What is this on my clown?

[Hannahmunt]

I bought this guy three days ago. I’ve noticed he’s covered in what looks like dust or white particles.

he’s eating normally and swimming around fine.

 

[Wasabiroot]

May want to reattach, no video I can see

 

[Hannahmunt]

May want to reattach, no video I can see

Sorry!

 

[Wasabiroot]

No worries. A clear pic under white light should do ok also. Hopefully not ich, but hard to say without seeing.

 

[Hannahmunt]

No worries. A clear pic under white light should do ok also. Hopefully not ich, but hard to say without seeing.

 

[Wasabiroot]

If that's what I suspect (marine velvet) the prognosis for the fish is unfortunately poor. Velvet is a real PITA.
Here is a website you can double check to confirm:

Marine Velvet Disease

Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) - Updated 6-9-2023 What You Need To Know: * Fast killing parasite capable of wiping out most of your fish in just a matter of days. Sometimes there are survivors, sometimes not. * Dips/baths which can provide temporary relief for velvet (in order...

humble.fish

Note that it calls out a "dusted" appearance vs "salt grains".
I'm hoping I am wrong here. @vetteguy53081

 

[bnord]

sorry my friend, and good pictures, and will let others comment, but if it were my fish I would say that is Marine Velvet (Amyloodinium) and a bad prognosis without treatment -
do you have a treatment tank?
If treated quickly and appropriately, not a death sentence

 

[Wasabiroot]

Gotta act quickly with this pathogen unfortunately...sorry for the bad news

 

[Hannahmunt]

Gotta act quickly with this pathogen unfortunately...sorry for the bad news

Ahh will it affect my other fish? I don’t have another tank.

 

[Duffer]

Ahh will it affect my other fish? I don’t have another tank.

unfortunately the answer is yes. If it is velvet,and it does look like it, your other fish most likely have it. Velvet acts fast and can wipe out a tank in a day or two.

 

[bnord]

Ahh will it affect my other fish? I don’t have another tank.

highly infectious and most often lethal ...

If you do not have inverts in your tank (that you care for) you can treat in your tank .

Copper is the Treatment of Choice and it will kill your inverts..

Hours matter... please see what you can do for securing copper treatments

 

[Wasabiroot]

Yes. It will wipe out everything in your tank. Your clown may have a resistance to it, but it's not a gamble I would take.

If you're in need of a tank, even a 5g bucket with a heater and airstone will suffice until you get something else. But get it out of your display ASAP. Velvet is a take no prisoners disease.

 

[Hannahmunt]

Yes. It will wipe out everything in your tank. Your clown may have a resistance to it, but it's not a gamble I would take.

If you're in need of a tank, even a 5g bucket with a heater and airstone will suffice until you get something else. But get it out of your display ASAP. Velvet is a take no prisoners disease.

I’ve picked up some reef safe antibacterial for velvet. Hopefully this saves him and my other fish

 

[MnFish1]

I’ve picked up some reef safe antibacterial for velvet. Hopefully this saves him and my other fish

Lets back up a second.

1. Are any other fish sick?
2. Is he breathing fast - or any other symptoms (scratching, etc) - I know you said 'no' but that would be somewhat 'odd'?

When I first saw the pictures - I thought it looked like velvet. The minimal symptoms (though they can come on very very rapidly) - made me think CI. Of course clowns are always accused of having Brooklynella (which this does not really look like).

Like the others have said - a severe case of whatever it is - needs immediate treatment - in a separate tank - with a copper containing medication - with careful measuring of levels and good aeration. Your other fish will need to be treated as well. Reef-safe medication.

Your display tank will then need to be fallow for 45-76 days depending on the protocol you choose to use.

A treatment 'system' can be as simple as a food safe tub with a heater, something to measure ammonia (like a sachem alert) - and oxygenation.

For velvet - for temporary 'relief' you can do a freshwater dip protocol.

Lastly - Fish can recover from illness - so its possible that this one will - In tanks, though, usually due to the higher number of parasite load - they do not - and everything in your tank can be wiped out.

Hope this helps - and good luck with the fish!!

 

[Wasabiroot]

I’ve picked up some reef safe antibacterial for velvet. Hopefully this saves him and my other fish

Velvet is caused by a dinoflagellate, a single celled organism. They are not bacteria, and thus antibiotics will not work. It needs to treated with a copper based medication or chloroquine phosphate, which must be sourced online typically. You could try a short freshwater dip (in treated water) for temporary symptom relief, but that won't cure it.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Like others have said, you are looking at velvet or a severe case of ich. Either way, you need to treat all fish in a separate hospital tank for any chance of survival.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I bought this guy three days ago. I’ve noticed he’s covered in what looks like dust or white particles.

he’s eating normally and swimming around fine.

I guess based on your comment: "he’s eating normally and swimming around fine." that if true, this isn't velvet, but rather, late stage marine ich (in that case, the spots tend to run together). A video would help confirm that. A fish with velvet dusting that severe would be laying on the bottom breathing really fast.

I'm very surprised that none of your other fish have showed symptoms yet - but maybe you've missed them? Black clownfish show these spots so well, your other fish may also have some, just more difficult to see.

Either way, all of the fish will need to be treated with copper in another tank (or if we can 100% rule out velvet, you could try hyposalinity)....which I fully understand is going to be very difficult for you to do.

Jay

 

[gibec]

hmmm... it seems like your tank has christmastillia.. its a rare disease where it starts to snow underwater. Usually not harmful.

 

[Wasabiroot]

Listen to Jay here especially, he's far more an expert than the rest of us here

 

[MnFish1]

Listen to Jay here especially, he's far more an expert than the rest of us here

FYI - for everyone else reading - there is a hashtag #fishmedic that alerts about 8 people including @Jay Hemdal - So - for everyone else reading this. if you use this hashtag you're going to get a number of people Vetted by Jay - and who have access to his protocols. Each of us have kind of worked into our 'roles' and also at times discuss cases that are confusing. I tend to go after 'differential diagnosis' - as well as some recommendations. Others concentrate on other things - but - bottom line - if you have a question on R2R about fish disease, QT, medication etc - If you use that hash tag - you will get appropriate information .. PS - EVERYONE is able to answer any question on this forum. My point was that there is a system which many people are not aware its available.