ... if it was ich it would have been more spots... im not an expert but thats my best guess

After reading some about it, it does sound as it could definitely be it. I’m guessing it is like ick and can lay dormant for some time, but 2 years and no new stress. Now the question is if this is so and I pull the clown to treat and QT will the other clown and coral beauty need QTfor weeks to letit die in the water system?

 

[JGT]

So I need some help or confirmation on this. Today a white spot showed up on one of my clownfish, I believe it to be ick (hopefully not?). Some back history these clowns are 2 years old and only other fish inhabitants is a 1 year old coral beauty. Nothing with the tank has changed other than 9 months ago I upgraded from 36g to current 90g. During these past 9 months I have left the tank along to mature and have had no issue. These fish were not treated with copper when I first got them 2 years, I just didn’t know any better at the time. Now this spot has showed up just over night, all parameters are the same, lights, and temperature the same. Please view the pictures below not the best and help me out, thanks.

Hard to tell from pics. Bit blurry. Also just one spot so could be lots of things. Keep an eye on the spot. See if it changes location or if you see more of them.

 

[jacobreynolds6883]

Really tough to say from one spot honestly. This is what you'd call a "nonspecific symptom" - it can be indicative of multiple issues. A FW dip wouldn't be risky to try though. Might be a good place to start. Do you have a quarantine tank? If so, you have more options.

It doesn't look like ich to me, but again it's just 1 spot. If it's ich then a formalin dip will only slow it. You'd want to pull all the fish out for 40+ days and treat them in a quarantine tank with copper, formalin, or something containing formalin. Ich won't survive without a fish host for 30 days or so, depending on the temperature. Some rare cases take longer.

There are other great medications out there too like chloroquine, but copper and formalin (or formalin / malachite green combo) are more accessible to the average hobbyist.

May sound crazy but could it be a knick/cut on its body from the coral beauty that bosses them around? I do have QT ready to go but will be hard to catch this coral beauty.

 

[jacobreynolds6883]

Hard to tell from pics. Bit blurry. Also just one spot so could be lots of things. Keep an eye on the spot. See if it changes location or if you see more of them.

I did pull her and rub it with my finger, maybe not the smartest thing. Anyways it didn’t come off or didn’t feel like it had any texture. She has ate normal today no abnormal habits or abnormal breathing still just bossing her male mate around as normal.

 

[JGT]

May sound crazy but could it be a knick/cut on its body from the coral beauty that bosses them around? I do have QT ready to go but will be hard to catch this coral beauty.

Yes, among other things. I’d take a wait and see approach.

 

[vetteguy53081]

One single spot does not notate brooklynella (slimy and milky appearance) or Crypto (generally multiple spots on fins and body)
It may be simply a piece of sand or even a fluke.
Do a freswater dip for 3-5 minutes with same temperature water and see if it falls off. Fluke will look like a small sesame seed.

 

[Privateye]

May sound crazy but could it be a knick/cut on its body from the coral beauty that bosses them around? I do have QT ready to go but will be hard to catch this coral beauty.

To make things more complicated, yes absolutely. If there is no texture to it then it could just be some lost scales from a fight. For now, either wait and see or do a FW dip. Personally, I'd wait until tomorrow and look for changes. Brooklynella would probably kill it by tomorrow, assuming the individual is susceptible. That thing kills in rapid time. I don't think you have it though. You're not noticing any sloughing of slime or weird behavior right?

 

[jacobreynolds6883]

To make things more complicated, yes absolutely. If there is no texture to it then it could just be some lost scales from a fight. For now, either wait and see or do a FW dip. Personally, I'd wait until tomorrow and look for changes. Brooklynella would probably kill it by tomorrow, assuming the individual is susceptible. That thing kills in rapid time. I don't think you have it though. You're not noticing any sloughing of slime or weird behavior right?

Correct nothing weird acting as normal. I hope it is just a lost scale from a fight, I will give it the night and see if any change by the morning time.

 

[Uncle99]

I wouldn’t do nothing but watch.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Correct nothing weird acting as normal. I hope it is just a lost scale from a fight, I will give it the night and see if any change by the morning time.

As others have said, it isn't Brooklynella. The spot is too large to be ich, but part of that could be it is out of focus (grin). Watch for other symptoms - notably going off feed, rapid breathing and holding the fins clamped.

Jay

 

[jacobreynolds6883]

So I’ve been watching her closely and so far no abnormal activity. She ate lunch and dinner as normal. I’ve noticed today the spot looks flappy, very hard to tell in the photos but posted some new ones from today below. So could this just be a piece of her scale, and if so am I in the clear? These guys are my originals and really don’t want to lose one, I actually rescued them from a tank that had no power hooked up for 3 days 2 years ago. Please have some good news for me?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The dorsal fin has some odd notching to it, that isn't a sign of disease per-se, but I've not seen that before. Has it been like that long?

Jay

 

[jacobreynolds6883]

The dorsal fin has some odd notching to it, that isn't a sign of disease per-se, but I've not seen that before. Has it been like that long?

Jay

Yeah been like that since I’ve had her. There is a rip as well hard to tell by photos, thanks to coral beauty.

 

[Joshcom]

Looks like a scale to me

 

[jacobreynolds6883]

The dorsal fin has some odd notching to it, that isn't a sign of disease per-se, but I've not seen that before. Has it been like that long?

Jay

So I went back and foundphotos from QT when I first got them. So I guess I don’t remember the fin looked smooth. They are below, not the best angles or photos.