Not Ich nor Velvet. What is this?

[Ronny Pena]

So, today I was feeding my tangs and noticed that my Blue Hippo has this fluff like stuff in it's skin. It's hard to notice, but when you look closely it's all over the skin. Checked my Yellow Tang and my Clownfish and they don't have anything. The Blue Hippo ate like a pig, everything is perfectly fine, just the fluff stuff in the skin. Any ID on this?

Will try to get better pics in a few minutes.

 

[Ronny Pena]

The best pics I could get. Any idea?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

It could just be idiopathic mucus plugs, here is an article that I discuss that in:

Mucus - The Slime That Binds

Mucus: The Slime that Binds Jay Hemdal C. 2020 This article examines the various causes of excess mucus coatings on fish, as well as fecal mucus issues. ------------------- The mucus produced by the fish’s epidermal cells gives them their...

www.reef2reef.com

However, it can also be a mucus reaction to Cryptocaryon, ich. People are often surprised at how differently ich can present itself. Do you see ANY spots on the fish's fins? That is diagnostic in that ich will grow on the fins, while these mucus plugs are produced by epidermal cells, and don't grow on the fins.

Jay

 

[Andrescol87]

One of the biggest enemies of a reef Aquarium is the gram negative bacteria (both for fish and corals alike).

however they desguise as ich or velvet the most of times until it is too late. Although fish can fight them the most of times, it comes to a point where inmune system cannot deal with them (poor water quality) or heavy loads of bacteria overwhelm the immune system of our fish (they prosper in dirty sand beds or heavy layers of mulm). However without a microscope annalise's se cannot know for sure.

 

[Ronny Pena]

It could just be idiopathic mucus plugs, here is an article that I discuss that in:

Mucus - The Slime That Binds

Mucus: The Slime that Binds Jay Hemdal C. 2020 This article examines the various causes of excess mucus coatings on fish, as well as fecal mucus issues. ------------------- The mucus produced by the fish’s epidermal cells gives them their...

www.reef2reef.com

However, it can also be a mucus reaction to Cryptocaryon, ich. People are often surprised at how differently ich can present itself. Do you see ANY spots on the fish's fins? That is diagnostic in that ich will grow on the fins, while these mucus plugs are produced by epidermal cells, and don't grow on the fins.

Jay

He's skittish so I can't see clearly without catching him... But the fins don't look like they have anything attached. The rest of the fish looks fine, eating well. I'll try to confirm.

One of the biggest enemies of a reef Aquarium is the gram negative bacteria (both for fish and corals alike).

however they desguise as ich or velvet the most of times until it is too late. Although fish can fight them the most of times, it comes to a point where inmune system cannot deal with them (poor water quality) or heavy loads of bacteria overwhelm the immune system of our fish (they prosper in dirty sand beds or heavy layers of mulm). However without a microscope annalise's se cannot know for sure.

I'm a veterinarian! I have a microscope and tincture, what should I try to get for the slide? The fluff tissue?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Wen]

My hippo had the same/similar on 2 occasions in varying degrees. When rescued from a high school tank and second episode after copper treatment.

The hippo fully recovered by feeding selcon laced nori, beta glucan bound with focus to LRS food, live macro algae and whole clams.

Good varied diet, low stress and time will make it better.