What is this!?

AandR · Feb 23, 2023

What is in my clownfish's gills? Just part of him? Thought it might be a fluke of some kind so tried a freshwater dip (5min) without success or change.

neonreef3d · Feb 23, 2023

possible parasite, difficult to ID though... maybe a parasitic isopod?? cant say for sure.

fishguy242 · Feb 23, 2023

#fishmedic

fishguy242 · Feb 23, 2023

#fishmedic

StatelineReefer · Feb 23, 2023

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

Fish Styx · Feb 23, 2023

What does your fish's poop look like? Is it by chance white and stringy/ thread-like? How is its appetite?

AandR · Feb 23, 2023

Fish Styx said:
What does your fish's poop look like? Is it by chance white and stringy/ thread-like? How is its appetite?

pooping and eating normally

vetteguy53081 · Feb 23, 2023

AandR said:
What is in my clownfish's gills? Just part of him? Thought it might be a fluke of some kind so tried a freshwater dip (5min) without success or change.

Does not appear as an isopod or fluke but may be something ingested or damage. The fish is breathing rapidly and seeing suspended matter in the water, what is current ammonia and nitrate?
The fish appear to have lesions which may have stem from brooklynella. This mucus 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.
While I rarely suggest to, you can use Rally in display tank.

AandR · Feb 23, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Does not appear as an isopod or fluke but may be something ingested or damage. The fish is breathing rapidly and seeing suspended matter in the water, what is current ammonia and nitrate?
The fish appear to have lesions which may have stem from brooklynella. This mucus 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.
While I rarely suggest to, you can use Rally in display tank.

nitrate at 5, ammonia at 0. the suspended matter is a benificial bacteria i try to dose weekly that i had just thrown in. I have been dealing with Ich passing through all the fish in my tank, this guy was worse yesterday but much improved after a few visits from my cleaner wrasse. I noticed the gill thing because i was looking closely for Ich. had it been Brooklynella would he have improved since yesterday with no intervention?

vetteguy53081 · Feb 23, 2023

AandR said:
nitrate at 5, ammonia at 0. the suspended matter is a benificial bacteria i try to dose weekly that i had just thrown in. I have been dealing with Ich passing through all the fish in my tank, this guy was worse yesterday but much improved after a few visits from my cleaner wrasse. I noticed the gill thing because i was looking closely for Ich. had it been Brooklynella would he have improved since yesterday with no intervention?

Yes due to the freshwater dip which offers temporary relief.

AandR · Feb 23, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Yes due to the freshwater dip which offers temporary relief.

The dip was after the Ich improved. I dipped because i though it might be gill flukes.

AandR · Feb 23, 2023

I will definitely be watching both my clowns carefully for Brooklynella now though

Jay Hemdal · Feb 24, 2023

Just an observation - as @vetteguy53081 said, the real issue is the fish breathing fast. I think the tag on the gill is just some minor damage, or possibly a bite mark from the cleaner wrasse (they aren't all nice like people think). You won't see gill flukes, except as rapid breathing.

It wasn't clear to me - are you battling ich right now? Do you have a 100% diagnosis on that?

One thing to do - ensure the tank has good aeration (not just circulation).

Jay

AandR · Mar 1, 2023

Everyone still doing ok. The gill on the one clown remains unchanged and as i am watching him closely now, i think he may always breathe like that? perhaps a birth defect ? A few ( what I'm assuming are Ich) spots remain on both the clownfish but all eating well and seem ok other wise. The only medication i can get in canada is the Ruby rally Pro, but i found a vendor and will get that if need be. Thanks for the input and help.

AandR · Mar 3, 2023

AandR said:
nitrate at 5, ammonia at 0. the suspended matter is a benificial bacteria i try to dose weekly that i had just thrown in. I have been dealing with Ich passing through all the fish in my tank, this guy was worse yesterday but much improved after a few visits from my cleaner wrasse. I noticed the gill thing because i was looking closely for Ich. had it been Brooklynella would he have improved since yesterday with no intervention?

Using rally in my display tank. Do I have to take out filter socks??