Parasite ID on clownfish

[Bryson]

I need help identifying these spots on my clownfish. They look like whispy gray blotches on top of the skin. Irregular shape. They have had these spots for a couple weeks. Doesn’t look like ich velvet or brook to me but I could be wrong. The video makes the spots look more circular than they look in person. The 2 clownfish have been in my tank for around 6 weeks and are the only fish in the tank. I haven’t noticed any irregular behavior and they are both eating very well multiple times a day. Any help is appreciated!

 

[fishguy242]

#fishmedic

 

[vetteguy53081]

I need help identifying these spots on my clownfish. They look like whispy gray blotches on top of the skin. Irregular shape. They have had these spots for a couple weeks. Doesn’t look like ich velvet or brook to me but I could be wrong. The video makes the spots look more circular than they look in person. The 2 clownfish have been in my tank for around 6 weeks and are the only fish in the tank. I haven’t noticed any irregular behavior and they are both eating very well multiple times a day. Any help is appreciated!

These are lesions often visible with clown disease known as Brooklynella. This mucus associated with brook generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment is a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater. Start with a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration then performing treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin base at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective but now harder to find) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.
With the advanced stage of this- I recommend immediate quarantine of all inhabitants and leaving display without fish for 4-6 weeks.
A quarantine system if you dont have one can be as simple as a starter tank kit from walmart which has most of the essentials

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Can you tell off the spots have changed location and changed in numbers over these two weeks? Are there any spots on the fins themselves?
I think these are flukes, but I want to rule out “stale ich” first.
Jay

 

[Bryson]

Can you tell off the spots have changed location and changed in numbers over these two weeks? Are there any spots on the fins themselves?
I think these are flukes, but I want to rule out “stale ich” first.
Jay

From what i can tell the spots have not changed locations once spotted. There are a couple directly on the fins. Thank you for the reply!

 

[Bryson]

These are lesions often visible with clown disease known as Brooklynella. This mucus associated with brook generally starts at the facial area as well as gills and spreads across the body producing lesions as it progresses often confused with ich and can turn into secondary bacteria. Other symptoms will be lethargic behavior, refusing to eat and heavy breathing from the mucus.
Typical treatment is a formalin solution is mixed with in a separate container with either fresh or saltwater. Start with a quick dip in the formalin at a higher concentration then performing treatment in a prolonged bath of formalin base at a lower concentration in a quarantine tank. The longer the fish are exposed to the formalin treatment the more effective it will be at eliminating this issue.
If a formalin solution is not available for immediate use, temporary relief can be achieved by giving the fish a FW bath or dip in water same temperature as display tank. Even though this treatment will not cure the disease, it can help to remove some of the parasites, as well as reduce the amount of mucus in the gills to assist with respiration problems.
Treatment is best done in a QT tank using either quick cure (more effective but now harder to find) or Ruby Rally Pro. Ruby takes a little longer and initial treatment generally takes 2-3 days to really start going to work.
With the advanced stage of this- I recommend immediate quarantine of all inhabitants and leaving display without fish for 4-6 weeks.
A quarantine system if you dont have one can be as simple as a starter tank kit from walmart which has most of the essentials

Thank you for the reply. I was hoping it wasn't brook. I appreciate the help

 

[Bryson]

Can you tell off the spots have changed location and changed in numbers over these two weeks? Are there any spots on the fins themselves?
I think these are flukes, but I want to rule out “stale ich” first.
Jay

Jay, do you think it would be a good idea to do a freshwater dip to see if anything falls off, confirming flukes. Then go with a brook treatment if the dip doesn't confirm flukes?
Thanks

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Jay, do you think it would be a good idea to do a freshwater dip to see if anything falls off, confirming flukes. Then go with a brook treatment if the dip doesn't confirm flukes?
Thanks

I looked at the video again, I just am not seeing Brook here - if it was, I would expect the fish to be swimming more "mopey" and the white mucus being more in sheets and not discrete spots. That said, the fish are moving a lot in the video and the blue color makes it difficult to see.

A FW dip is only going to confirm flukes for one species, Neobenedenia, the other flukes are too small to see without a microscope.

If you can post a video under whiter light where the clowns are a bit slower, I might be able to see more, but at this point, given the symptoms and timeline, I'm thinking flukes. Brooklynella would have progressed further in 2 weeks and ich would likely have also.

Jay

 

[Bryson]

I looked at the video again, I just am not seeing Brook here - if it was, I would expect the fish to be swimming more "mopey" and the white mucus being more in sheets and not discrete spots. That said, the fish are moving a lot in the video and the blue color makes it difficult to see.

A FW dip is only going to confirm flukes for one species, Neobenedenia, the other flukes are too small to see without a microscope.

If you can post a video under whiter light where the clowns are a bit slower, I might be able to see more, but at this point, given the symptoms and timeline, I'm thinking flukes. Brooklynella would have progressed further in 2 weeks and ich would likely have also.

Jay

Thank you Jay
Here's a video under white lights. At the 35-40 second mark you can really see the shape of these lesions and how far they are protruding off the body. I did notice the darker clown shake his head during feeding this morning. I don't want to risk stressing out the fish more than necessary but also want to start treatments soon. If you're thinking flukes, maybe start with Prazi? Let me know what you think with that video. Thank you!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you Jay
Here's a video under white lights. At the 35-40 second mark you can really see the shape of these lesions and how far they are protruding off the body. I did notice the darker clown shake his head during feeding this morning. I don't want to risk stressing out the fish more than necessary but also want to start treatments soon. If you're thinking flukes, maybe start with Prazi? Let me know what you think with that video. Thank you!

Yes, this new video is leaning me even more towards flukes in this case.

Jay

 

[Bryson]

Yes, this new video is leaning me even more towards flukes in this case.

Jay

I appreciate all the help.