Need a little help deciding what to do.... clown scratching

PookieGV · Dec 18, 2018

ok, I swear I have been stalking this sub forum for months, but now that it is my fish in qt, I am struck by indecision.

I have had a juvenile clown in my qt for 4 nights. He has been swimming normally and eating the whole time. He looks good, no outward signs of parasites or brook on the skin. My plan was to do. Water change tonight and then observe and feed for another couple of days before starting a prophylactic treatment.

Tonight I noticed that he appears to be trying to scratch his gills. The qt is bare bottom, so it more like swimming along the bottom rubbing one side against his reflection in the glass. I put him in a fresh water dip and did not observe anything come off (in the dip just under 5 mins). He seems to be scratching much less since the dip, but i have still seen it a few times.

So, what should I do next? I have Cupramine, Prazipro, and General Cure on hand. Leaning towards GC.

EmdeReef · Dec 19, 2018

Any chance of taking a pic?

It could be flukes, either prazi or GC will help if so. Good luck!

PookieGV · Dec 20, 2018

Since i didn’t see anything come off with the fresh water dip, i decided to start treating with copper last night. I am using cupramine (legs talked me into it) and the sea gem copper test kit. I used the test kit for the first time last night and a Hannah copper checker just shot tot he top of my wishlist!

PookieGV · Dec 23, 2018

Clownfish has been in copper for five days. Still looks good, but it is swimming in a strange manner. Any idea what could be wrong? I will post a video.

PookieGV · Jan 2, 2019

Update: Another 10 days have passed and all is well. The funky swimming along the bottom has passed, although it does seem to list a little to port.

New supplies today:
Hanna copper checker - cupramine treated tank measured at 0.56. Is that ok? I guess I was better at reading that old seachem test kit than I thought.

Also received, Selcon, Metroplex, Focus, and Kanaplex.

PookieGV · Jan 8, 2019

Ok, i need some help! The fish seems fine but he has developed something on his chin. He is so small it is really hard to bet a good look, but a raised brown bump has developed on his chin, right under his mouth. It looks like a little goatee, but it is definitely raised. The color two days ago was dark brown, but has lightened in color over the last day.

I feed with a plastic syringe and he has started to really attack when it is feeding time. My best guess is that he may have scratched himself while feeding. I have started a course of Kanaplex dosed directly in the water, guessing that it may be a wound. ANY OTHER IDEAS?

I was a little worried about the oxygen levels, so the qt has an air stone, a HOB filter with bio wheel, and a power head at the surface.

Philipgonzales3 · Jan 8, 2019

Bump...

Frtdrmrose7 · Jan 9, 2019

PookieGV said:
Ok, i need some help! The fish seems fine but he has developed something on his chin. He is so small it is really hard to bet a good look, but a raised brown bump has developed on his chin, right under his mouth. It looks like a little goatee, but it is definitely raised. The color two days ago was dark brown, but has lightened in color over the last day.

I feed with a plastic syringe and he has started to really attack when it is feeding time. My best guess is that he may have scratched himself while feeding. I have started a course of Kanaplex dosed directly in the water, guessing that it may be a wound. ANY OTHER IDEAS?

I was a little worried about the oxygen levels, so the qt has an air stone, a HOB filter with bio wheel, and a power head at the surface.

Kanaplex is good but if needed add Furan 2 with it for a full broad spectrum of ABX. Fish are slow to respond to ABX. See if you can get a pic and post it here. I’m sure someone else will chime in.

PookieGV · Jan 9, 2019

Thanks i will work on a pic tonight and look into furan.

PookieGV · Jan 9, 2019

Hard to get a good pic. Here are a few looks like a little brown cauliflower like growth.

PookieGV · Jan 9, 2019

Got a better one.

Frtdrmrose7 · Jan 9, 2019

Is he still eating ok?

PookieGV · Jan 9, 2019

Yes, otherwise seems happy.

PookieGV · Jan 9, 2019

He has about another 10 days to go in copper.

Frtdrmrose7 · Jan 9, 2019

PookieGV said:
He has about another 10 days to go in copper.

I’m thinking this could be a secondary infection or even lympho. Just to clarify it doesn’t look like an organism? I know isopods will attach to fish and can appear brown and like an odd lump.

I’m hoping someone else will chime in

PookieGV · Jan 9, 2019

No, i don’t think it is an attached organism.

I have had the fish for about 2.5 weeks, it just appeared this week and has grown in the last few days. I have Furan 2 coming tomorrow, so I will see if that helps. After the copper i was also planning on treating with metro.

Thanks for trying to help.

4FordFamily · Jan 9, 2019

Is it growing? Is it red? It could be an infection. Keep a close eye. If it grows or turns more red I would add kanaplex, metroplex, and furan 2 to the water per the instructions on each for 10-15 days.

PookieGV · Jan 9, 2019

It did grow in the last 48 hours. I would say it is brown.

Would you dose all of that with the cupramine that is already in the tank?

I have 10 days left to get to 30 days in copper. I am really liking the idea of a second copper free QT at the moment.

Thanks for helping.

PookieGV · Jan 11, 2019

Fish is not interested in dinner tonight and the bump on his chin has really grown. I would definitely say it is brown, looks fuzzy like a beard. I have a water change planned for tomorrow morning and was planning on hitting it with furan 2, metroplex, and Kanaplex after the water change. Fingers crossed.

PookieGV · Jan 12, 2019

This is getting weird, like a big ball of moss hanging off his chin. Did a 50% water change and added metroplex, Kanaplex, and Furan 2. Tank looks a little yellow at the moment.

Here is an updated pic.