What does clown have?

moulton1853 · Dec 17, 2015

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I put him in quarantine 3 days ago cuz i though he had ich. The spots are gone but now has spots on top of his head on the white strip that look like he is losing color and are reddish and I have no idea what to treat for. He is still eating a little twice a day and doesn't appear to be having any other issues.

Humblefish · Dec 17, 2015

Could be a bacterial infection or possible the beginnings of Brooklynella.

New clownfish or have you had him awhile? Is he being treated with any meds in the QT for ich?

moulton1853 · Dec 17, 2015

I have had him since August. The only thing that is treating the tank is pimafix and melafix. I was am waiting for my order of meds. They should be here today hopefully.

Humblefish · Dec 17, 2015

moulton1853 said:
I have had him since August. The only thing that is treating the tank is pimafix and melafix. I was am waiting for my order of meds. They should be here today hopefully.

What meds have you ordered?

moulton1853 · Dec 17, 2015

prazipro and cupramine. My lfs doesn't have much for meds here so I am getting them from Dr. Fosters and Smith

Humblefish · Dec 17, 2015

moulton1853 said:
prazipro and cupramine. My lfs doesn't have much for meds here so I am getting them from Dr. Fosters and Smith

That will take care of ich (and/or velvet) and flukes, but you may need a broad spectrum antibiotic such as Kanaplex for the bacterial infection. There is some anecdotal evidence that Pimafix/Melafix helps with a mild bacterial infection. But that looks like it has progressed beyond mild.

moulton1853 · Dec 17, 2015

Ok. Thank you. I ordered the cupramine because I thought I was just battling ich. These new splotches just showed up yesterday. The lfs had the pimafix and melafix and I thought it would help with damage that the ich would cause till I got the right stuff.

Should I start treating with cupramine or wait until I get an antibiotic and do that first?

Humblefish · Dec 17, 2015

If you are sure it's only ich (and not velvet or brook), I would tackle the bacterial infection first. A gram negative bacterial infection, for example, will kill a fish faster than ich.

However, if you think there's any chance the parasite in question is velvet, begin copper immediately and add to this Kanaplex to treat the infection. You can technically mix copper, Prazipro, antibiotics all together; it's just not optimal to do so unless faced with an emergency situation due to O2 depletion from all the meds.

moulton1853 · Dec 21, 2015

I am now thinking velvet now as a chromis in the DT was found dead this morning. I have taken the other fish all out except I can not get to the yellow watchman as he hides under the rocks with his shrimp friend. The QT is now running with cupramine and the 3 other fish. Besides tearing down the tank to get him out, is there something I can do to help the goby?

Humblefish · Dec 21, 2015

moulton1853 said:
Besides tearing down the tank to get him out, is there something I can do to help the goby?

Nothing that's reef safe. You might be able to catch him using a bottle trap:
Of course, you'll probably end up catching the shrimp too.

moulton1853 · Jan 21, 2016

1 month update. Clown and goby are still alive! The clown fish seems to have totally recovered from the bacterial infection, no red spot what so ever. It does appear that the white spots have returned again today. He is still acting and eating normal but looks a little "fuzzy" again. I am starting Cupramine up again today. How long can fish tolerate copper for? He was in it for 14 days then I used carbon to lower it down and about 10 days later it is back. Should I extend the treatment time for longer than the 14 days?

moulton1853 · Jan 21, 2016

Sorry, just re-read your write up on velvet and you recommend 1 month of copper so that answered 1 of my questions

Humblefish · Jan 21, 2016

moulton1853 said:
1 month update. Clown and goby are still alive! The clown fish seems to have totally recovered from the bacterial infection, no red spot what so ever. It does appear that the white spots have returned again today. He is still acting and eating normal but looks a little "fuzzy" again. I am starting Cupramine up again today. How long can fish tolerate copper for? He was in it for 14 days then I used carbon to lower it down and about 10 days later it is back. Should I extend the treatment time for longer than the 14 days?

Minimum of 30 days. Most fish can handle copper for that long, but if one stops eating (sign of copper intolerance) you might need to use an alternative treatment.